Car company Mini unveiled its first-ever fully electric car, the Mini Cooper SE. This marks a historic moment for the company and also shows just how electric cars are starting to become the trend. However, while many consider the original Mini model launched 60 years ago as a revolutionary design, the same cannot be said to its electric iteration. Many car experts believe that the electric Mini will have a limited drive range.
At the heart of the Mini Cooper SE is an outdated i3 powertrain. However, what caught many experts' attention is its battery pack, which is a measly 32.6kWh. According to an estimate from the EPA, the car has a driving range of about 114 miles in between charges.
With the electric car market starting to develop new battery technologies, the Cooper SE appears to have drawn the shorter straw. One of the biggest issue people have when picking an electric car is its battery. In fact, car and tech companies have established joint ventures for the research and development of battery technologies. Experts believe that this limited battery capacity will be one of the many reasons why the Mini SE will not be an interesting pick for an electric car.
On the other hand, BMW's Chief of Production Oliver Zips defended this limitation. In an interview with Automotive News, Zipse said, "It's an urban car and 140 miles is exactly on the sweet spot. There are not so many electric cars in that price range."
Zipse also said that equipping the Mini Cooper SE with a larger battery pack will make it more expensive to be appealing to its potential buyers. The official U.S. price of the Copper SE has yet been revealed. However, the car is expected to pick a price tag of £24,400 in the United Kingdom. This price tag already includes the government's £3,500 price cut for electric vehicles. This makes the Cooper SE a viable alternative to the BMW i3.
As for its engine, it has an electric generator capable of producing 184 horsepower. Electric cars are widely known for their acceleration, the Mini Cooper SE is not an exception to that as it is expected to post a 0-62mph acceleration time of just 7.3 seconds. It has a top speed of 93mph.
While the Mini Cooper SE is not seen as a revolutionary car, it is easily one of the most affordable electric car in the market.
