The iconic Mini brand will be getting the last Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) in 2025 as the brand plans to go fully electric by 2030. Mini will launch its last ICE powertrain with the next-generation Mini Cooper hatchback after which only electric Mini cars will make their debut in the global market. The brand’s goal is to have half of its global sales in electric vehicles as soon as 2027. This move is part of the BMW Group’s major acceleration plans towards electrification. According to BMW, the urban brand is ideal for electric mobility.
Mini will also upgrade the Oxford production facility for the future and will be able to continue the production of Mini electric vehicles when the transition is complete. Mini will also be joining hands with Great Wall Motors in China to produce Mini electric cars crossovers with a new platform that is set to make its debut in 2023. Currently, Mini sells only one electric car from its portfolio – The Mini Cooper SE.
In the United States, the Mini Cooper SE comes with a starting price of USD 29,900 and powering the Mini Electric is an electric powertrain that produces 181 Hp of power and is capable of propelling the vehicle from 0-60 mph in just 6.9 seconds. The Mini Cooper SE electric hard-top model also returns a range of 110 miles (177 km) on a single charge. At a 50kW fast-charging station, the battery can charge to 80% in just 36 minutes. A 7.4kW charger takes 20% per hour and a 2kW home charger (Level1) takes 2% per hour to charge.
Mini Cooper SE comes with features such as standard LED headlights and Union Jack taillights, aerodynamic front end with blank-out grille, optional piano black option on the 2022 model which includes front “wings”, rear “wings”, headlight rings, grille blade, taillight rings, door handles, side scuttle, model badge, fuel filler cap etc. The new Mini Electric also gets an Active Driving Assistant with safety features such as Pedestrian and Front Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation and Lane Departure Warning as standard. The EV features an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment screen that comes with Vehicle Speed, Driving Modes, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, Communications, Multimedia etc.