Mini is using next week’s Frankfurt motor show to highlight its electric fleet plus celebrate 60 years of being in business.
The British brand will premiere the new Mini Cooper SE three-door hatch that has a 135kW engine driving the front wheels with the latest-generation lithium-ion battery enabling a range of 235 to 270 kilometres.
Special suspension tuning and an extremely low centre of gravity means the new Mini Cooper SE with remarkable handling agility and cornering dynamics. The battery’s location has the additional benefit of ensuring exactly the same amount of space is available for occupants and luggage as in a Mini 3-door hatch with a combustion engine.
The brand’s first ever all-electric model will be built in the UK at Mini Plant Oxford, with production due to start in November 2019 and is expected in New Zealand next year.
Also on display at Frankfurt will be the new Mini Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid (below) that will have new battery cell technology allowing it to achieve an electric range of up to 57km.
Positioned under the rear seat unit to save space, the lithium- ion battery can be fully recharged in about five hours from a standard domestic socket or in around 3h 15 min when plugged into a wallbox.
We’d expect to see the Countryman PHEV in New Zealand mid-2020.
In addition to the premiere of the new Mini Cooper SE, the British carmaker is also celebrating its 60th anniversary with production since 1959 having reached the 10 million mark.
Frankfurt will host the special anniversary model from Mini Plant Oxford, a three-door hatch that has an exclusive design and equipment.
