You finally get a Mini electric! I’ve driven over 32000 miles in mine now and get up to 140 miles of range and rarely less than 120 even in winter. It drives exactly the same as my previous Mini’s but with a bigger smile on my face.
@@davidlewis4399 yeah but the 'real' mini is a tiny, dangerous, noisy, uncomfortable, impractical little box from the Stone Age! Not really a comparison........?!
@@davidlewis4399 I'd say it's better actually. It's nippy as hell with the instant tourque and because of where they put the batteries the weight distribution is bang on 50/50 so it seems to be better balanced. It's more fun than the ICE version, it just goes and goes. Plus it's light for an EV, 1400kgs is unheard of in EVs.
I swapped my JCW MINI last November for an L2 Electric. Thought I might miss the JCW but the electric is quick enough, is still a MINI and I don't miss trips to the filling station. I do all my charging at home (mostly using solar) and am really enjoying the car. I do have a diesel car for occasional long journeys though so that addresses the range issue. I also have a classic Mini for use on a dry day when there is no salt about.
I've had my mini electric for just under a year now and generally average around 4.5 miles pkwh which is better than most and even during -3 or so winter I was getting just over 100miles per charge with heater and lights on due to my shift times. Did a motorway test last year in which I sat at 72mph(which is actually 70mph true) for over 60 miles with the rest being national speed limit roads mostly and I managed to get 113 miles range still which I was actually surprised with, during the 70mph I was averaging 3.5/6 miles pkwh again better than many evs. The biggest issue I have with the mini is the fact the brake lights come on as soon as regen needle fully dips into the yellow section. I have tried to ask for low regen mode to have brake lights turned off but no one from BMW/mini will listen. Fun little car though.
@David Carr thankyou, I did actually forget to mention I never use green or green plus mode as I'm mostly in mid but sport mode sometimes gets the love lol. I watch a RUclips guy that got 170 miles from his mini, yes it was green mode and driving steady but that's still impressive. Totally agree about battery size, I think it's about right as it charges within my 4 hours of cheaper electricity and if you do have to stop on route a quick 30 minutes charge will give you about 80/90% which is enough time to have a coffee. If I can switch off the low regen brake lights one day then it's a long term car as it does what I want it to do and adds the fun factor as you mention around the twisty roads although I've found it much better switching DTC off for those spirited drives.
Our Zoe does the same thing with brake lights. At times, it's plain annoying, but I guess that it's a safety feature. Nobody likes being shunted, and if it reduces the chance of it happening, then that's a Good Thing™.
@@RWBHere trouble is I think it's actually more problematic than safe and could in fact become more dangerous as drivers try to watch the regen meter and not the road. Ev manufacturers need to get sensible and allow regen force similar to engine braking to show no brake lights as per engine braking. I've also found the brake lights to cause some lovely hand gestures and more aggressive drivers behind as they think your constantly putting brake lights on purpose.
Finally reviewers who get it! As a long time MINI/Mini owner I swapped my SD last year to a Level 2 - Best Mini I’ve ever owned, it’s cost me less than £70 for 8000 miles driving and the range even over winter was never less than 110 miles according to my nerdy spreadsheet. ( The GOM is really pessimistic in them!) Only had to look at the smile on both your faces driving it to see what it’s all about.
I recently swapped from a cooper s to an bmw i3s. Drive and handling of the i3s doesn't compare to the mini but the rear wheel drive and sheer performance of the i3s is extremely addictive. Do miss my cooper s but don't regret swapping. Even more so while I've got the super cheap night rate electric. Getting over the equivalent of 400mpg.
