On the outside, the 2022 Mini Cooper SE looks very similar to all other 2022 Mini hardtops, except for its solid grille and yellow S (front) and E (rear) badges, but it hides a very different power unit.
For many, the mini Cooper SE defines the statistic as its 114-mile EPA estimate range. Limited range may make the all-electric Mini a rarity in Wyoming, but defining SE by range doesn't tell the whole story. Most people don't actually drive 114 miles in a day, and Cooper SE promises to even make grocery store runs fun. It's also a bargain.
The Cooper SE isn't the first electric Mini, but it's definitely not the last. Earlier this year, Oliver Zipse, ceo of parent BMW, announced that its goal is to make half of Mini sales electric by as early as 2027 and to switch entirely to electric vehicles "by the early 2030s."
EV power will be incorporated into the next generation of Mini Hardtops launched in 2023, but for now, Cooper SE is an adaptation of the current iteration. It replaced the gas engine with a BMW i3 electric motor and a T-shaped 32.6 kWh battery pack. Like other aging mini hardtops, the design dates back to 2014, and the SE made a visual update in 2022 to help keep it fresh.
At a recent mini-hosted media event in Palm Springs, California, I introduced Mini SE. This includes running a few laps around the automatic trail, driving back-to-back with its gasoline-powered sisters, and sampling its actual usage.
While the jury's assembly of an ev's powertrain into an aging vehicle doesn't seem like a recipe for success, the Mini Cooper SE is the perfect adaptation of the brand's signature small, sporty style. It requires buyers to make the same compromises, in a limited space where your life has to adapt and the ride is stiff, but it also offers the same fun and captivating personality as a go-kart. Even better, it does so at a lower price after taking into account incentives.
The instrument readings for the Mini Cooper SE are very different from other Minis. Here you see it almost out of power, but the car can charge to 80% in about 40 minutes.
Scope issues
The Cooper SE is the first electric Mini you can buy, but its evolution dates back to the Mini-E of 2009. At the time, bmw group's electric car program was a test balloon, and the car had a range of only 100 miles, and its thick battery pack completely eliminated the rear seat. The 450 Mini-E was leased to drivers in California, New York and New Jersey for up to 24 months. Smaller trials were conducted internationally.
In 2011, the University of California, Davis published a study on the U.S. Mini-E driver experience, and their findings still apply to electric vehicle buyers today. According to the study, 71 percent of people drive less than 40 miles a day and 95 percent less than 80 miles a day. In the German Mini-E test project, volunteer owners of gasoline-powered mini cars were tracked alongside electric vehicle drivers with only slightly different driving habits.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average American drove 25.9 miles per day in 2017. Over the years, with the operation of older electric vehicles such as the Fiat 500e, Kia Soul EV and Volkswagen eGolf, people commute to electric vehicles in many places today with less range than Cooper SE.
The SE is yellow instead of the usual red start/stop button in gasoline-powered Minis. Flick to the left to adjust the regenerative braking slightly, while the rightmost flick controls the driving mode.
On a 50 kW DC fast charger, the SE can charge to 80% in 40 minutes, which helps make the car more practical. Unfortunately, public chargers don't always offer this level of juice even when advertised, so for long trips, it is advisable to plan ahead. Owners charging at home don't have to rely too much on various networks like EVGo or Electrify America, but Minis is often described as attractive to "city people," while apartment dwellers still face an uphill battle for reliable, cost-effective charging.
That doesn't mean the 114-mile hurdle isn't a deal breaker for some, but it doesn't have to be what many people think of as an obstacle, especially if it's not your only car. According to Mike Peyton, vice president and chief automotive officer of MINI Americas, about 3,000 Cooper SE were sold between January 2020 and the end of October 2021. 80% are multi-vehicle households.
Cooper SE still demands compromises, but they are no different from the standard Minis.
Unlike the Mini-E, the SE's battery pack doesn't intrude at all, but the SE is only 151.7 inches long, while the modern crash-resistant construction means that the interior can only hold so much. The rear seat is small, and even five bags of groceries need to be folded up. There is only 8.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats, and 34 cubic feet of space when folded up. As with other Minis, you don't get Android Auto or blind spot monitoring.
Four large bags of groceries can't fit in this cramped trunk area, although folding seats do create more space. As with a regular mini hardtop, your life has to adapt to its space, which for many people may be more of a compromise than a scope.
