Good things come to those who wait and Malaysians have been waiting almost a full year to experience the first mass-produced all-electric vehicle from Mini: the Mini Cooper SE.
If the Mini Cooper SE looks familiar, that’s because it is based on the F56 Mini 3 Door. The only difference is that it uses an electric motor instead of an internal combustion engine. At launch, the Mini Cooper SE will come in three colours: White Silver, Chilli Red and British Racing Green.
Price and availability
The new all-electric Mini is officially priced at RM225,888 (on-road-without insurance) and it’s available at all Mini dealerships nationwide from today. With the sales tax exemption, the EV can be yours for RM218,381. You can book the car online with a booking fee of RM1,000.
Interestingly, compared with the rest of Mini’s lineup, the Mini Cooper SE is the brand’s most affordable car in the range based on the current price list. It is even cheaper than the regular petrol engine powered Mini Cooper S 3 Door. According to Mini, the annual road tax calculated for the car is RM42.
With the Balloon Financing from BMW Group Financial Services, you can own the new electric-powered Mini from RM2,421 per month (based on estimates of 80% loan on a five-year tenure).
The Mini Cooper SE comes with the Mini 4 Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty, 8 years/ 100,000Km High Voltage Battery Warranty with Free Scheduled Service. It is also covered by Mini Malaysia’s 5 Years Roadside Assistance programme that includes 24/7 accident and help assistance hotline, free towing service, replacement vehicle and more.
Features and specs
The stylish three-door hatch comes with electrifying yellow accents that help set it apart in Mini’s portfolio of cars. It comes with a model-specific bumper and radiator grille that is available either in grey or yellow. Likewise, the mirror caps come in either Black or yellow.
The car is full of other cool details like the iconic Union Jack design in the LED rear lights. The new Mini rides on two-tone 17″ Power Spoke wheels (formerly known as Corona Spoke) with run flat tyres.
On the inside as you get a bright yellow push start button that beckons drivers to start driving. You’ll also find dashes of yellow around the gear shift and dashboard too.
The Mini Cooper SE is powered by a front-axle electric motor that outputs 184hp and 270Nm of torque. Its top speed is limited to 150km/h and it can make a dash from 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds. The car’s 32.6kWh lithium-ion battery is stated to offer a driving range of up to 270km on a full charge.
There’s a full range of different charging options to power up the new all-electric Mini. At home, the Mini can be charged up to 80% via a household wall socket in 12 hours. When using the Mini Wallbox Plus, you can expect the car to recharge up to 80% in just two and a half hours. Mini claims this is similar to a public charging station.
Want an even quicker charge? The Mini Cooper SE also supports 50kW fast DC charging which allows you to recharge the battery form 0 – 80% in just 35 minutes.
According to Mini, the new EV’s electric motor functions as a generator during coasting mode, transforming kinetic energy into electric power that is fed back to its high-voltage battery. It has four driving modes: Sport, Mid, Green and new Green+ mode that increases the electric range by limiting selected comfort functions.
Interior details
Stepping inside, you will find that the new three-door hatch has a new interior design language. This includes the Mini Electric Start/Stop button in yellow, velour floor mats and an electric selector lever with Electric design.
Both driver and passengers are able to relax with dual-zone automatic air conditioning. You will also find leather cross punch seats in carbon black and 12-colour illuminated ambient lighting. Apart from that, the sport leather steering wheel and raised centre console with integrated electric parking brake come standard with the vehicle.
The new Mini maintains the same dimensions as the Mini Cooper S, offering a luggage capacity of 211 litres though you can expand it up to 731 litres when you fold the seats down.
There’s a wealth of navigational information presented on the 8.8″ Mini Navigation System. It is equipped with the full Mini Connected suite which includes Intelligent Emergency Call, Mini Online and Apple Carplay support. It also comes with a Heads Up Display and 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. You can also keep your smartphones charged as you drive with the onboard wireless charger.
For the first time in a Mini vehicle, you get a 5.5″ digital instrument cluster that displays information on the vehicles range, charge percentage and external temperature. It also presenters drivers with information on driving directions from the navigation system as well as access to your phone’s contact list.
In terms of safety features, the all-electric Mini comes with a Driving Assistant system that ensures maximum safety during potential collisions by preconditioning the brakes for faster brake response and shorter braking distances. It also comes equipped with a Park Assistant consisting of front and rear Park Distance Control and Cruise Control with braking function.
For more information on the new all-electric Mini go to the official site.
Check out our video on the Malaysian launch of the new Mini Cooper SE.
