Mini has revealed its first-ever electric convertible, but it’s only a limited edition.
The 2023 Mini Cooper SE Convertible will be available in Europe from April this year and be limited to 999 units.
Every example of this limited-edition convertible will be produced alongside the internal-combustion Mini Convertible in the Netherlands.
It’s unclear if Mini plans to offer these electric convertibles in any market other than Europe. We’ve reached out to Mini Australia and will update this story once we hear back.
The Mini Cooper SE Convertible is powered by the same front-mounted electric motor as the hatchback model which produces 135kW of power. This electric powertrain was also available in the now-defunct BMW i3 hatchback.
Mini claims the electric convertible can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.2 seconds, almost a second slower than the hatchback version.
The Cooper SE Convertible has a claimed range of 201km according to WLTP testing, which is 32km less than the electric hatchback. It also has a claimed energy consumption of 17.2kWh/100km.
The company hasn’t detailed how much the Cooper SE Convertible weighs, but the petrol convertible weighs 1285kg and the electric hatchback is roughly 135kg heavier than its petrol counterpart at 1365kg.
This suggests the Mini Cooper SE Convertible could weigh a little more than 1400kg.
It measures in at an unchanged 3850mm long, 1727mm wide, and 1427mm tall, with a 2495mm wheelbase. Boot space is also unaltered at 160 litres.
The Cooper SE Convertible is available in two exterior paint colours – Enigmatic Black and White Silver.
It comes standard with the two-tone 17-inch alloy wheels and a fabric soft top with a Union Jack pattern that can be electrically operated at speeds of up to 30km/h.
Inside, the Cooper SE Convertible has four seats with leather upholstery, front heated seats and adjustable thigh support. There’s also a sports Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel, piano black highlights and a special badge on the door sill trim.
The current Mini Electric hatchback launched locally in 2020, though a new one is reportedly on the horizon and has been spied a number of times.
This new Mini Electric hatch will existing alongside a heavily reworked version of the petrol Hatch and be produced in China as part of a partnership with Great Wall Motor.
Regardless, Mini is getting ready to move away from internal-combustion engines entirely.
The last new Mini model with an internal-combustion engine will be released in 2025, and Mini says 50 per cent of its sales will be all-electric by 2027. Come 2030, every single Mini will be electric.
Based on previous updates from Mini, its next-generation model lineup will include the following cars:
- The classic 3-Door Hatch, available with petrol and electric power. It’s expected to be smaller than the current car.
- The Aceman electric SUV to slot between the 3-Door Hatch and Countryman.
- The Countryman SUV, grown up to take on the Audi Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA with petrol and electric power.
- Another premium compact car in an as-yet unrevealed segment, potentially based on the Vision Urbanaut concept.
- A new Convertible, due in 2025.
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