A few weeks ago, Mini announced an electric version of its small crossover, the Countryman. The 268-horsepower EV promised go-kart-like handling and an available performance variant, but the automaker isn’t done electrifying its lineup. Mini recently announced that it would bring its first all-electric convertible to the Auto Shanghai show later this month in China.
The Mini Cooper SE Convertible is a limited-production car that the automaker said is the first “emission-free premium convertible in the small car segment.” It will be limited to 999 units and will be offered in Europe starting this month. Now we’re learning a bit more about it.
Mini will offer the car in black or white exterior colors, and each vehicle will get a numbered plate that indicates its place in the 999-unit production run. The range is limited to 125 miles on the WLTP test cycle, so the convertible will be more of an urban runabout than a long-haul cruiser. Mini equips lightweight aluminum wheels made from secondary metals, which are a combination of scrap and recycled materials. The wheels were made using green electricity, which Mini said drastically reduces CO2 emissions drying production.
Alongside the Cooper SE Convertible in Shanghai will be Mini’s Concept Aceman, an electric SUV with a striking exterior design and an outrageous interior. Though the concept’s design language is “Charismatic Simplicity,” the cabin is packed with wild colors and shapes, and the exterior features outlandish lighting accents.
Because no auto brand is complete without a digital mascot, Mini recreated its long-running spokesdog for the Shanghai event. Spike, Mini’s English Bulldog-looking mascot since 2001, will appear at the show as a digital guide, helping buyers understand the brand’s future product line. Spike will be a highlight of the Concept Aceman’s innovative round infotainment display but will also get a physical form for the auto show, as Mini said the dog would also be portrayed as a large sculpture, with elements of toys and the style of “urban pop culture.”
