The electric Mini might not have the range, performance or high-tech goodies of the Tesla Model 3, but with a retail price starting at US$29,990 before federal and state incentives and credits, some buyers will get it cheaper than a petrol Cooper.
Arriving in showrooms in March 2020, the electric Cooper SE is priced to compete with other compacts like the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq, but offers a bit of premium-brand shine for similar dollars. It's a city-focused car with a range between 146-168 miles (235-270 km) – more than enough for average daily use – and zippy-ish front-wheel-drive performance enabling 0-60 mph (0-98 km/h) sprints in 6.9 seconds. That's a touch quicker than the basic Leaf or Ioniq, both of which feel sprightly around town themselves.
It comes standard with a 6.5-inch display, Apple CarPlay compatibility, heated front seats, active driving assistant with forward collision warnings, a rear view camera, and DC fast charging up to 50 kW, which can fast-charge the car from 0-80% in around 35 minutes.
BMW Group, which owns the Mini brand, still hasn't run up against the tax credit cap for EV sales in the USA, so buyers have access to the full US$7,500 federal tax credit. Combine that with various state incentives, and the Cooper SE can start to look very affordable. Some qualified buyers will get it well under US$20,000. At those kinds of dollars, it'll make a lot of sense.
Source: BMW / Mini
