Unlike the current electric Mini Cooper, which is built in the UK, this one will be built in China.
Revealed ahead of the car’s official debut in the coming months, the new Mini‘s cockpit is described as “more Mini than ever before”. The electric Cooper will be built in China atop a new front-wheel-drive platform engineered by Spotlight Automotive, BMW’s joint venture with Great Wall Motor.
- Central speedometer is now a touchscreen
- Drive selector’s now behind the steering wheel
- Will get a 40kWh battery
Mini Cooper Electric interior
The centrepiece of the redesigned interior is an expansive central touchscreen, modelled on the trademark central speedometer that has been featured in every Mini hatch since the original Austin Seven. Hosting eye-catching new graphics and motifs, the screen will run a totally new and largely bespoke infotainment interface. However, it does not get a digital gauge cluster, with critical information such as speed and directions relegated to the heads-up display.
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Trademark central speedometer is now an expansive touchscreen.Elsewhere, there are distinctive LED lighting patterns integrated into the knitted dashboard, with climate controls continuing to be toggle switches.
Drive selection is now handled by a lever behind the steering wheel with the new-look, low-set centre console given over to a pair of cupholders, two USB-C charging ports and a generous storage cubby.
Mini Cooper Electric exterior design
The resemblance to the current-gen car is evident, and indeed, the new Mini Cooper EV still measures roughly 3.8m from bumper to bumper, but it’s clear that the designers have worked hard to make good on a promise to bring “the iconic hatch back to its roots”. A wider track, shorter overhangs, a longer wheelbase and larger wheels give the Mini EV a noticeably more purposeful stance. The company’s vocal commitment to minimalism (and thereby sustainability), extends to a much purer and simpler overall treatment.
Mini Cooper Electric powertrain and battery
The new EV will match the current Electric’s 184hp and is expected to get from 0-100kph in roughly 7.0sec. But that won’t be the quickest EV: a warmed-up Cooper SE is in the pipeline with 218hp, promising to serve as a contender for supremacy in the nascent electric hot hatch segment.
The electric Cooper will use a 40kWh battery for a claimed range of 386km, while the Cooper SE will use a 54kWh pack to push closer to 482km. Mini has yet to confirm how quickly the electric Cooper will charge or how the battery is arranged within the platform.
Mini Cooper Electric global debut and India launch
The electric Cooper is due to go on sale in the UK in May 2024, followed by the petrol Cooper about two months later. Mini was quite quick to introduce the Mini Cooper SE in India, although in limited numbers. Similarly, we expect the new Mini Cooper EV to also come to India after it goes on sale in major global markets.
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