Of course, the fully electric i3(S) 120Ah (the model for the last few years in Europe) is light, great fun to drive, and a 180 mile range in summer. And they are stopping making it after this summer, so I suspect it may appreciate in value over time, as there are not nearly as many of those around as Minis. Just be aware that a lot of the problems i3 owners have had with the previous REX models have related to that 2 cylinder petrol engine, particularly as in practice it hardly ever runs (not good for an ICE engine). A proud i3 owner 😁
Not once have I driven an EV and thought it felt heavy. Complete opposite actually. Even after more than 2 years (driven a lot of different cars), I am constantly amazed by the acceleration, the smoothness, lightness and lack of noise/fumes.
Of over 50 cars I've owned, the BRG '23 hardtop SE is near the top: super fun to drive, brilliant power delivery, solid, quiet, quirky and anticipated to be extremely cost effective long term. Wallbox and X3 at home both add considerably to the positive experience.
I had one on hire for 3 days. It was really good fun. There was quite a bit of tyre noise at higher speeds on dual carriageways etc which can be tiring, but my wife was really keen to go out in it. Like you I believe a 5 door version would widen the appeal. Wish they weren’t so expensive and I may end up with a Corsa e as it is more practical.
I traded my 1999 C5 Z51 for a 2016 Cooper-S 6-speed manual. The auto rev-matching coupled with it being a Mini was WAY more fun for me than my 'vette. Plus, I got tired of having a turn radius measured in kilometers ;) Then, for my 50th birthday, I ordered a fully-spec'd '22 Cooper-SE. I _do_ miss the popps with the downshifts, but the acceleration from any speed is just so amazingly fun that I don't miss it _too_ much. I _do_ have an issue with low range though; there's this issue with the bones in my right foot being made of lead...
Got a Smart Forfour EQ as a local runabout. Wanted 4 doors, small but with some practicality hence the choice. Summer range is about 80 miles which is more than enough for its use. Top spec version is really well equipped and cost me £17k new after grant and discounts. Spec for Spec compare that with any other mainstream City EV. Energy is costing me 1.3p per mile using Octopus Go and a bit of solar. The EQ is a better city car than the petrol Smarts, Fiat 500s and Mini we have owned over the years. We do 90+% of our miles in the Smart rather than the much bigger ICE we own You get exclusivity too because they haven't sold many ! lol
Love the mini as a car but never took the plunge because I simply didn’t like the interior and I couldn’t really put my finger on why, it just grates me enough to not get one. I don’t think range is an issue if you want the mini, I had leaf with similar range and it’s horses for courses, as typically I would be taking more luggage/people on longer trips which would mean I wouldn’t use the leaf anyway!
Great to see you finally get in a mini - love mine having had a supercharged works s in the past - pretty unique in being slightly cheaper than the petrol version - or it was when I got it with the government discount (possibly not now) - getting 130+ miles in this weather 😊
The last of BMW i3s with the 42kWh battery had the range that you said would be ideal in the Mini, at around 170 miles. My Tesla M3 LR does not feel heavy because it has so much power and the car is so well balanced.
We are Mini geeks . . . But I waited ten years from on the road trials to this thing being launched. In that time, BMW lost its sense of direction (he went to VW). The bean counters took over and insisted that BMW manufacture all cars in the catalogue to suit everyone i.e. a design that can have a petrol, diesel or electric drive train, and the hard working production guys will just do swippsy swapsey. ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ describes this thing. For eight years I saved up my money for one of these. In that time, I was excited that the Zoe got bigger and better batteries with each generation. I thought it would be a bit taller and slightly longer to accommodate excellent batteries (and four doors would be an easy option). This was an opportunity lost. Traditional ICE minis could have continued being produced on production lines where the tooling had already been paid for, and a new skateboard developed (ala MEB) for new BMW’s. Killing off the i3 (which I own and love), just confirms their road map has been wrong for at least five years. They are now forcing buyers like me to choose between Mini or one/three series. Wrong! My next car will probably be Korean or Chinese if BYD can lower themselves to produce for the RH drive market.
