New Mini Cooper EV Will Have 240-Mile Range And 215 Horsepower

Mar. 11, 2023 6:42 PM ET byJarryd Neves Electric Vehicles /2 Comments

That already sounds like a significant improvement over the Cooper Electric Hardtop.

The upcoming electric Mini Cooper will be significantly better than the currentCooper Electric Hardtop, with company officials tellingAutocarthat the replacement, scheduled to arrive in 2024, will have more power and superior travel range on a full charge.

215马力将待价而沽,用lesser model producing 181 horses - about as much as the 2023 derivative. But while the existing model has to make do with a paltry EPA-rated range of 114 miles, Mini claims the latest model will have at least 240 miles of range. This figure was most likely calculated by WLTP standards, but variants with an even better electric range will also be made available.

"It is the beginning of a new era. Mini's 100% electric range has to start somewhere; this is a bridge for us to go fully electric," said the automaker's Stefanie Wurst. "We are bringing [it] back to its roots," she added.

While Mini views electric mobility as the future, it hasn't given up on the combustion engine entirely. The 2024 Mini Cooper will be made available with a gasoline engine, with the only aesthetic difference being the visible exhaust tips at the rear.

Interestingly, Mini will only sell the three-door body style as an EV; the five-door and convertible will retain ICE power. Recently, the automaker debuted a limited edition Cooper SE Convertible,with just 999 examplesof the electric drop-top being made available to customers.

The new model will be produced in China and is underpinned by the Spotlight EV platform co-developed with Great Wall Motors. Mini will offer two battery sizes: 40 kWh in the base E variant and 54 kWh in the quicker SE.

Production of the combustion-engined Mini will continue to take place in Oxford and will also be available with several powertrain options, including a JCW derivative.

All of this will come at a cost, with Wurst saying that prices will exceed £30,000 (approx. $35,600). As a reminder, the current Cooper Electric retails for $30,900 in the USA. More expensive, performance-minded models will also arrive in 2025. A JCW version (using the aforementioned 54 kWh battery) is expected to have around 250 hp but will likely have a reduced range.

Even thoughHans Zimmer composed a soundtrackfor the BMW i7, Mini won't go in the same direction as its parent company. Instead, the company has developed a unique soundtrack that will change based on the selected drive mode.

Mini may havebrought the manual transmission backfor more trims for the MY2024 lineup, but the company is "99% sure" the new ICE version will be offered exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Happily, the magical handling Minis are known for will remain.

In fact, it's expected to be even better. The electric Mini will receive an all-new traction control system that uses a motor controller to provide quicker reaction times when driven spiritedly.

Interiors will look to the first generation of BMW Minis for inspiration. Going against the grain, physical buttons will make a return and a traditional ignition key will be offered, even on the electric model. An OLED screen will replace the speedometer on the center console. No instrumentation will be displayed behind the steering wheel.

When asked how she wants people to see Mini in the electric era, Wurst replied that "Mini is fun; it's still go-karting. It's always been a very friendly car. A Mini has to be easy and simple and easygoing; anything too complex is actually not [a] Mini. I think it's about preserving what you have," she added.

New Mini Cooper EV Will Have 240-Mile Range And 215 Horsepower

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New Mini Cooper EV Will Have 240-Mile Range And 215 Horsepower

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