What does it take to make a great small electric car? Well, it obviously needs to be small, urban-friendly and fun to drive, but it can’t compromise on capacious comfort, bags of practicality and – perhaps most importantly – miles of all-electric range.
The new all-electric MINI Cooper ticks all of those boxes, and then some, which is why it has been named Best Small Electric Car in the 2024 What Car? Electric Awards, alongside its four-star review.
As What Car? explains: “The MINI Cooper is a great choice if you’re looking for a small electric car that’s fun to drive and packed with personality. If the original 1960s Mini had been electric, it would have been just like this one…” So, here are all the reasons why the all-electric MINI Cooper is a What Car? award-winner.
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#1 Impressive all-electric range
Let’s start with the big one: range. The new all-electric MINI Cooper boasts a compact city-friendly design that matches its iconic 1960s roots and DNA, but that doesn’t mean it should it lack ambition when it comes to going the extra mile.
That’s where the new all-electric MINI Cooper scores big, with the entry-level MINI Cooper E boasting up to 189 miles of range from its 40.7kWh lithium-ion battery according to the official WLTP test cycle, and the longer-range MINI Copper SE delivering up to 249 miles of range from its 54.2kWh battery.
“The fact that the new MINI Cooper was designed from the outset as an electric car, rather than being based on a combustion-engined one, means it can accommodate a bigger battery than its predecessor,” What Car? said.
“We think most buyers are better off with the MINI Cooper SE. It’s a huge leap in range from the old electric MINI, and beats the figures of the Peugeot e-208 and the Vauxhall Corsa Electric. It makes the new electric MINI a far more usable everyday car, which you won’t dread taking on longer journeys.”
What Car? also said that – in addition to the extra range offered by the MINI Cooper SE – its enhanced charging speeds of up to 95kW (compared to the MINI Cooper E’s 75kW) is another reason to opt for the higher-spec car. Both cars should be capable of doing a 10% to 80% top-up in as little as 30 minutes on a compatible charger, though.