2020 Mini Cooper SE: What to expect?

Mini is a fantastic fun car to toss around on a track in any form. It is a lifestyle, an icon, and a fashion statement. Mini Cooper hatchback is one of the hottest premium small cars in Malaysia right now, which promises more than just its size. It comes in two main body styles: 3-door, and the 5-door. Recently, Mini Malaysia posted some teasers on its social media page, referring to the arrival of a new electric Mini. According to these, we can expect that the brand's first electric car, the Cooper SE, is finally on its way to Malaysian shores.

Earlier in February, BMW Group Malaysia announced that the Cooper SE would join the BMW i3s in the company’s local EV line-up. It falls in line with BMW’s plan of electrification to meet stringent emission targets. 

First previewed as a concept in 2017, the Cooper SE production model broke cover in July last year, The 2-door hatchback is based on the UKL platform adopted from the current F56 MINI 3-door. Here we have listed the expected specifications of this upcoming offering, have a look.

Eye-catching style

With its endearing round headlights, rear-hatch body, and the friendly flat roof, the brand-new electric Cooper SE seems familiar. Though a good distinction with the regular Minis can be seen through the blocked-off front grille, a new rear diffuser without any exhaust tips, unique badging, yellow accents on the grille, mirror caps, and fender trim. 

The car’s boxy shape features a nearly horizontal roofline and subtle curves. The oval-shaped LED headlamps are positioned up front, and Union Jack LED taillights are there at the rear. A freaky asymmetrical design for the wheel is also with the optional sizes of 16-inch and 17-inch, which Mini says is better for aerodynamics.

High-quality interior look and feel

Like the exterior, the Mini Cooper SE’s interior is also distinctively cast, with a high-quality look and feel. It will house a 5.5-inch oval-shaped digital gauge cluster with a new graphic design display for charge and power levels and other pertinent scrollable data. A round centre-mounted pod featuring the infotainment system display would be operated via a control knob between the front seats. The row of aircraft-like toggle switches can be found at the bottom of the centre stack. 

The list of technology appointments is expected to include a dual-zone automatic climate-control system, navigation, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay interfaces, forward collision warning, push-button start, powered front seats, and the Mini Connected telematics system. 

The front seats seem to be nicely supportive, offering adequate space, though rear legroom might be prohibitively tight. The cargo space of the electric hatch would also be limited.

Sufficient drive range for daily commutes

The 2020 Mini Cooper SE borrowed all the gasoline-powered bits for the all-electric powertrain from the BMW i3. It means there is a front-mounted electric motor powering the front wheels, combinedly producing 184 PS of maximum power and 270 Nm of peak torque. These numbers are equivalent to the regular Mini Cooper S two-door. The Cooper SE will have four drive modes: Green +, Green, Mid, and Sport.

In terms of performance, the Cooper SE will hit a top speed of 150 kmph and be able to run from zero to 60 kmph in 3.9 seconds, or 100 kmph in 7.3 seconds.

The Cooper SE has a smaller 32.6 kWh battery compared to the 42.2 kWh battery in the i3s. The T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack is good to deliver 270 km of range according to the WLTP test cycle.

For charging, the hatchback would come with an 11-kW onboard AC charger having a Type 2 connection, which offers several charging options. The EV takes 4.2 hours for a full charge if charging with a 7.4-kW MINI Electric Wallbox and a single-phase AC outlet. While this time can be reduced to 3.5 hours if charging from a powerful 11-kW, three-phase wall box, however, only 1.4 hours for a full charge will be taken by a DC fast-charging through a CCS Combo 2 connection.

Price 

The automaker has not revealed the price of Mini Cooper SE yet, but we can expect it around BMW i3s price, which currently retails for RM 278,800. However, In the US, the Mini SE is priced fairly lower than a BMW i3s. 

BMW Group Malaysia is prepping to introduce the Mini SE here, though the Covid-19 pandemic delayed the arrival.

In the end, we conclude that Mini Cooper SE seems a great electric car. If you are a two-car household, this might be a second option for you. It is certainly not for everyone, but it contradicts the argument that affordable EVs are no fun to drive. 

Also read: 2021 Mini Countryman gets a mid-cycle update