Totally get it. I had a Mini Cooper, I don’t however have another car available so for range the mini E just couldn’t quite do it for me I really really wanted one I got an i3S Rex and now an i3S BEV for just that extra range ( 150 miles easily doable in the latest i3) while it’s still a lightweight and fun car which is what I loved about my mini, and I still find it a lot of fun while being a different experience, I definitely would go back to mini E again with just a little extra range they are the MOST fun to drive .
I was about to give Harry some "top tips" about i3 models, but since I've seen you've posted on here already, I'll bow to your superior knowledge and let you crack on, Carmen...! 😔
@@jonathantaylor1998 ha ha !! Lol my advice would just be i3s are awesome and he can have minis as way into the future as he likes probably but the i3 is no more very soon. Classic car already but still punching where it matters as an EV
Good review lads 👍 my electric mini comes at the start of June, and out of all the electric cars I took for a drive in this price range the Mini was by far the superior car to drive
If you own a short range EV ("80" mile), you would really appreciate that little more range, especially because you keep the same amount safety reserve (lower percent). Similar to The thrill of going from a year of slow charging to getting a L2 charger.
I have the VW Egolf & like the mini it is not a floor up EV. But surprised at the range of mini & my Egolf is 5 doors, so surprised they didn't do it with the mini. Then again talking about the range as you've said how many people do 100 miles in a day, on average I'm doing less than 100 miles & charge up at night. When doing longer ranges & not sure I can charge up I will use my diesel.
New to the channel. Nice review guys. As I understand it there is an updated version coming in the next year that has a greater range (+200). As an aside the BMW i3S is a nice car, but if you buy an older model with the REX then its not considered a zero emissions car and attracts the premium VED.
A question I really would like your opinions: presumably you can get a Mini Electric or an MG EV4 at the exact same price, for city commuting purposes, which one will you buy?
All this fuss about range…………. It’s a city car not a continent straddling Luxo barge. I took delivery of my L3 last November I’ve covered 3500 miles and paid for lecky has cost me £20.50 as where I live I have loads of free to use 50kw chargers and I have a wall box that diverts electricity from my solar array. My longest trips are 60 mile round trips and I have zero range anxiety. I do have a large diesel powered Defender that I can use for long trips and off-road fun but that has sat since February at the dealership waiting for a part……….. one thing for sure the Mini SE (and the Countryman PHEV I had before it) are 1000 times better assemble than every one of the £80,000 Range Rovers and Range Rover Sports I’ve owned over the years yet the Minis are half the price. Loving my Cooper S E and it’s certainly great fun to drive but the torque steer and wheel spin on wet roads and pulling out of junctions does take getting used to! Mine is easily getting 5 miles per kwhr now the weather has warmed up but it was down at 3.6 over the winter. It’s more efficient than the i3 despite the carbon fibre “lightweight” construction of that car……..
Thanks guys, for the excellent video. 🙂👍 The problem with the electric Mini is that I wish it was a Mini. I followed an absolutely pristine 1959 Austin Seven (a real Mini) into town last week, and the driver pulled into a petrol station and parked it near a 'fake' Mini. It's twice the size of the real one, and looks nothing like the real deal. As a car, it's not bad, but it really needs a different name. If you look on the Electric Classic Cars channel, you can find a proper electric Mini, with about 350 hp; upgraded form it's ~30 hp petrol engine. It goes like the clappers.
I know what’s missing, range, definitely the range. That’s going to knacker the battery quicker than in a car with descent range. My nearest city is 45 miles away. They are very nice, but I see them as a very nice compliance car. I’d rather have an eUp. I do love the mini enthusiast rationalisation of it though😂 And as a former proper mini racer and driver, I’m not a fan of the BMW mini.
my comfort break/ cup of tea range on the motorway is about 120 miles so anything over 140 is nice but not essential. 100 is just a tad tight these days but as a fun second car this would be perfect. and all the brand image you could ever ask for
I chose the Fiat 500e over the Mini largely because the Fiat has a slightly better range (currently 160 miles) and its performance is all I need. The first manufacturer to produce a small BEV under £20K that does at least 200 miles in real life conditions will open up the EV market to a much wider audience.
