The first all-electric Mini will be available in September 2019

Cooper SE will also be coming to South Africa in 2021

10 July 2019 - 21:30

By AFP Relaxnews

Mini has unveiled its very first all-electric series model, the Cooper SE, just weeks before its public debut at the International Motor Show in Germany, which will take place in Frankfurt from September 12 to 22, 2019. It will be released to European dealerships come September, starting at an average of €32,900 (roughly R517,971).

Sixty years after the launch of its very first Mini (which was originally manufactured by BMC, and later became a standalone marque), a new chapter is about to be written in the small urban car's history. The Mini Cooper SE, guaranteed CO2 emission-free, was derived from the concept-car of the same name, which was shown in Frankfurt in 2017.

Design-wise, this new model looks a lot like the Mini 3 Door, with the exception of an AC and DC-compatible charging port above the right rear wheel, and its unibody grille, series LED headlights and its slightly taller chassis.

The Mini Cooper SE features the same engine as the BMW i3S: an electric motor with 135 kW. The chassis was adapted to accommodate this new motorisation, in order to preserve its superior handling and driving stability. In terms of performance, this allows the car to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds according to the manufacturer, with a top speed of 150 km/h. Its lithium-ion battery provides a range of 235 to 270km, depending on traffic. In order to offer the same trunk capacity as a traditional Mini 3 Door, the battery was integrated to the floor of the vehicle.

The Mini Cooper SE is equipped with a series of accessories such as a 5.5-inch colour screen located behind the steering wheel, displaying the time, mileage, driving speed and remaining battery charge. A separate 6.5-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard provides access to the navigation system and all Mini Connected services.

The British manufacturer, an independent brand of the BMW Group, had already experimented with electric cars with its limited run of 500 Mini E, released in 2009 and 2010.

The brand has already opened up a site for customers to express their interest in the electric Mini and plans to debut production in November 2019 in Oxford.

The Mini Cooper SE will be made available in South Africa from 2021.