While the Coronavirus outbreak has affected the world in unimaginably different ways, Mini has encountered a unique problem in the literature or marketing section of its first mass-produced electric vehicle.
The ‘Corona Spoke’ wheels that are available as a top-spec option for the Cooper SE has been renamed by Mini USA, for obvious reasons, to ‘Power Spoke’ wheels. The all-electric Mini Cooper SE was unveiled last year and Mini, of course, like the rest of the world, didn’t know that a term associated with botany, astronomy and pubbing, would forever be known as an outbreak that changed the world.
Mini Cooper Electric is expected to launch in India
It was reported last year that Mini is considering the Cooper SE electric car for the Indian market, but the COVID-19 would have affected plans and timescales and low-priority launches and investments would be reviewed once the economy reopens. To achieve a realistic price, Mini was expected to assemble the vehicle at the Chennai plant.
The Mini Cooper SE is powered by a 32.6 kWh lithium-ion battery that is placed on the vehicle’s floor in a T-shape offers a cruising range of 235 to 270 km per charge. Driving the Cooper SE is an electric motor with a maximum output of 135 kW/184 hp and a maximum torque of 270 Nm that is available from standstill. The Cooper SE can go from 0 to 60 km/h in 3.9 seconds, to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of 150 km/h. The Mini Cooper SE can be charged to 100 per cent capacity in 3.5 hours with a 11 kW charger and with a 50 kW DC fast charger, 80 per cent charge can be achieved in 35 minutes.
Standard equipment includes a 5.5-inch digital instrument cluster, Connected Navigation with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, two-zone automatic air conditioning system, double stripe carbon black fabric seats, electric parking brake and more. Customers can choose from four exterior and interior packages.
The Cooper electric comes with four driving modes – Standard, Sport, Green and Green+. The Sport mode offers more direct steering and immediate response from the drive system while Green and Green+ modes are tuned for extracting the highest possible range. The Green+ mode limits or deactivates comfort functions such as heating, air conditioner and seat heating to increase the range of the vehicle and can be used if a charging station is not close by and the battery is running low.
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