I get what you are saying but 30+grand odd is alot of dosh for a second car with compromised on range. How much more range drop in the cold? Not for me but then I don't like the mini much so probably not aimed at me!
Range in winter is about 110 miles on a full charge with summer bringing about 130 miles of range (depending on the way you drive). A channel called the EV Puzzle managed to get 170 miles out of his Mini electric driving on country roads.
A friend of mine is a Mini driver, and the one thing that puts her off the Electric Mini is the range. She rarely drives long distances, other than the odd shopping down to York from Newcastle. I do think an extra 30-40 miles range would be all it takes to make the range more palatable. And, on the topic of it not being available in a 5 door Mini, that's the way it should be. In fact, they should just scrap the 5 door altogether, it's just wrong!
I watched another Mini electric review and one of the reviewer’s complaints (and he only had two) was the “gear selector”. He said you push the lever forwards for reverse and back for drive!! Does that bother you?! I’m definitely going to get this Mini for my next car; I love it and don’t care that it has a short(ish) range. It’s a Mini!!
2 points - 1, a 100 mile range is no problem if you ve got a home charger but if you dont and you need to go and find a public charger its a real pain 2. Harry, if you go for the i3 range extender you have to pay road tax even though you only use the engine once a blue moon and the rear doors get people trapped between the doors in tight spaces but it drives extremely well
On the subject of road tax in general i was wondering if current full EV's will be exempt from road tax for their lifetime or when/if the government introduce a road tax for EV's it will only apply to cars from that year onwards.
@@marks-0-0 Well in 2017 when the new car tax was included, this wasnt applied to older vehicles so id imagine it would be the same but highly depends on what tax model they go for.
Weird your video according to RUclips when I clicked 'Electric Vehicles' to filter your video totally vanished from the recommended vids. Liked your review.
I've owned loads of minis, still got a classic mini but we bought a Zoe50 GT as it will literally go twice as far as the Mini EV and we do a regular 160 mile round trip, easy in a Zoe even in winter.
I have a Tesla model Y and my wife wanted to go electric, she only wanted a Tesla, but they are so expensive.. we test drove the Mini and she loved it. Actually I love it too.. we are waiting on ours and I know that even in my Tesla I rarely drive more than 80 miles a day in Arizona.. it's never that cold Who knows. if I really love it and we fight over who is driving the mini, we may need to get the 2024 version to replace the Tesla. it will have a longer range
the mini is the same for ICE and BEV and so they could only get that size battery in the sapce available at the current energy density its clever in that they can build cars based on demand, new mini electric out soon
You missing the point. With my petrol mini I would not let the petrol get below say a 50 mile range before filling up So in eV are you going to let it run out completely or start looking for a charging point after 59/ 60 miles
My neighbour drives minis (replaces every 3 years) and is looking for electric for her next car but she does maybe 6 times a year the same 350 miles journey and i cant recommend she gets this as it will be such a hassle compared to any EV that has 200+ plus miles, thats three necessary charging stops compared to just one (each charging stop adding the chance of charger unavailability or issues) . The other difference to you (or anyone else) having a low mileage EV years back is that anyone driving a 100ish mileage car then was an early adopter who was willing to put up with the inconvenience. We are now moving beyond that to the mass market, who wont be. I didnt realise its a three door only either, another negative point especially for anyone who has kids with child seats in the back. Sure, its OK as a second car but then there are cheaper better cars available. As it happens i talked with a MIni E owner last year (INstavolt chargers at Banbury) she had it as a company car, no choice. She hated it because she was 'always' charging, every other day or so.
