Mini's new battery-electric Cooper SE will start at $30,750 (including an $850 destination charge), the company announced Monday, and that price will be lower for customers in certain regions, Mini says, depending upon available incentives.
The automaker boasts that the Cooper SE could be had for as little as $18,750 in some markets, thanks to local pro-electric incentives. This puts it in the same ballpark as the Nissan Leaf. Among mainstream offerings, the Chevrolet Bolt EV is roughly $6,000 more than the Cooper, and priced roughly the same as the far more SUV-like Hyundai Kona Electric.
2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop
2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop
2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop
"U.S. pricing of the new MINI Cooper SE was set to establish this new battery electric as a true class leader in making premium electric mobility more accessible to a broader range of customers," said Mini American VP Michael Peyton, in the pricing announcement. "We at MINI are pleased to offer more people the ability to experience a drive charged with passion in the form of the MINI Cooper SE, an EV that is built 'for the drive.' "
For their money, buyers will get a 6.5-inch center screen with navigation and Apple CarPlay compatibility, heated front seats, a digital instrument cluster with charge level and power level readouts, LED headlights and fog lights, automatic climate control, Carbon Black faux leather upholstery,16-inch wheels, heated mirrors, pedestrian warnings, and forward-collision warnings.
The Mini Cooper SE's powertrain is essentially that of the BMW i3s, only flipped to power the front wheels, rather than the ear. The front-mounted motor generates 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, which Mini says is good for a 0-60 time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 93 mph. The SE's battery pack has a 32.6-kwh capacity and 50-kw charging capability, with a 7.4-kilowatt on-board charger for AC use.
Mini says the Cooper SE will charge on a home level 2 charger in four hours and the 50-kw fast charge will provide an 80 percent charge in 35 minutes.
While the pricing details have been announced, we still don't have final figures on the Cooper SE's EPA-rated range. We expect that figure to come in between 110 and 120 miles on the EPA cycle based on European ratings, as the battery capacity has not be altered for the U.S. market.
Look for the 2020 Mini Cooper SE to hit the market in March 2020.
