The Mini Cooper SE is based on the same platform as the BMW i3 and BMW is considering to enter the electric car space in India with the Mini brand, possibly the Cooper SE.
Electric vehicles are slowing gaining some recognition in the Indian market. After a couple of mainstream brands like Hyundai and MG, luxury car makers have also started to look at the electric car space in India. Audi showcased the e-Tron in India earlier this year with a probable launch next year. Even JLR has been considering the i-Pace for India. Now, BMW is also looking at a share in this segment with the Mini brand. According to a report by ET Auto, BMW is looking to launch an electric car in India under the Mini brand, possibly the electric Mini Cooper SE.
Francois Roca, head of Mini in Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa regions told ET, “If the market is ready to welcome electric mobility, we will be there. We have a plant in Chennai, this helps us to have, let’s say, a more approachable price tag or a different category of customer”. He further added that the company is studying the feasibility of its electric vehicles in India.
The electric MINI Cooper SE was unveiled in July, earlier this year. This is an all-new electric car from the BMW group after the i3 and is in fact, based on the same platform as the i3. The Mini Cooper SE retains the classic Mini shape and proportions. Just by one glance, you could mistake it as any regular Mini but looker closer and the differences aren’t all that subtle.
The conventional grille has been replaced with a silver and green panel with an ‘e’ badge. The air dams below have been made much neater this time around. At the rear, there are no dual exhaust or a diffuser. The coolest visual element on the Cooper SE are the Union Jack LED tail lamps. They look stunning. The charging ports are in place of the conventional fuel filler cap. Also, the asymmetrical wheel design particularly look very quirky.
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On the inside, its instantly recognizable as a mini with the round motifs all around. What’s new is the all-digital instrument cluster and some different detailing on the dashboard. The Cooper SE gets three driving modes to chose from – Green, Mid and Sport. Also, the ride height has increased by 18 mm because the batteries are packed down on the floor.
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The Mini Cooper SE will be powered by a 181bhp electric motor mounted on the front axle with 270 Nm of peak torque. It will do the 0-100 kph sprint in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of 150 kph. It has a 32.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack which claims to have a driving range of 235 to 270 kilometres under the new WLTP test cycle. The Cooper SE can be charged to 80% in two and a half hours using a standard 11kW charger whereas to fully top up the batteries, you will need about three and a half hours. With fast charging, the car can be charged up to 80% in just 35 minutes. The car will go on sale in the international markets in 2020 and will make it India soon thereafter.
