MINI Electric 2020 Review

Despite its seven-year-old powertrain borrowed from the BMW i3, the MINI Electric feels fresh and vibrant.

It generates loads of usable thrust from standstill which, like most EVs, makes it very driveable and brisk feeling behind the wheel.

After blatting around in the tiny Brit for hours, there's a very satisfying feeling that comes from manipulating the MINI Electric's instant torque at the front wheels, imbuing the compact (3845mm long) but heavy 1440kg tiddler with a level of throttle response and mid-range acceleration never before offered in a mass-produced MINI.

While 135kW of power and 270Nm of torque mightn't sound like much compared to the MINI Cooper S's 2.0-litre turbo-petrol mill (141kW/280Nm), it accelerates to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds – but feels much faster.

That's because it never needs to change gear, accelerating to its 150km/h top speed without pause. The power delivery is progressive but ultra-direct and ensures super-rapid launches. You can really toy with impatient drivers during the traffic light tango.

What I really liked was the smooth power transfer from the electric motor to the front wheels, which is precisely measured at very low speeds. If you clomp the throttle from standstill, in sport mode, the front wheels won't break traction willy-nilly, which is very much the case with the Hyundai Kona Electric and something that may startle timid drivers.

There's also no torque steer, an issue that can affect powerful front-drive vehicles by pulling the steering wheel in one direction under heavy acceleration.

Instead, grip is always there and full torque flows in smoothly at around 10-15km/h. It’s a cool feeling as your tummy gets pressed gently into the seat, with only the tiniest electric whir detectable in the background.

After several launches from traffic lights, shaming a couple of Chevy Camaros along the way (no joke), the thrill fades a little and that's partly because there's a lack of character – and it is not unique to this EV.

Over time we may forget how much personality and involvement the old 'looters' (short for 'polluter') offered. The anodyne EV will lift its game, no doubt about it, and MINI even admits it’s studying ways to ensure its next-gen electric JCW hero models add emotional involvement.

So if you're expecting the engagement levels of a turbocharged Cooper S hot hatch, you may be disappointed with MINI’s first all-electric car. But the tiny British EV is a great city-car, of that there is no ifs, buts or maybes.

Its compact size, clear vision and responsiveness provide loads of confidence in town, where there’s traffic bearing down from all sides and a scarcity of parking options.

Indeed, the MINI Cooper SE is exceptionally easy to drive thanks to its direct steering and well modulated brakes. The latter can initially feel a little grabby, particularly with the regenerative brakes that scavenge back small amounts of battery charge, but they quickly start to feel like regular brakes, which is a good thing.

Braking recuperation can be set at two levels. One is mild, and feels like you're driving a 'looter with an automatic, slowing down very slightly when you lift off the accelerator pedal. The other setting is pretty full on, with lifting off the throttle resulting is heavy braking.

Chassis dynamics? Hard to say. The drive route was entirely urban-based, around Miami and Fort Lauderdale, with only a brief 270-degree on-ramp to gauge its chassis.

The verdict on its 'go-kartianism' will have to wait until a more comprehensive test, as there weren't enough bendy bits to evaluate the car's cornering ability. This was either a deliberate ploy by MINI to mask sub-par handling dynamics, or a desire to keep the focus on urban driving. Or both.

On a more positive note, and of more interest to city-dwellers, ride comfort is a definite improvement over the MINI Cooper S, the car absorbing downtown Miami's torn up, roadwork-riddled bitumen with remarkable grace.

MINI cars have traditionally been firmer than a concrete futon, but the MINI Electric has an unexpected level of ride compliance.

The suspension has been re-tuned because the car is 145kg heavier than its petrol-powered cousins. The result is a more comfortable ride and, although our brief cornering suggests it hasn't adversely affected its handling dynamics, we'll need a more thorough test to be sure.

When the MINI Cooper SE was first announced in mid-2019, the excitement was palpable.

The first mass-produced MINI EV in its 60-year history is built at its Oxford plant in the UK, leveraging BMW tech. "Sign me up", screamed an EV-savvy European public.

And that they did.

A whopping 100,000-plus customers have officially expressed an interest to buy the new model, with around 4000 pre-orders in the bank, mostly in the UK.

The MINI Electric is a fun car to drive. It adheres to the brand ethos of delivering a memorable experience from the way it performs to the way it looks and feels.

But some of the sparkle faded when it became clear the BMW-owned British brand would make use of the BMW i3's EV innards, which were developed 10 years ago and are neither new nor cutting-edge.

