Battery-powered MINI Cooper SE revealed
First all-electric MINI hatch set for 2020 release, but Australian prospects remain unclearMINI has lifted the lid on its new electric hatchback, the MINI Cooper SE.
The British car-maker’s first electric production vehicle incorporates a 135kW/270Nm electric motor which drives the front wheels.
Zero to 60km/h acceleration takes a claimed 3.9 seconds, while 100km/h is notched in 7.3 seconds and top speed is limited to 150km/h.
If those figures sound familiar, that’s because the MINI Cooper SE shares its electric drivetrain with the BMW i3.
The battery-powered three-door MINI’s all-important driving range, meanwhile, is rated between 235km and 270km, depending on which version of the 32.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack is specified.
With a 50kW DC charging station, the MINI’s battery can be 80 per cent replenished in 35 minutes. No household-rated AC charging times have been released.
MINI Australia hasn’t confirmed whether it will import the first all-electric MINI Down Under, where it has begun dabbling in electrification with the soft-launch of the MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid.
The use of battery power has imposed little to no compromise to the Cooper’s handling or packaging, says MINI.
The electric Cooper SE rides 18mm higher than its petrol-engined donor model to accommodate a battery pack mounted under the floor. The car-maker claims the car’s centre of gravity sits 30mm lower than the petrol equivalent.
Inside, MINI says the donor car’s 211-litre boot space is unchanged, extending to 731 litres with the split-fold seats stowed.
The MINI Cooper SE’s electric batteries ultimately add 145kg worth of heft compared with the petrol-powered equivalent, at 1365kg.
Overseas material suggests the MINI Cooper SE will be offered in a highly-specced grade comprising 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, a 6.5-inch infotainment screen with nav, dual-zone climate control and a bespoke driver instrument cluster to reflect its green origins.
UK deliveries of the British-built hatch will commence from March. carsales is awaiting confirmation on the Australian prospects of the MINI Cooper SE, which BMW says has already attracted about 20,000 potential buyers globally.
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