We have two MINI’s on the drive a split new clubman was last purchase and a Hatch also factory spec split new, our fifth arrived in the Clubbie. The clubman travels from Flasgow to London most weeks and tipped over 37k miles in 15 months.😁 The more special Hatch is eight years old and on 27k miles. The hatch does road trips and holidays. I’m onboard, love the idea of EV’s been following Tesla since 2009. The model 3 is just pushing too much I’d pay for a car for everyday use. At best 140 miles range I’d struggle with on road trips. I can’t wait to see what the ground up built China pack second generation. If I can get my MINI feel on B roads, minimum 240 miles in summer then I’m onboard. I’ve deliberately not tried the current SE MINI even when I was at the reveal think it was 2019 in case I liked it. But it definitely needs 200 miles. BMW deliberately limited the power as this thing as it could be as rapid as a works.
One thing that makes these expensive second hand is just how few are for sale. I keep an eye on prices but since ditching my Zoe for an 10 year old SLK I realise that the extra I pay to run the SLK is well worth it for the pleasure of open air motoring. There's nothing electric available that's a proper convertible but I think the Mini may be the most fun EV out there (Tesla / Taycan etc wouldn't be fun in the same way in my opinion).
I just picked up a level2 LCI so the new facelifted version with 3000miles for £24k. There's deals out there especially if you have a decent car to trade in as trade in values are very high right now.
wife’s polo comign to the end of the PCP. Wondering whether to get another (she loves it) and go for an EV next time with hopefully a bit more choice under 20k, or jump into a used EV this year.
Range, range & range. I know for most people, we don't do 100 miles a day but it is still a case of "what if" you need to go somewhere at short notice or you don't want to charge every day or every other day. Short wheelbase and too jiggly but with the i3 powertrain plenty fast enough but torque steer as FWD. Best small car for the price is the VW e-Up. WLTP 160+ miles. Highly efficient/ refined and spacious 4 seater!. Not a hot hatch, but still has that nice turn of speed. The MINI E is overpriced and outgunned. Peugeot e-208 better inside and out with better range and same price.Mini E has been left behind. (and 50kW charge speeds. Good enough 5 years ago. Not now. No thanks)
If you watch Carwow's video of the Mini Electric and other EV hatches the range difference of the Mini Electric and the e208 weren't that different and because of it smaller battery the Mini will be cheaper to charge up. The Mini will also hold its value on the second hand market better so you'll get more money back in the end.
Just replaced my 60mpg mini clubman with an iPace… really missing the fun and the small size but the electric iPace is in a different league… waiting for the 200/300 mile electric mini. 120 miles is no good in the south west where every town is an hour away on the motorway.
I find even my Zoe ZE40 to be just too heavy. The electric driving experience is good, but the cornering etc just feels like it wants to go “somewhere else”. The Mini doesn’t want more weight. If you actually get 100 miles plus it’s enough?
I drive 96 miles round trip to work and back. All 70 mph highway. If this little mini had even just 50 more miles of range it would be perfect for me. I’m afraid I would be constantly worried about running out of range, especially in the winter with the heater on.
Peugeot e208 weighs 90kg more..and has almost double the range and is 0.5 seconds slower to 60mph. That speed difference could be easily overcome. I don't buy they couldn't have got more range without effecting the handling and feel.
Thats the e208s claimed range though, the Mini WLTP is 145 miles. The Mini around town will actually do 145 miles, you wont get the claimed range from the e208 and it has almost double the battery size. 45 kwh usable in the e208 and 28.9 kwh usable in the Mini. Per mile I can bet the Mini will be cheaper, faster and hold its value with that Mini badge.
I sat in an e208 before I bought my Mini. I could see the dashboard with the steering wheel hitting my knees, or the wheel cleared my knees and I couldn't see the dashboard, terrible ergonomics. A lot of the plastics felt very cheap, the centre console switches sounded like a 1980s joystick. Never bothered with a test drive.
