- mini is joining the electric-vehicle fray with the all-new 2020 mini cooper se.
- the price point of the mini cooper se, starting at $30,750, puts it in line with competitors including the nissan leaf.
- this fully electric vehicle will go on sale in the u.s. in march 2020.
mini unveiled the fully electric 2020 mini cooper se, and we now know that the ev will start at $30,750, in line with the nissan leaf and undercutting established competitors including the chevrolet bolt ev. the price is before federal or state tax incentives for electric vehicles.
the se preserves the distinctive appearance and sense of fun that characterize other mini cooper models. the car is based on the mini hardtop, raised 0.7 inch to make room for a floor-mounted battery pack. the new ev comes with standard apple carplay compatibility, a 6.5-inch display with navigation, heated front seats, led headlights and fog lights, and active-safety features including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, and rain-sensing wipers and headlights. the front-wheel-drive se's electric motor makes 181 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque and it sources power from a 32.6-kwh battery pack.
mini claims the se can be fast-charged to 80 percent in 35 minutes or, using home ac charging at 7.4 kw, to 100 percent in four hours. the car has two-mode regenerative braking to maximize battery charge.
the se will go on sale in the u.s. next march and will be available with three trim levels, although mini has only released the price for the base model so far. the epa has not yet released range estimates, but in europe, the se has a range of 146 to 168 miles.