Mini to offer limited series Cooper Convertible EV
In the summer, the topless electric runabout was presented in the USA as a one-off, but Mini will manufacture the Cooper SE Convertible in April. However, according to the manufacturer, they will build no more than 999 electric cabrios.
BMW Group, which owns Mini, has not yet named a price but promises potential drivers an “electrified go-kart feeling”. The model uses the same drive components as the regular Mini Cooper SE. The motor has an output of 135 kW and a battery with a capacity of 28.9 kWh (net). Due to the small battery, the range is only 201 kilometres, even in WLTP. The convertible can be charged with up to 50 kW.
The dimensions of the Mini Cooper SE Convertible also remain unchanged compared to the conventional version. The vehicle is 3,850 mm long, 1,727 mm wide and has a wheelbase of 2,495 mm. The electric drive accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds.
The small series of the Mini Cooper SE Convertible is to be manufactured in the Netherlands right next to the conventional Mini Convertible.
The fact that the Mini Cooper SE Convertible is only available in a limited small series and not as a regular model is most likely due to the timing of the model’s premiere: Because the days of the current Mini generation are already numbered, the successor with the electric drive was already extensively tested in cold conditions in the winter of 2021/2022. Since the successor generation developed together with the Chinese manufacturer Great Wall is already in the starting blocks, the convertible of the current generation will not be built for very long.
However, the feedback on the one-off model presented in the summer was probably so good that those responsible for the Mini have at least decided to go for the small series. However, it is not yet clear how much the special model will cost customers.
“Three years ago, we launched the all-electric MINI Cooper SE, and today one in five MINI sold in Europe is an all-electric MINI. This success has spurred us to implement the small series of the MINI Cooper SE Convertible within only a few months,” said Stefanie Wurst, Head of the MINI Brand, adding: “I’m delighted that we can offer 999 MINI customers an extraordinary and exclusive open-air go-kart feeling.”
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