the Bucket: Bucket Seat: MINI Cooper SE

EV's are the hottest topic on the motoring scene, with more and more manufacturers aiming to go green and some even wanting to eliminate the internal combustion engine completely from their line-up's, how has the world adapted to them so far? I was first introduced to the electric car back in 2013 when I got to sample the very first MINI electric prototype along with the BMW 1 Series Active E at a summit in the Eastern Cape, since then the BMW Group have made significant strides in developing the Electric drive train and it was quite evident in the last electric test car I had from them last year, the BMW iX3, with the larger vehicle meant space for more batteries and that meant an increase in range but what surprised me the most with that car was the regenerating power of the car when driving, compared to the early models such as the i3, the technology has improved significantly. Last month I got to go full circle in the EV journey so far as I had the MINI Cooper SE on test, the brand in which I drove my very first EV as a prototype, now as a full production model and this is how it went.

DESIGN

It looks like your normal MINI Cooper but pop open the hood and things are very different, you will be met with space and some weird looking electronics but fear not, you won't get electrocuted touching anything as everything is properly earthed. There are distinct differences in the MINI SE compared to the the normal petrol running one, that include the lack of ventilated grilles in the front, the different colour options including the striking yellow accents offered exclusively to the SE model and of course those distinctive 17-inch rims, which MINI call "Power spoke wheels" that are ringed in a bright yellow circle, with asymmetrical spokes lending them a unique appearance and they are aerodynamically optimised to improve efficiency as you drive. Overall, it’s a good looking car as is any MINI, this one does have a bit of a spark to it though which separates it from its fossil fuel burning brother.

PERFORMANCE

So if there is nothing under the hood, where is the motor? Well, like all electric cars the motor is is in line with your wheel axel, some EV's come with twin motors while smaller ones like this MINI have a single electric motor. What is it like to drive? Well, like many will tell you, due to the lack of gears, the cars acceleration is unmatched and extremely smooth. If one has to give power outputs in terms of figures that most people would understand, the MINI Cooper SE produces 135kW and 270Nm of torque, quite a hefty number, almost in line with some sporty hatch backs in the segment. It has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 7.3 seconds which adds to the go-kart feel that MINI strive for in all their cars. Now, while all these figures and stats may look nice, the biggest question from most that are curious about EV's, is how is it to live with? The MINI Cooper SE comes fitted with a 96-cell, 32.6 kWh battery pack with is floor mounted keeps the cars center of gravity low, giving the driver maximum thrill and engagement when driving. While the car comes with a claimed range of 215km from a single charge, you will be left scratching your head after charging the car to 100% but the range only saying 150km. What I soon figured out, is how well the car regenerates charge while you drive. In past EV's I found myself suffering from range anxiety so at every opportunity I had it plugged in to charge, with the MINI, even with my daily standard commute of roughly 42km, I found myself only charging the car every 2 or 3 days. For example, I'd leave my home with a range of 110km, after my 20km journey to work, which was on urban roads and 15km on a highway, when I reached my office the range showed 108km, effectively only using 2km of range with the rest being made up by the car while driving.

Highway driving with an EV used to be the one thing that killed the battery life but now, its quite the opposite. I tend to lose less on the open road than before, which is a major positive in terms of the technology as it shows the progress being made. So how does it feel to drive? Well, its still has the same MINI feel in terms of driving dynamics, but with the extra weight of the battery, and stiff suspension it does make the car feel a bit rigid. So, charging, while facilities in Durban are few and far between, especially the lack of fast DC chargers being a major issue, there are measures in place to increase this. The downloading of the "Plug Share" app has been useful and there are built in markers in the navigation should your range reach low. Charging time varies on the type of charger being used, normal 3-pin plug at home can take anything from 6 to 8 hours, while 81kW charger take about 2 hours, find a DC charger and the time goes down to about 25 minutes.

COMFORT

In the interior, its basically a normal MINI Cooper, the arrangement of the cabin is virtually untouched with the exception of some distinct cosmetic differences for the electric car. I spoke about the electric yellow accents on the outside, you can find this in the interior as well but like all MINI's, everything is customisable with a massive selection of textures, trims, details and colours to choose from. While being a 3-door the MINI Cooper SE does have back seats that you can squeeze in two adults for short journeys, luggage space measures in at 211 liters which again, is pretty decent. Under the floor boards of the trunk you can find the two charging cables that come with the car. which may prove to be an issue if you are traveling for long distances and have a boot full of stuff, that means you unpacking and repacking it every time you want to charge but the intention of a car like this is predominantly a city run around so doubt many will be having that problem. A common misconception of EV's is that it would not have most creature comforts that you'd normally find in a ICE car or if they do have it, using these features would drain the battery, but you would be wrong. The MINI comes with a large infotainment touch screen with MINI Connect that has built-in wireless mobile applications, a heads up display, dual zone climate control, this particular model had a Harmon Kardon 12 speaker sound system, LED Matrix lights and a whole lot more. All that can be used even in eco mode.

VERDICT

The change in vehicles is coming, whether people like it or not. Cars like the MINI Cooper SE are pivotal in changing the peoples minds in EV's, the more you see them on the roads, the more you realise that people are warming to them, the lack of needing to stop at the petrol station is a massive plus and looking at the increase in fuel prices will have EV drivers smiling even more. Yes, the price tag on these cars are not very attractive but more needs to be done by government to re-look at the taxes on the importation of EV's. If this can be reduced it would be a major win for the motoring sector and the environmental sector given the zero emissions produced by these cars. Would I buy the MINI Cooper SE? Yes, I had tonnes of fun with it during my week, you get used to the cars range predictions and work in charging at malls when shopping or on road trips. It's a learning curve but a fun and exciting one.