Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Auto

All new MINI Cooper Electric arrives with 3 doors, go-kart charisma, and 250-mile range

There's a new digital assistant inside, too

James Dolan
By

2024 MINI Cooper EV
The all-electric MINI Cooper is one of the most affordable EVs on the market. It’s also fun to drive, mainly because it handles like a go-kart. But what makes it even more appealing is that it’s cheaper to maintain than the gas-powered MINI Cooper. It ticks all the important boxes of price, reliability, and fun to drive.

BMW hasn’t updated its motor and battery since it was launched three years ago, but that will change with the upcoming MINI Cooper Electric that was teased back in May. It has finally been unveiled alongside the MINI Cooper Countryman after much anticipation. What’s new about it?

Recommended Videos

For starters, the 2024 MINI Cooper EV will have a range of up to 250 miles — but this will only be available in the SE variant, which comes with a 54.2 kWh battery. This is a huge improvement, considering that the current MINI Cooper Electric has a range of only 114 miles. In addition, the new MINI Cooper SE is engineered with a more powerful 160 kW/218 hp motor, which is enough to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 6.7 seconds.

On the other hand, if you want the cheaper MINI Cooper E model, you can expect a range of up to 190 miles from its 40.7kWh lithium-ion battery. It’s still better than the current MINI Cooper SE model, but the electric motor remains unchanged with a 135-kW power rating.

MINI Cooper Electric interior
MINI / MINI

Inside, the new MINI Cooper Electric features a redesigned minimalist cockpit with a thin touch display that makes it easier for the driver to focus on the road while monitoring crucial vehicle information like the battery charge and speed. It also comes with a high-resolution touchscreen OLED display at the cabin’s center to control the climate, entertainment, and navigation settings. But if you’re not in the mood to touch the OLED screen, you can say “Hey MINI” to activate the voice control intelligent personal assistant.

If you’re a fan of the go-kart experience, you will enjoy the new Go-kart Mode that makes you feel like you’re on a race track. With a tuned suspension and an increased tire width to improve the performance, it should drive more like a go-kart than ever before. Alternatively, you could activate Green Mode to cover a longer range.

When can you expect it? The 2024 MINI Cooper Electric is scheduled to enter production before the end of the year. However, BMW hasn’t yet confirmed if the upcoming MINI Cooper EV will be available in the U.S. market. Still, since the current model is available here, we don’t expect this to be any different.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
James Dolan
James Dolan
Contributor
James Dolan is an automotive writer with extensive work experience having been published on The Drive, Hot Cars, Green…
All-electric Kia EV9 premieres with Level 3 autonomous tech and up to 379 hp
Wondering about range? Kia is targeting up to 300 miles with the midsize SUV
2024 Kia EV9 GT-Line parked in the woods with tall trees.

Kia’s just getting warmed up with its lineup of EVs. In addition to coming out with more traditional electric vehicles like the Niro EV, the automaker is also working on building its “EV” lineup of vehicles that utilize its E-GMP platform like the EV6. After a lot of speculation and teasing, Kia is finally ready to unveil the three-row 2024 EV9 in its entirety.

There’s no mistaking the EV9 for anything beyond being a midsize SUV. Heck, the electric SUV shares similar lines to the current Kia Telluride that’s on sale, which, we have to say, is an incredibly handsome vehicle. Well, Kia continues to drop bangers, because the EV9 is a looker. And that’s saying something for an SUV.

Read more
Lucid takes aim at Tesla Model 3, Model Y with $50K EV plans
Lucid may have started with premium models, but going head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y was always the plan
Lucid Air Sapphire on the road

Outside of discussing dreams, if you aren't familiar with what 'Lucid' represents in the world, don't worry; you're not alone, and we're here to help. In short, Lucid is the new Tesla... sort of. Lucid is an electric car manufacturer founded in 2007 under the name Atieva in part by former Tesla Motors VP Bernard Tse. Beyond their co-founder, Lucid's CEO, Peter Rawlinson, is also a former Tesla employee who served as chief engineer of the Model S at Tesla. Almost a decade later, in 2016, Atieva was rebranded as Lucid Motors and announced its first car, the Lucid Air, was set for production to compete at the luxury level against top-tier and expensive models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and, of course, Tesla. But, Lucid's CEO recently interviewed with ABC News and announced that Lucid's newest project will target not only a much lower and affordable pricepoint but also the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.
Lucid wants to appeal to your heart, not just your pocket
It seems clear that electric cars are the wave of the future, with a myriad of benefits to not only the world but also to our health as well. But, to get the majority of drivers on board, electric cars will need to offer more. Clearly aware of this, in the interview with ABC News, Rawlinson spoke reverently of the lure electric cars possess, saying, "The feeling of the road, the feedback through the steering, the instantaneous torque - there is romance with an electric car." Beyond just an emotional appeal, the other issue is cost.

Until recently, playing in the air of pure electric, was a rich person's game. The cheapest offering from Lucid currently is the Air Pure, which starts at a lofty $82,400. Asked about the idea of building a more affordable all-electric car, Rawlingson replied, "That is exactly why I go to work. I am not here to build an expensive car that only rich people can afford." He went on to explain that the reason Lucid began their company selling high-priced people movers was because it was "the only way I could make the business work financially."

Read more
The 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is more powerful than ever
Porsche power while sipping gas - what's not to love?
2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid

Porsche wants 80 percent of its entire lineup to have fully electric motors by 2030 to meet the EV adoption target. So far, it has released only one fully electric model — the Porsche Taycan. However, it plans to introduce four new EV models to its lineup by 2026, including the Cayenne EV. Of course, Porsche will still offer hybrid models for those who love the high performance that comes with infusing a gasoline engine and an electric motor.

If you’re into SUVs or coupes, the 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is more powerful than any Cayenne ever made. More succinctly, it's engineered with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine that can produce 591 horsepower and an electric motor that adds an extra 174 horsepower. In total, the 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is a mean machine with up to 729 horsepower and 700 lb-ft. of torque. This is way more power than the 2023 Turbo S E Hybrid.

Read more