MINI Cooper SE
The British company MINI has entered the world of electric mobility with the announcement of limited details of its first fully electric car, the MINI Cooper SE, which perfectly reflects the identity of the car and expresses its harmony with the company’s current strategy.
The details of the Cooper SE were revealed at a time of significant change for the company, with Bernd Körber taking over as head of the brand, succeeding Sebastian Mackensen, who has moved to BMW Group Sales Germany. Peter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW, commented: “I look forward to working with Bernd as MINI moves towards an electric, dynamic and urban future.”
The MINI Cooper SE is the first fully electric car to be produced in a series under the British brand, and is a fully electric small model produced by BMW under the MINI brand. Launched in 2020, this model benefits greatly from the technology developed by the company for the BMW 3i model. This electric car is an excellent choice for those looking for an economical car that combines driving pleasure, attractive design and a distinctive identity.
The new generation of the Mini Cooper SE electric car features advanced electric technology. Although the 2024 model may not be a cheap car, it provides an enjoyable and improved driving experience, which has helped the brand revived under the BMW umbrella achieve success over the past two decades.
Disadvantages of the car-
High price: The price of the car can be high if it is equipped with a lot of additions.
Maintenance cost: Spare parts are expensive and maintenance costs are high.
Car capacity: Not suitable for families with more than four people.
Fuel requirements: It needs high-quality fuel, which may be a problem in countries with high fuel prices
The question is: can the driving experience of an electric MINI come close to the agility and fun that petrol-powered MINIs have offered over the past 20 years? The answer is yes, with some reservations. If you drive in silent mode without any sound effects, you will find that there is a noticeable improvement in the driving experience.
However, the three-door MINI SE faces a challenge in trying to maintain the “small supermini feeling”, which is the essence of “classic Mini”. Achieving this feeling may be difficult, given that the new electric car weighs more than twice as much as the original model.
MINI COOPER SE EXPERIENCE
The MINI Cooper SE Electric looks to continue the famous MINI Cooper heritage of delivering a fun driving experience, even if it is powered by electricity. The agility of the car makes it suitable for dynamic performance, as the stability of the front end and its efficiency in cornering are clearly evident, which enhances the driving experience in corners
When testing the car on different surfaces, such as dry, shiny and wet roads, it was found that the MINI Cooper SE maintains a high level of performance. In wet conditions, some deviations may appear when pressing the accelerator pedal, but this is not unexpected in most electric cars, as it is sometimes easy to lose some stability under strong acceleration. However, the car remains comfortable and stable for the most part, indicating that it has succeeded in achieving a good balance between performance and stability, which is a major challenge for electric cars that seek to meet the expectations of drivers who are accustomed to
The sporty and exciting driving experience in previous gasoline-powered models
Mini Cooper SE Steering
The Mini Cooper SE seems to be striving to maintain the distinctive experience you’ve come to expect from previous Mini models, even if it’s electric. It’s great to see improvements in the handling weights, especially the steering, which can be a bit heavy for a city car, but this enhances stability and performance on the highway. The presence of paddles on the steering wheel to activate energy recovery from the brakes is a smart addition that helps improve efficiency and overall performance of the car
As for the audio experience in the cabin, the inclusion of synthetic sounds is an exciting step. It offers a variety of sounds that simulate engine notes, ranging from the classic sounds of older Cooper models to the more advanced sounds in the Sport driving mode. Although it is not like the natural sounds of gasoline engines, it adds an element of excitement and interaction with the car, which contributes to enhancing the driving experience.
Overall, MINI seems to have made a great effort to maintain the spirit of its brand in the electric Cooper SE model, while providing a fun and personal driving experience, even in light of the transition to electric power.
A gesture in the life of the MINI Cooper SE –
But it is worth mentioning finally a very important event, which is that: “BMW” recalled about 140,000 “Mini Cooper SE” cars worldwide
Due to the risk of battery fires, although no accidents or injuries were recorded, but the recall decision came after tests revealed the possibility of
leakage from the battery casing