Drive the 2022 Mini Cooper SE
The weight is the enemy of small, flexible cars such as mini and EV batteries. The Cooper SE weighs 300 pounds more than its Cooper S sisters. A larger battery pack may give the Cooper SE greater range, but it may ruin its optimal performance. SE pretty much perfectly interprets Cooper S's playful, engaging hit performances, but remixes them in its own fun way.
The Cooper SE's electric motor has 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, 8 horsepower and the same number of pound-feet as the 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline-powered Cooper S. The SE hit 60 mph at 6.9 and the S got there at 6.2, but if you don't look at the stopwatch, the electric version feels faster due to the instant shock of torque and a quick sprint to 30 mph.
Minis are more busy in winding roads and narrow urban spaces than straight-line speed, but when you step on it, this rush is always there waiting to be released, and always brings a smile. Although the acceleration on the clock is slightly slower, the SE wants to play all the way up to a humanly limited top speed of 93 mph.
Pushing the Cooper SE around the Thermal Club's automatic off-road track highlights its similarities to regular Minis and how responsive it is, though the braking experience is very different from the extra weight of 300 pounds.
Speaking of twists and turns, at the BMW Performance Center at Thermal, California, I put the SE through a short automatic crossover loop. Its compact, reactive steering responds to every call from the driver, while the low battery pack may make it feel more secure, but its handling is very similar to that of a regular S. Like other modern Minis, the SE suffers in terms of lightness and size. Original 1959 and hot hatch before the 2000s, but by the standards of a 2022 car, it's lightweight and lightweight, safer and quieter than any vintage machine.
There's no gear to paddle, which is an experience some people will really miss, but the Mini SE has EV characteristics that traditional hot hatches don't have. On off-road tracks, the SE's single pedal regenerative braking is a pure asset, but two pedals are required to drive fast. On the street, most drivers are likely to use the standard single-pedal regeneration mode that many EV drivers prefer. The low regeneration mode allows for a slightly more traditional braking and crawling feel, but does not completely turn off the regenerative braking.
At its best, the suspension is sturdy, which helps on off-road tracks, but not necessarily anywhere else. On the flat roads of the pool table in Palm Springs, the Mini is calm and comfortable, but like the Cooper S, the SE can be a bit harsh on the rough road.
Inside, with the exception of an oval matte digital meter display and a yellow instead of red central toggle switch to turn the car on and off, the SE looks and feels like a regular Minis. Ambient lighting works just like the petrol Minis, as does the 8.8-inch infotainment screen and BMW iDrive-based infotainment system. These systems are not the most modern, but they work well and the SE is easy to learn.
Mini says that about 80 percent of Mini Cooper SE buyers are new to the brand, but returning customers will find the SE's cabin a very familiar place, with the same circular theme and snappy design as minis since 2000.
Bargaining factors
Mini Cooper SE starts at $30,750 and includes destination fees. That's $3,000 more expensive than a gasoline-powered Cooper S. There's also a more basic gasoline Mini with 134 hp and starts at $23,750, but the SE offers Cooper S-like performance at a lower price. The actual cost of se is $23,250 due to the $7,500 tax credit, which is even lower in some states. (In Washington State, local incentives cut it to $21,100.)
While the price of the Mini SE can be pushed up significantly by ticking the option box (the iconic trim, with its more beautiful interior, adaptive cruise control, and other luxury features added $7,000), it's still a bargain equivalent compared to gas-powered.
The only other new electric car with comparable prices is Nissan's base model, the Leaf, which offers 145 miles of range and starts at $20,375 after the federal tax credit, along with Chevrolet's Bolt. Bolt offers 239 miles of range, starting at $24,995 after deducting tax credits, but is still experiencing a painful battery recall. Mazda's MX-30 and Hyundai's Kona EV sell for more, while the former has less range.
While the Mini Cooper SE's product range may seem limited on paper, its price does look good. After taking the incentives into account, it brings the same sense of functionality and luxury as the Cooper S, but is more fun than most other affordable electric cars.
While the Bolt is the closest thing to a driving feel, and these other cars offer a more practical interior, none really offers the fun experience of the Mini. Currently, there is a huge gulf between sexy, eye-catching electric rocket spaceships like the Porsche Taycan and electric cars that most people can afford, and even cars like the Tesla 3 and Polestar 2 cost twice as much as the SE.
Mini has created an interesting performance electric car with a distinct personality that can easily double as a commuter car for many drivers. The scope of the Cooper SE may not be impressive, but the democratization of the fun-driven electric car is worth celebrating.