Bavarian Motor Works introduced the MINI Cooper SE in 2020, and the compact runabout has provided an attractive, fully electric option to motorists who value style and agility but don’t require a lot of driving range. The 2-door hatchback continues to deliver legendary go-kart performance and jaunty good looks for a very reasonable price, but its small, 28.9 kWh battery pack limits its range to just 114 miles. The arrival of the 2025 Electric MINI Countryman SE All4 offers a new, more capable option to fun-loving MINI fans looking to go green, and it would be hard to name an electric crossover with more panache.
The distinctive exterior styling of the MINI lineup is easy to recognize when gazing at the Countryman, setting it apart from a growing number of electric crossovers that all look the same. Nobody rocks two-toned paint jobs quite like MINI, and the timeless color choices truly are impressive. The Countryman is much roomier than the adorable MINI Cooper, seating five, but it has the same endearing shape that none have dared to imitate. 2025 brought some modern touches to the exterior trim, but the overall look retains the classic charm of the Countryman’s sporty predecessors.
Here on this side of the Atlantic, the electric version of the Countryman will only be available as a dual-motor all-wheel-drive. The 308-horsepower 4-door is the biggest, heaviest MINI ever built, but is every bit as nimble as its 2-door electric sibling, cornering deftly and dashing from zero to sixty in just 5.4 seconds. Weighing in at 4,588 pounds, the Countryman SE is about 800 pounds heavier than its gas-powered counterpart, but the electric powertrain’s instant torque and low center of gravity compensate for the battery pack’s additional weight. Many automakers are using two electric motors instead of one to increase horsepower and deliver it to all four wheels, and the zippy Countryman does so very effectively. Thoughtfully engineered and generously powered, the not-so-mini crossover preserves the outstanding performance characteristics associated with BMW’s iconic MINI brand.
The Countryman SE possesses the fundamental attributes that have made MINI a success in the United States, and it has no glaring weaknesses as an electric vehicle. The most efficient version of the crossover is the one with 18-inch wheels, which is listed on the Environmental Protection Agency’s fueleconomy.gov website with a respectable combined MPGe rating of 96, getting 99 in the city and 94 on the highway. The 64.6 kWh battery pack is considerably larger than the 28.9 kWh pack that powers the 2024 MINI Cooper, providing a more practical driving range of 214 miles. Fitted with 19-inch wheels, the Countryman’s fuel economy drops to 91MPGe, lowering its range to 204 miles. Similar electric crossovers deliver more range than the Countryman, and both EVs from MINI will tend to attract urban motorists who plan to do most of their driving close to home. Charging speed is more than adequate, with a peak DC charging rate of 130 kW and an ample 11.0 kW onboard charger for …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment