New £30,000 MINI Cooper EV unveiled at Munich IAA Motor Show

Unveiled at the IAA International Motor Show in Munich was MINI’s latest EV. It is priced from £30,000 OTR (On the Road), with first customer deliveries taking place in spring 2024.

It’s available in two output levels – E and SE – and three trim levels in the UK (Classic, Exclusive and Sport). The interior of the vehicle echoes the design of the classic Mini, using just the round instrument cluster in the centre and the toggle bar below.

Underneath the dashboard, the toggle bar houses the most important driving functions: parking brake, gear selector, start/stop key, experience mode toggle and volume control. Without the need for a gearstick, the new MINI Cooper offers more storage space in the centre console, with larger cup holders and an open storage compartment, alongside a wireless charging area. 

Mini claims the central OLED display sets a new benchmark of automotive design and is the defining feature of the interior. With a diameter of 24cm and MINI Operating System 9, all vehicle functions can be operated with either touch or voice control, while the display has been moved closer to the driver for easy reach.

The upper half of the screen displays vehicle-related information such as speed and battery status, and can be tapped to be displayed full screen, while the lower area houses Navigation, Media, Phone and Climate. In the Home menu, other widgets are displayed in thumbnail view to the left and right of the current menu function and can be brought up and selected by swiping horizontally to the centre. 

The new MINI Navigation provides maps and directions in 3D visualisations, displaying complicated turning situations, current traffic levels and assistance with parking with information on parking options, digital payment methods and more. A charge-optimised route can be calculated for the all-electric MINI Cooper immediately after entering the destination, while an optional augmented reality function is available for the visualisation of turn-by-turn directions.

Intelligent Voice Assistant

In the new MINI Cooper, numerous functions can be controlled using the brand’s first ever fully-fledged voice assistant. The MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant can be activated with the greeting “Hey MINI” or by using the push-to-talk steering wheel button. V

oice-controlled interaction is displayed on the round OLED display in the form of an animation of graphic elements, typography, and an avatar. For the visualisation, users have the option to choose between “MINI” – a stylised representation of a MINI – or optionally “Spike” who will already be familiar to MINI fans.

In addition to the automatic parking functions offered by the Parking Assistant, the new optional Parking Assistant Plus makes the parking process even easier. With 12 ultrasonic sensors and four surround-view cameras, the vehicle can identify possible parking spaces and independently initiate space-restricted parking manoeuvres. A manual parking process can be transferred to Parking Assistant Plus at any time.

With a completely new powertrain, the new MINI Cooper Electric is available in two variants: E and SE. The Cooper E hosts a high-voltage battery with 40.7 kWh of capacity which provides up to 190 miles of electric range according to the WLTP test cycle. A 135 kW/184 hp electric motor generates a torque of 290 Nm and accelerates the vehicle from 0 to 62mph in 7.3 seconds.

With an output of 160 kW/218 hp, the Cooper SE sprints from 0 to 62mph in 6.7 seconds with a maximum torque of 330 Nm, with the calculated range increasing to a maximum of 250 miles thanks to a battery capacity of 54.2 kWh.

The MINI Cooper can be charged via three ways; 11 kW AC charging, 75 kW DC charging and 95 kW DC charging for charging from 10 to 80 per cent in under 30 minutes. By using the MINI Navigation, the vehicle will ensure the high-voltage battery reaches the ideal temperature for efficient charging in advance, thus reducing charging time.

Customers can also optimise charging for their schedule, setting charging start times, active charging windows, and target battery capacity by departure time. Finally, drivers can instruct that the interior cabin is air conditioned by a set departure time.

Says Stefanie Wurst, Head of MINI:

“With its electric drive and purist design, the new MINI Cooper is a perfect fit for an urban lifestyle. In the fifth generation of the MINI Cooper, we combine the traditional MINI DNA with innovative, future-oriented technology while enabling locally emission-free driving fun that is typical of MINI.”