2012 was when the iconic Mini first came to India and on the brand’s tenth anniversary in India, the all-electric Mini Cooper SE has been launched with prices starting from Rs 47.20 lakh (ex-showroom). While the major change to the iconic three-door hatchback is under the bonnet, the Mini Cooper SE also gets a slew of styling changes and promises to be even more fun to drive.
The Mini Cooper was never an ‘ordinary’ looking hatchback and with the all-electric Cooper SE, that head-turning quotient has been amped up quite a bit. The dimensions of the hatchback are identical to those of the ICE-powered Mini and it continues to sport the same stance, with a wide track and short overhangs. The Cooper SE gets LED headlights as standard and piano black elements on the exterior, which are perfectly contrasted by the mirror caps finished in energetic yellow and the 17-inch Electric Power Spoke alloy wheels, which get asymmetrical spokes to improve the aerodynamic efficiency. There’s also a smattering of yellow S badges, similar to the ones you would find on a Cooper S, and the Cooper SE can be had in a choice of four colours – White Silver, Midnight Black, Moonwalk Grey and British Racing Green – continuing to look as special as a Mini should be.
Step inside the Mini Cooper SE and you’re greeted by the funky-looking interior. You get sports seats with a cloth or leatherette combination of upholstery, finished in black pearl or carbon black. The main highlight continues to be the circular 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen flanked by an LED bar, and you’ll find that the Cooper gets integrated lighting strips for the ambient lighting. The Energetic Yellow accents are also present on the start/stop toggle switch, the gear lever and the Cooper SE also gets badging on the door sills. The interiors of the Mini Cooper SE are loaded with kit, featuring 2-zone automatic climate control, in-built navigation, wireless charging, Apple CarPlay along with a Harmon Kardon music system.
The biggest change lies under the bonnet of course, with the Cooper SE ditching the traditional 2-litre petrol in favour of an electric motor. The electric motor makes 181bhp of power and 270Nm of torque, the latter being available instantaneously and enabling the Cooper SE to achieve a claimed 0-100kmph time of 7.9 seconds. This motor is mated to a single-speed transmission. The Cooper SE gets a 32.6kWh lithium-ion battery, offering 270km of range between charges. While you may miss the aural drama of the ICE engine, especially on the JCW, the Cooper SE sports a lower centre of gravity – which means that it will likely go around corners even better than the normal Cooper, and that is no mean feat!
The Mini Cooper SE will be brought to India as a CBU and prices start from Rs 47.20 lakh, ex-showroom, making it a hefty Rs 8.2 lakhs dearer than the standard 3-door Mini Cooper and Rs 70,000 more than the Mini Cooper JCW. That said, the popularity for the Cooper SE hasn’t been affected, with the pre-booking allocation for the first electric Mini already being sold out. Deliveries will begin in March 2022 and so will the next phase of bookings.
With Mini planning to be a fully electric brand after 2030, the Cooper SE definitely seems like a step in the right direction, and given the appeal of this iconic hatchback, we ourselves cannot wait to drive it!