Mini Cooper's Refreshed EV Is A 3-Door 'Go-Kart' For Urban Drivers
Mini Cooper revealed the next generation electric version of its iconic car, featuring a larger battery, updated operating system, and new voice assistant.
"With its electric drive and purist design, the new Mini Cooper is a perfect fit for an urban lifestyle," says Stefanie Wurst, head of Mini Cooper. "In the fifth generation of the Mini Cooper, we combine the traditional Mini DNA with innovative, future-oriented technology."
Parent company BMW has not yet revealed the price and range for the Mini Cooper SE. The previous generation is relatively affordable for an EV at $30,900, but its 114-mile range is among the lowest on the market. The new version comes with a much larger battery pack—58.4kWh compared 28.9kWh—that could get it closer to a 200-mile range with more power.
A new, sporty "go-kart" mode helps the Mini zip around city streets, though it goes from 0-60mph in a slow-for-an-EV 7.3 seconds (slower even than the Tesla Model 3's 5.8 seconds). Still, the vehicle has a uniquely low center of gravity and a low drag coefficient, at 0.28, which the company says is "outstanding for the small car segment and makes the Mini extremely efficient."
The brand's first "fully fledged voice assistant," dubbed the Mini Intelligent Personal Assistant, activates by saying "Hey, Mini," or by pushing a button on the steering wheel. In addition to fielding requests from the driver, it also learns from the ongoing dialogue to anticipate what the driver needs.
"During the dialogue between customer and vehicle, the Mini Intelligent Personal Assistant continuously learns on repetitive routes," Mini says. "Drawing on geo-based data, for example, the vehicle can learn to automatically open the window when entering a car park. This makes
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