Despite having a shorter than average range, the 2022 Mini Cooper Electric makes up for it by being more inexpensive and enjoyable to drive than many other small EVs. The all-electric variant, which is based on the two-door Mini Cooper hardtop, combines quick acceleration with go-kart-like agility. Its battery pack, however, is considerably smaller than those of most rivals, which results in an estimated driving range of only 110 miles after a full charge.
Despite being one of the most affordable EV’s available right now, it nevertheless comes with a tonne of well-known standard features. Of course, a Mini wouldn’t be complete without eccentric style and a wide range of personalization possibilities. The 2022 Cooper Electric is ideal for urbanites who desire a sleek travel pod and rarely venture outside of the city, despite having a short back seat and little cargo room.
What’s New for 2022?
For 2022, many of the improvements made to the gas-powered Mini hardtop and convertible also benefit the electric Cooper. This contains updated front end styling, fresh functionality, and new customising possibilities. The Cooper Electric’s MSRP is unchanged from the previous model year, but it now has a heated steering wheel, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, lane-departure warning, and other features as standard equipment. Additionally, it comes with new 16- and 17-inch-diameter wheel designs and adaptive cruise control. According to Mini, a limited edition with distinctive exterior and interior styling will also be available.
The pricing of the 2022 Mini Cooper Electric is the same as it was the previous year that is $30,750, and it is still eligible for a federal tax credit, which should reduce the price by $7500. With a tonne of standard goodies like heated front seats, faux-leather upholstery, LED front lighting, hands-free passive entry, and rain-sensing windshield wipers, the base model is a fantastic value.
Mini EV: Range, battery and Charging
The EPA projected range of 114 miles was typically reached or exceeded during the course of a week of driving on a variety of freeways, urban, residential, and winding backroads. The Mini SE recorded a range of 120 miles while travelling a predetermined route for a nighttime range test. The range declined as anticipated when most of the driving took place on highways at an average speed of 70 miles per hour and when really aggressive driving took place on backroads in the hills around Oakland, California. However, it wasn’t enough to cause range anxiety and keep us from returning to our home base.
The Mini SE comes with a battery pack with a 32.6 kWh capacity (of which 28.9 kWh is available to the vehicle). having a DC rapid charging rate of up to 50kW. According to Mini, a full charge of 80% may be achieved in 36 minutes.
We have the vehicle set to take a charge up to 100% because it had a smaller battery and a shorter range than other EVs. In actuality, that option was selected when it was delivered. We would typically return from food or store runs with a full or nearly full battery when connected to a DC rapid charging station. The vehicle supports level 2 charging at speeds of up to 7.4 kW and conventional home outlet charging at 2 kW. Both proved to be suitable for daily drives during the week.
Mini EV: Interior and Cargo Space
Minis are renowned for their diminutive stature while still providing drivers with spacious cabins. The Mini SE is the same. It is the same size as the hardtop Mini and can accommodate front passengers who are taller than six feet in comfort. As long as you’re in the front seat, the Mini SE feels like a large mid-sized sedan thanks to the abundance of large windows. Another concern is the backrests. Children and medium-sized to short adults should be fine in the back, but tall people should only be seated briefly behind the driver in order to avoid the driver being accused of breaking the Geneva Convention.
The front seats’ comfort levels are a decent balance of sportiness and plushness. While cornering, the side bolsters provide a lot of support, and the middle of the chairs conforms to the driver’s and passenger’s spine to allow for road trips. Although the back seats are comfortable, they don’t provide as much support. We upgraded the interior a bit from the base level trim because we had the Iconic trim with leather all around. But compared to other cars in the same price range, the Mini’s materials are often of a higher grade overall. The majority of that is attributable to the manufacturer receiving premium touches from its parent firm, BMW.
Mini is renowned for its eccentric interior design, which included placing the speedometer in the centre console during the early rebirth phase. The more conventional information placement has essentially taken the place of such “fun” throwbacks to the original vehicles, but not at the expense of the brand’s whimsical history. In addition to providing the driver with tactile things to make adjustments, features like round infotainment system frames, silver toggle switches, and climate control knobs also offer the car a stylish appearance. a flair that is increasingly becoming obsolete in the larger car industry as controls go to touchscreens.
When the back seats are up, there is 8.7 cubic feet of trunk space available. enough for two modest carry-on bags or a couple grocery bags. However, when those seats are removed, the volume rises to 34 cubic feet. That exceeds the capacity of the Nissan Leaf with the back seats folding. You can put a surprisingly large quantity of cargo in the back of the Mini SE, while it isn’t in the small SUV category.
Mini EV: Tech and Safety Features
By definition, an EV is often the model with the most advanced technology in a manufacturer’s inventory. The Mini SE isn’t exactly bursting with EV-centric amenities or gimmicks because it’s built on a foundation designed for gas vehicles. That actually isn’t a mark against the car most of the time. The Mini SE requires the driver to actively turn on the vehicle, in contrast to the Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2, and VW ID.4. However, Mini uses the same yellow toggle start switch in the centre console in place of a dull old button. Using something is more satisfying than simply sitting down.
Mini is a participant in the expanding trend of mounting the instrument panel directly on the steering column as opposed to the dash. We have found that tall drivers will still miss the very top of the gauges, despite the fact that it was probably intended that way to lessen the possibility of the driver having the top of the cluster cut off while adjusting the steering. driving while tall is a sin. Instead of a cowl to reduce glare, the dash cluster puts a matte coating on the screen. We never saw a problem with the sun glaring out the information, but it does make the display look less vivid than the touchscreen.
The Mini infotainment system, which is really simply a reskinned version of BMW’s iDrive system, is housed on the 8.8-inch centre touchscreen. It does have EV-centric info that wasn’t too hard to get to, similar to the system present in the gas Mini. The Mini SE’s infotainment system has a control knob in the centre console close to the gear shifter, similar to the one in the BMW. We discovered that we used it more often than we do in BMWs. The infotainment system responded quickly and with very little latency, whether it was operated by the dial or our fingers.
Adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, pedestrian and front collision warning with city collision mitigation are among the safety and driving assistance features. All equipment that could be tested safely on public roads was put to the test, and it performed as it should have. Blind-spot monitoring is one feature that is still lacking, which seems like a big oversight in any modern vehicle.
Mini EV: Drive Experience
We discovered that we simply couldn’t get enough of Mini SE during our week of driving hundreds of kilometres. There is no denying that the battery pack makes the electric Mini 300 pounds heavier than the gas-powered model. Although the weight is obvious, especially on a car this size, the Mini experience of driving through the mountains was not at all affected. It makes up for what it lacks in range with delight. Along with the delight of 199-foot pounds of EV torque, the traditional Mini “drives like a go-cart” sensation is present. When you’re on a backroad connecting corners, you completely forget that the power numbers equal a glacial time of 6.9 seconds from zero to sixty.
The Mini SE fits in seamlessly in urban environments. Its diminutive size makes it ideal for urban settings where smaller is preferable, particularly when trying to find parking places. While riding around town, the cabin is quiet and, for the most part, smooth.
On the highway, though, some people might not like the stiff suspension. What works well on backroads might not be enjoyable on bumpy freeways. For those seeking the Mini experience, it probably won’t be enough to put them off, but for those seeking something smooth on lengthy lengths of potholed asphalt? They’ll eventually realise that a short wheelbase and tight suspension translate to rides that are a little unpleasant.
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