The Mini Cooper SE is a welcome upgrade of the earlier builds and BMW is reportedly planning another step up. It is said that the German automaker is already developing a more powerful version of the compact car and the end-product is tipped to be labeled as the Mini Electric GP.
The GP branding automatically points to a high-performance Cooper that will result if the good things about the Cooper SE and the JCW GP are blended into a single unit. The output is possibly a Cooper SE on the exterior but with the GP muscle, boasting of an electric-powered engine with a significant boost on horsepower.
According to BMW Blog, the electrified GP is a go as far as BMW is concerned. Citing a reliable source, the report claimed the EV is already in the development stage, which suggests that its realization is just a matter of when.
There were no specifications provided about the Electric GP but the blog report suggested a huge jump in horsepower, possibly akin to what was seen with the original GP. And if the small but mighty car will be packed with impressive energy, it can be assumed as well that the chassis and suspension system will be afforded a considerable bump up.
The Electric GP having the mentioned upgrades will allow BMW to deploy with a bigger battery pack, which should translate to increased mile coverage in a single charge. Essentially, the fun driving experience associated with the Mini Cooper SE will see a hard shift to exhilarating if indeed the car model is getting the GP badge.
The minimum expectation for an Electric GP is to at least approach near the level of the gas-fired version, which packs an incredible 301 horsepower. To realize this, BMW will need a huge battery upgrade but will need to first solve the tradeoff, which is a considerable jump on the EV's weight.
Electrek said there are two possible scenarios for the Electric GP to see the light of the day. BMW can elect to fit the car with a larger battery but the performance level will be dialed down a bit to accommodate the additional heft.
Or the German company can simply wait out while continuing with the development works of the Electric GP. In a year or two, new battery technology will likely be within BMW's reach and it should prove the better solution for a compact car that is envisioned to be light and powerful in a single package.
The planned upgrades would most certainly make the Electric GP a more premium offering compared to the Mini Cooper SE. But BMW will likely keep the price range at a level that will make the planned high-performance EV still competitive, Electrek added on its report.
