Mini 3-Door Electric

The Mini 3-Door Electric aims to transition the fun and stylish appeal of the iconic Mini hatchback to the EV era. To that end, it is sold in India in top-spec Cooper SE guise with all the bells and whistles. So, has it succeeded?

Mini Cooper Electric exterior design

While the exterior design isn’t too different from the petrol Mini Cooper S, that’s not really a problem because it looks really good. Differences you will notice are the closed off grille, yellow S badges, yellow mirror housings, a few more yellow add-ons on the bodywork, and a unique set of 17-inch alloy wheels designed to look like a British wall socket plug. Oh, and of course, green number plates.

Mini Cooper Electric interior and features

Inside, too, the quirky Mini retro-modern design remains, but gets an EV upgrade. The digital instrument cluster has been updated to display EV data (albeit not enough data), there are plenty of yellow accents all around. The good news is what has stayed the same – like the heavily bolstered seats, upright glasshouse and sporty driving position. Quality, as ever, is top notch, but space in the back seat and boot is not great.

Mini Cooper Electric battery, range and charging

With a 32.6kWh battery, the Mini Cooper SE is no range champion, and should give a real world range of 160-180km on a full charge. It takes 15 hours to charge on a 15A wall socket, 80 percent charge will take 2 hours on an 11kW AC wallbox charger, and DC fast charging is only available up to 50kW but will take the battery to 80 percent in 36 minutes.

Mini Cooper Electric performance, ride and handling

The Mini Cooper SE’s single electric motor produces 184hp and 270Nm, which is slightly less than the petrol Cooper S. It is also 145kg heavier than its ICE counterpart, but then its battery pack is placed in the floor, which lowers the centre of gravity by 30mm. This means it retains the playful handling characteristics owners expect, and with no turbo lag or gears to shift, power delivery is even more exciting.

Mini Cooper Electric price and verdict

At Rs 52.5 lakh (ex showroom) people might see the Mini Cooper SE as expensive, but relative to its ICE counterpart, it’s not that much more. As with       that car, it’s not hugely practical and the range limitations mean you will be restricted to city use. But then, what you pay for with any Mini is a style statement that’s fun to drive, and that’s what you get with this electric version too.

Read the full Mini Cooper SE review