Two electric versions, also petrol engines
Yes, the new electric Mini Countryman is on the platform of the electric BMW iX1. But Mini wants to prevent the car from driving like a BMW anyway. We already took a seat in the passenger seat of the new SUV, which will appear in 2024.
An electric Mini Countryman, that must be very similar to a BMW iX1?
Yes and no. The technical basis is the same when it comes to platform and batteries, but Mini is committed to making the car drive differently. We’re in Austria in a camouflaged Generation Number Three Countryman, and the developer/test driver behind the wheel has a clear explanation. “you don’t want to feel like you’re driving a BMW if you’ve bought a Mini. So he had to become more sporty. That meant a tighter chassis and more direct steering. The go-kart feeling that characterizes Mini must therefore also be present in the new electric Countryman.” That’s relative, because the compact, crawl-by-creep-through feel that three-door hatchbacks have always had isn’t found in any Countryman. They are simply too big for that. But the direct driving behavior with a relatively sturdy chassis was always there, and the new electric variant will soon be no exception.
When will the Mini Countryman Electric arrive?
That will take a while. The unveiling is scheduled for the IAA after the summer, and before it actually reaches the dealership we will probably be in 2024. It will also come with petrol engines, despite Mini’s electric offensive, it is not yet EV-only for their new models.
We don’t see much in the photos, what changes to the car?
The size has increased considerably. The wheelbase has remained the same, but the car is 13 cm longer than before at 442.9 cm and the height has increased by 5.6 cm to 161.3 cm. This has everything to do with the Mini Aceman that will appear in 2025 and will sit between the Cooper and the Countryman. This allows Mini to put the SUV higher (and bigger) in the market. We now know that there will be two electric variants: the Countryman E gets a single engine on the front axle with 190 hp, the SE All4 gets a second power source behind and has 272 hp and four-wheel drive. The battery is the same in both models: just over 64 kWh, the same as the BMW iX1. Fast charging goes with that BMW with 130 kWh, so don’t be surprised if the Countryman scores an equivalent score. The range is slightly smaller in the SE due to the extra engine, namely 420 km compared to 440 km in the E. According to the WLTP standard, but 350-400 km should be feasible in practice. Mini does not yet want to say anything about a possible electric JCW version, but the manufacturer confirms after some further questioning that it could be hypothetical. And yes, it is popular with existing customers. There will be one again on petrol power anyway.
Anything else to reveal?
The interior is still largely covered so as not to reveal everything, but we do see that there is only a round, thin and frameless touchscreen on the center console. There is no longer a screen in front of the driver, who will probably get a head-up display (HUD). Below the screen are some physical tilt and switch buttons as we know them from Mini, but in a new style. It is the first Mini ever to run off the production line in Germany, namely in Leipzig. The Dutch Nedcar loses the model and that is a pity.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl