Mini, the sub-brand of BMW, is not going completely battery-electric just yet. Instead, the new generation Mini will continue to be available with combustion engines, like the Mini Cooper. However, the Mini Countryman will soon be available with a battery-electric drive, an improvement in terms of electrification. The Countryman has grown by 13 centimeters, giving customers a choice between front and all-wheel drive. The upcoming model will be produced in Germany and is based on the same technical basis as the BMW X1 and iX1.
The battery-electric Countryman will be offered with 140 or 230 kW, both with a 64.7 kWh battery and a range of up to 450 kilometers. The interior has more seating comfort in the second row, and the car is six centimeters higher than before, improving the level of comfort noticeably. The cockpit is dominated by a large central circular instrument on which all important information is displayed.
The pre-series model of the Countryman makes a balanced impression, with the exaggerated harshness of previous generations being a thing of the past. The 230 kW all-wheel drive and the chassis are just as convincing as in the BMW iX1. The navigation system in the car has different driving programs that can be operated via a toggle switch in the center console, but adjustable dampers are missing.
Although the Mini can reach 100 km/h in less than six seconds, the weight of the car is around two tons. BMW is reportedly developing a more powerful top model “John Cooper Works.” The electric machines in the car do not use rare earths, which is beneficial for efficiency, according to BMW.
The Mini Countryman E/SE, in addition to other features, may get a charging power of at least 170 kilowatts. The seats will only be available with vegan covers in the future, and genuine leather seats are becoming history. The price of the new Mini Countryman is expected to exceed €50,000.