For me its a choice between the mini or the zoe gt line , mini looks better ,zoe has the better battery , I don't have home charging, so the bigger battery would make more sense, shame the mini doesn't have a option for a bigger battery if you wanted one
Essay inbound....I travel 60 miles a day commuting to work, 4 or 5 times a week. I would love to get an EV to save on fuelling a diesel 2 to 3 times a month at nearly £100 a time. What I’m unsure of, if you could share some wisdom, is how would a car such as a Renault Zoe with a slightly higher range fair doing that commute? As I would need to be charged at least twice a week, although only around 15k miles a year, will this amount of charging of the battery have a negative impact/speed up degradation or is it okay to literally plug the car in every other night and get it charged up? Or would a car with a lower range such as a mini still be able to do the commute each day and get charged every night?Thoughts, please and thank you
If your plugging in every night, then I'm assuming your talking about a home charger. That would be absolutely fine and have negligible effect on battery degredation. Constant rapid charging is what causes the battery to degrade if you can fast (home) charge it's better. As for the Zoe, the 40 or 50kwh versions are a good compromise. Zoe won't be as fun to drive or as quick but will have a better range where you won't need to plug in every night. Really it's all down to your individual needs and what your willing to compromise on.
My comment copied from another review of this car...that Mini in full black looks wild. Shame the range is a disappointment. Winter range anxiety is bad enough in my ‘161 mile’ Seat Mii electric. If BMW Mini double the range of the next Mini EV, I’ll consider it. So long as it is not a crossover. Upon watching this video through, I take my comment back to some extent. The Mini electric is well judged as a second car. I however want a compact car like a Mini Electric to be my only car, and for that reason I really hope they can cram more kWh into the new one, without adding too much extra weight to give a range closer to 200mi in fair weather and 150mi in winter.
Wait till next year when the new model is announced, Mini Cooper E 40 kwh battery and 185 mile range and a Mini Cooper SE 50 kwh battery and 250 mile range.
@@andymccabe6712 Old mini, every time, no contest. I do understand your nervousness in the modern world, but there’s nothing like an Issigonis mini to drive. The difference between marketing and genius.
Mini isnt VAG group though so how is it a Polo with a funny body shell. The Mini shares more with the BMW 1 series and in the EVs case the i3 which are both more expensive cars.
Saw a Honda E owner's video recently. On the motorway, in winter, with the heating OFF he said the range was 80 miles. Mini electric, heating ON 100 miles plus.
@@jur4x he doesn’t say that though, unless I missed it. I heard the comment about the 3 door but did he actually say, if it was a 5 door he would change?
@@Mrtwistedblack I would if I needed to swap the car, but I don’t. I also couldn’t afford £30k on a second car which will do 5k miles a year. Crucially, the missus would swap it as she likes the Mini. Financially it won’t happen for us.
The question that wasn't answered was how fast is the charging? Andy mentioned that there was CCS available but didn't say how many KW the car could charge at. How long would it be to charge from 10-80%?
I'll keep my JCW until an exciting affordable MINI EV comes along with a range of around 350 miles, I know it most likely won't happen in my life time so it's petrol power for me, oh and by the way my neighbour has just returned his EV, he says it was the biggest mistake he'd made in all his car buying years, range anxiety? No thanks.
For me, MINIs are getting too big. They are "MIDI" now. I still drive my 2005 R53, and so far no MINI after that model has been able to provide me with a better or more fun driving experience. And the electric MINI will lack the engine sound as well. But that is just me. Happy for all those who like the newer models.
Had three old Minis and once Germany took over and re designed them they were no longer Minis. The latest Minis are bigger than a Ford Focus so no longer a small car basically an overpriced BMW with a Mini badge on it.
You finally get a Mini electric! I’ve driven over 32000 miles in mine now and get up to 140 miles of range and rarely less than 120 even in winter. It drives exactly the same as my previous Mini’s but with a bigger smile on my face.
