BMW reveals MINI Electric vehicle: Meet the MINI Cooper SE with a ‘go-kart feeling’
German automotive brand BMW revealed the first electric vehicle for its MINI brand.
The MINI Electric, officially known as the MINI Cooper SE, debuted Tuesday in the Netherlands.
The car will be built in the United Kingdom and exported to the U.S. It’s expected to arrive in 2020, with production beginning in November 2019.
While the brand has the MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid, the MINI Cooper SE is its first model that does not use gasoline. Instead, it uses only a battery and electric motor.
The car gets the equivalent of 181 horsepower with front-wheel drive, boasting what BMW described as a “go-kart feeling.” It goes 0 to 62 miles per hour in 7.3 seconds with a top speed of 93.2 mph.
Launched in 2001, the MINI brand has carved out a niche among fans of tiny cars, though that niche has been shrinking amid a boom for SUVs. MINI U.S. sales plunged 39% to 43,684 vehicles in 2018.
But Pieter Nota, BMW’s board member in charge of customers, brands and sales, told reporters that 40,000 customers had already “registered their interest” in the MINI Cooper SE.
“Our new MINI Electric demonstrates how emotional and how much fun e-mobility can be,” he said, according to a transcript of his prepared remarks. “True to the MINI brand, it is the perfect car for urban areas.”
BMW did not release battery range estimates for the MINI Cooper SE under American standards, but Automotive News and Car & Driver estimated that the vehicle will get 114 miles on a full charge.
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The T-shaped battery pack of 12 lithium-ion modules is situated underneath the vehicle floor to maximize seating and cargo capacity. It also gives the vehicle a lower center of gravity for improved handling.
The vehicle also incorporates a feature that allows it to recapture energy from the wheels when the driver’s foot is off the accelerator: The car slows down on its own.
The car can be charged overnight through a standard outlet or through a fast-charging station that enables it to obtain an 80% charge in 35 minutes.
It will be offered in three trim levels in the U.S.: Signature, Signature Plus and Iconic
Source : usatoday
