Mini has taken the wraps off its latest foray into electrification. The 2024 Mini Cooper Electric will be a three-door hatchback similar to the current gas-powered version in the line-up, but as the company touts, “geared towards electric driving fun and available at two power levels.”
The brand dipped a toe into the electrification waters back in 2008-2009 with the Mini E, which was available for lease only to selected lessees in Los Angeles and New York. The Mini E was very competitive for its era, offering 204 horsepower and 160 pound-feet of torque.
The lithium-ion battery pack used was just 35 kWh, weighing in at 572 pounds and yielding a real-world driving range of about 100 miles. However, it used the back seat area for the battery, making it a two-seater car. The Mini supported Level 1 and Level 2 charging through a standard SAE plug. Bearing in mind that charging infrastructure was virtually nonexistent at the time, it wasn’t a bad pilot project.
After a decadelong hiatus, Mini then launched the all-electric Mini Cooper SE for the 2020 model year. This model had pretty much the same specs as the original Mini E, with a 32.6 kWh battery and a motor making 181 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque.
The range has been EPA-rated at 110 miles. On a Level 3 charger the Mini can recharge up to 80% within 36 minutes, making it an attractive town car, if not a road-tripper. The Mini Cooper SE enjoyed a 25.5%increase in sales in 2022 to become by far the most popular Mini model, with more than 43,000 units sold worldwide last year. One out of five Mini vehicles on the road today is electrically powered.
What’s under the bonnet for next year?
Initially, there will be two models in the new 2024 Mini Electric product family. The 2024 Mini Cooper E with the same output of 181 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque, and the Mini Cooper SE with 215 hp.
“It accelerates without delay and without shift interruptions,” the company said in a press release. “The lithium-ion high-voltage battery is installed in the floor of the Mini Cooper Electric for optimum road holding and weight distribution, while also increasing the vehicle’s stability and agility. In this way, Mini redefines the brand’s hallmark go-kart feeling, consistently perpetuating the concept of urban driving fun that has been so successful for more than 60 years.”
The battery capacity in the 2024 Mini Cooper E will be 40.7 kWh, while in the Mini Cooper SE it will be a larger 54.2 kWh unit. This will give the new models a predicted range of between 186 and 248 miles. The new electric models will be produced at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig beginning in November.
What about the Aceman?
The four-door Mini Aceman electric crossover SUV will join the new model family from 2024 onwards. Smaller than the Countryman SUV, the Aceman concept released in 2022 is just 159 inches long, but 78 inches wide and 62 inches tall, giving it a short, wide stance for an SUV. The concept has been shown previously, but now the new model has a production date and will be made in China.
“The Mini Concept Aceman provides an initial glimpse of a completely new vehicle, bridging the space between the Mini Cooper and the Mini Countryman in the model family’s future,” said Stefanie Wurst, head of the Mini Brand. “This concept car reflects how Mini is reinventing itself for its all-electric future.”