Bet it doesnt drive the same as a real mini though
@@davidlewis4399 yeah but the 'real' mini is a tiny, dangerous, noisy, uncomfortable, impractical little box from the Stone Age!
Not really a comparison........?!
Drives better! Try it.
@@davidlewis4399 I'd say it's better actually. It's nippy as hell with the instant tourque and because of where they put the batteries the weight distribution is bang on 50/50 so it seems to be better balanced. It's more fun than the ICE version, it just goes and goes. Plus it's light for an EV, 1400kgs is unheard of in EVs.
I'm getting 100 in the cold weather currently, however I do drive everywhere like I stole the thing.
I swapped my JCW MINI last November for an L2 Electric. Thought I might miss the JCW but the electric is quick enough, is still a MINI and I don't miss trips to the filling station. I do all my charging at home (mostly using solar) and am really enjoying the car. I do have a diesel car for occasional long journeys though so that addresses the range issue. I also have a classic Mini for use on a dry day when there is no salt about.
I've had my mini electric for just under a year now and generally average around 4.5 miles pkwh which is better than most and even during -3 or so winter I was getting just over 100miles per charge with heater and lights on due to my shift times. Did a motorway test last year in which I sat at 72mph(which is actually 70mph true) for over 60 miles with the rest being national speed limit roads mostly and I managed to get 113 miles range still which I was actually surprised with, during the 70mph I was averaging 3.5/6 miles pkwh again better than many evs. The biggest issue I have with the mini is the fact the brake lights come on as soon as regen needle fully dips into the yellow section. I have tried to ask for low regen mode to have brake lights turned off but no one from BMW/mini will listen. Fun little car though.
@David Carr thankyou, I did actually forget to mention I never use green or green plus mode as I'm mostly in mid but sport mode sometimes gets the love lol.
I watch a RUclips guy that got 170 miles from his mini, yes it was green mode and driving steady but that's still impressive.
Totally agree about battery size, I think it's about right as it charges within my 4 hours of cheaper electricity and if you do have to stop on route a quick 30 minutes charge will give you about 80/90% which is enough time to have a coffee.
If I can switch off the low regen brake lights one day then it's a long term car as it does what I want it to do and adds the fun factor as you mention around the twisty roads although I've found it much better switching DTC off for those spirited drives.
Our Zoe does the same thing with brake lights. At times, it's plain annoying, but I guess that it's a safety feature. Nobody likes being shunted, and if it reduces the chance of it happening, then that's a Good Thing™.
@@RWBHere trouble is I think it's actually more problematic than safe and could in fact become more dangerous as drivers try to watch the regen meter and not the road. Ev manufacturers need to get sensible and allow regen force similar to engine braking to show no brake lights as per engine braking. I've also found the brake lights to cause some lovely hand gestures and more aggressive drivers behind as they think your constantly putting brake lights on purpose.
Finally reviewers who get it! As a long time MINI/Mini owner I swapped my SD last year to a Level 2 - Best Mini I’ve ever owned, it’s cost me less than £70 for 8000 miles driving and the range even over winter was never less than 110 miles according to my nerdy spreadsheet. ( The GOM is really pessimistic in them!) Only had to look at the smile on both your faces driving it to see what it’s all about.
I recently swapped from a cooper s to an bmw i3s. Drive and handling of the i3s doesn't compare to the mini but the rear wheel drive and sheer performance of the i3s is extremely addictive. Do miss my cooper s but don't regret swapping. Even more so while I've got the super cheap night rate electric. Getting over the equivalent of 400mpg.
Of course, the fully electric i3(S) 120Ah (the model for the last few years in Europe) is light, great fun to drive, and a 180 mile range in summer. And they are stopping making it after this summer, so I suspect it may appreciate in value over time, as there are not nearly as many of those around as Minis.
Just be aware that a lot of the problems i3 owners have had with the previous REX models have related to that 2 cylinder petrol engine, particularly as in practice it hardly ever runs (not good for an ICE engine).
