The next generation of the cult mini car is electric: now Mini is Chinese

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It used to be copied, now there is cooperation. BMW once argued with China’s Shijiazhuang Shuanghuan Automobile Company over releasing a cheap replica of the BMW X5 SUV. Today, its small car subsidiary Mini is collaborating with the Chinese auto giant Great Wall. That’s because the next-generation Mini Cooper, BMW’s revival of the legendary small car from 1959, comes with purely electric drive and is currently rolling off the assembly line in China and Europe. The city car was presented to the public for the first time at the IAA Mobility in Munich (D) (5 – 10 September).

You already guessed this. When Great Wall brand Ora announced its Funky Cat small car for Europe last year, many thought it was a mini replica. It was original: because under the three-door body of the recently unveiled Mini Cooper is the Funky Cat’s platform, albeit with a modified drive and upgrade by BMW engineers. In stark contrast to the newly introduced Mini Countryman, the SUV is based on a genuine BMW platform and technically has nothing to do with its smaller sibling.

The Stromer Mini comes in two power levels. As the Mini Cooper E, it reaches 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds with a range of up to 305 kilometers thanks to 184 hp (135 kW), 290 Nm of torque and 40.7 kilowatt-hours (kWh). battery capacity. At market launch in early 2024, the more powerful version will be available first in Switzerland! The Mini Cooper S has a larger battery of 54.2 kWh, so it can cover a maximum of 402 kilometers and deliver more power: with 218 hp (160 kW) and 330 Nm of torque, it completes the standard sprint in 6.7 seconds; Its consumption is said to be 14.1 kWh/100 km.

Ready for burners

Front-wheel drive e-minis have a strut that holds everything together that shouldn’t be twisted, so you can go fast not only straight ahead but also on bends. Sport mode is also called that way, as the BMW subsidiary continues to flirt with the go-kart-style driving experience. Fun kids can also choose Live Mode and have fun; this takes the cover design of a music album they are listening to. Or switch to Basic Mode, Green Mode, Timeless Mode, Balance Mode or Personal Mode. Each driving mode has its own ambience, custom design on the screens and adjusts the driving behavior accordingly.

Also typically used by the Chinese when charging; The Achilles heel of many electric vehicles in China: The Cooper S can charge a maximum of 95 kilowatts (kW) on a fast charger and can charge its battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in 30 minutes. The weaker basic version is limited to 75 kW. In the small Mini, internal combustion engines are a thing of the past; By 2030, all models of the brand will be fully electric.

round touch screen

The interior has similarities with the new Countryman; for example, the OLED display with a diameter of 24 centimeters, which is the first ever round touchscreen. Instead of the normal gauges, you also show the speedometer or look at the head-up display, which projects the most important information onto the windshield. Below the screen are toggle buttons for the most important functions such as start-stop, drive mode and radio volume.

Voice control is launched with “Hey Mini”, updates wireless and other functions can be activated later, of course, for a fee. Mini Cooper also offers an app with video games so that the fun never ends even after parking. Trunk volume is the typical space of a small car; between 211 and 731 liters of luggage fits in the trunk.

Technology China, design UK

From the outside it looks like a carefully modified version of its predecessor; The brand can no longer escape the numbers with its retro design based on the original Mini. Round daytime running lights at the front, British flag-shaped headlights in the form of LEDs at the rear; The fifth generation also celebrates its brand history. The choice of the optional panoramic glass roof seems wise; Thanks to the light, it creates a more spacious feeling in the interior. The tiny 3.86 meter long car park can optionally park itself or be controlled from the outside via an app.

How much will the Mini cost when it launches in early 2024? This is still open. But it’s already priced in Germany and costs less than an all-electric Opel Corsa. Transferred to Switzerland, this could probably mean around 37,000 francs for the basic version, which will be presented later.

Source: Blick