We're talking about a 33kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor (135kW/270Nm) that deliver a real-world range of around 200km. After that, you'll need to plug it in and charge the battery. Which can take all day.

When the Hyundai Kona Electric has almost twice the battery density (64kWh) and a real-world range of 450km, and the Tesla Model 3 offers a similar batting average – and both are within striking distance of the roughly $50,000 MINI EV price – it seems like MINI has kicked an embarrassing own goal.

That’s because range is one of the key purchasing decisions when it comes to EVs. Less range means more charging, shorter trips and reduced convenience, right? Range anxiety is real, isn't it?

Well, the three-door Cooper SE is a city car, says MINI, and it was never intended to have intercontinental range in Europe. Most owners will only drive it 20km per day and the comparatively low range is not an issue, insists the car-maker.

Perhaps the MINI Electric's paltry range may not be a purchasing hurdle after all.

But Aussie motorists are a different breed to Europeans. Greater distances exist between cities and major urban areas. And that, it seems, is reflected in Australian pre-orders, which are currently sitting at a grand total of 12.

Indeed, the entire year's allocation of MINI Cooper SEs for Australia is 80 vehicles, which in itself suggests a lack of confidence either in the car, the market, or both.

New car buyers don't want weird, sci-fi car designs for their EVs (as evidence by the *cough* BMW i3), which is why the MINI Cooper SE retains the iconic MINI three-door hatch look.

Eagle-eyed car-spotters will pick the MINI EV via an in-filled grille, not unlike the Hyundai Kona Electric, as the cooling of the front-mounted electric motor is not as important as for a conventional combustion engine.

There are also several EV-inspired elements – day-glow yellow accents and funky powerpoint-inspired 17-inch alloy wheels. But owners who want a car that blends into the crowd can delete these elements at no extra cost.

There are four model grades available overseas for the MINI Electric – Trim S, Trim M, Trim L and XL.

It's not clear what will be offered in Australia given the small allocation headed here, but the basic S model comes with the new 5.5-inch digital instrument display, dual-zone climate control, LED headlights, an electric park brake and the 6.5-inch Connected Navigation system that includes wireless Apple CarPlay.

Want Android Auto phone mirroring? Bad luck, because it's not offered.

A bigger (optional) central touch-screen measuring 8.8 inches can be had, adding wireless phone charging as part of the bundle.

Speaking of charging, the MINI will take around 12 hours to charge via a regular household socket, two-and-a-half hours with an 11kW wall box charger you might get installed at home, and 35 minutes on a fast-charger (50kW-plus), which are sometimes found at significant rural rest stops and urban shopping centres.

The maximum recharge rate for the MINI Electric is 50kW, which is less than its rivals and way down on new-gen battery tech, such as the Porsche Taycan which can take up to 350kW of recharge oomph.

Generally speaking, the higher the recharge power, the faster you'll fill the fuel tank.

Interior space isn’t what you’d call generous, but front passengers have plenty of head and leg room. This is strictly a four-seat runabout and the twin rear seats are a bit tight but not entirely useless. The boot is pretty tiny at 221 litres, but expands to 731 litres which is more useful.

What's impressive about the MINI Electric is that interior space is the same as 'looter models, despite its 200kg battery pack. Often when car companies decide to electrify an existing model, rear seat and boot space disappear quicker than complimentary chocolate as the battery eats up all the room.

But MINI has instead raised the ride height by 15mm (which improves the driver's visibility), keeping the internal dimensions.

The interior looks more modern now thanks to the addition of the 5.5-inch digital instrument cluster, which displays available range, outside temperature, traffic sign detection and so forth, and will work its way into other MINI models.

The circular design motif of the cabin won't be to everyone's tastes but the fit and finish is very good. From the quality of materials used throughout, to the way its screwed together and the thud of the doors as they shut, there's a nice premium feel going on.

MINI's objective was to create a car that looks and feels like a MINI Cooper. To deliver a familiar product, not something radical.

Mission accomplished. And if the price is below $50,000, it could even go close to being Australia's most affordable EV, currently the MG ZS EV ($46,990).

There's no getting away from the fact the MINI Cooper SE is essentially a BMW i3 without the wacky design and carbon-fibre bits. It doesn't push EV technology boundaries in any shape or form and has sub-standard range, but it's got serious showroom appeal and will make a lot of buyers very happy.

How much does the 2020 MINI Electric cost?
Price: $50,000 (estimated)
Available: July 2020
Engine: Electric motor, 33kWh lithium-ion battery
Output: 135kW/270Nm
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Range: 200km (as tested)
CO2: 0g/km
Safety rating: TBC