A proud i3 owner 😁
i3 REX - the computer runs the gas engine periodically as needed, no problem with it yet.
Not once have I driven an EV and thought it felt heavy. Complete opposite actually. Even after more than 2 years (driven a lot of different cars), I am constantly amazed by the acceleration, the smoothness, lightness and lack of noise/fumes.
Of over 50 cars I've owned, the BRG '23 hardtop SE is near the top: super fun to drive, brilliant power delivery, solid, quiet, quirky and anticipated to be extremely cost effective long term. Wallbox and X3 at home both add considerably to the positive experience.
I had one on hire for 3 days. It was really good fun. There was quite a bit of tyre noise at higher speeds on dual carriageways etc which can be tiring, but my wife was really keen to go out in it. Like you I believe a 5 door version would widen the appeal.
Wish they weren’t so expensive and I may end up with a Corsa e as it is more practical.
Wife has had mini ev for a year , great car , range winter 100 , summer 120+, reliable range , drives like a go cart ( super).
I traded my 1999 C5 Z51 for a 2016 Cooper-S 6-speed manual. The auto rev-matching coupled with it being a Mini was WAY more fun for me than my 'vette. Plus, I got tired of having a turn radius measured in kilometers ;) Then, for my 50th birthday, I ordered a fully-spec'd '22 Cooper-SE. I _do_ miss the popps with the downshifts, but the acceleration from any speed is just so amazingly fun that I don't miss it _too_ much. I _do_ have an issue with low range though; there's this issue with the bones in my right foot being made of lead...
Got a Smart Forfour EQ as a local runabout. Wanted 4 doors, small but with some practicality hence the choice. Summer range is about 80 miles which is more than enough for its use. Top spec version is really well equipped and cost me £17k new after grant and discounts. Spec for Spec compare that with any other mainstream City EV. Energy is costing me 1.3p per mile using Octopus Go and a bit of solar.
The EQ is a better city car than the petrol Smarts, Fiat 500s and Mini we have owned over the years. We do 90+% of our miles in the Smart rather than the much bigger ICE we own
You get exclusivity too because they haven't sold many ! lol
Love the mini as a car but never took the plunge because I simply didn’t like the interior and I couldn’t really put my finger on why, it just grates me enough to not get one. I don’t think range is an issue if you want the mini, I had leaf with similar range and it’s horses for courses, as typically I would be taking more luggage/people on longer trips which would mean I wouldn’t use the leaf anyway!
Great to see you finally get in a mini - love mine having had a supercharged works s in the past - pretty unique in being slightly cheaper than the petrol version - or it was when I got it with the government discount (possibly not now) - getting 130+ miles in this weather 😊
The last of BMW i3s with the 42kWh battery had the range that you said would be ideal in the Mini, at around 170 miles. My Tesla M3 LR does not feel heavy because it has so much power and the car is so well balanced.
It does going round corners.
We are Mini geeks . . . But I waited ten years from on the road trials to this thing being launched. In that time, BMW lost its sense of direction (he went to VW). The bean counters took over and insisted that BMW manufacture all cars in the catalogue to suit everyone i.e. a design that can have a petrol, diesel or electric drive train, and the hard working production guys will just do swippsy swapsey. ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ describes this thing. For eight years I saved up my money for one of these. In that time, I was excited that the Zoe got bigger and better batteries with each generation. I thought it would be a bit taller and slightly longer to accommodate excellent batteries (and four doors would be an easy option). This was an opportunity lost. Traditional ICE minis could have continued being produced on production lines where the tooling had already been paid for, and a new skateboard developed (ala MEB) for new BMW’s. Killing off the i3 (which I own and love), just confirms their road map has been wrong for at least five years. They are now forcing buyers like me to choose between Mini or one/three series. Wrong! My next car will probably be Korean or Chinese if BYD can lower themselves to produce for the RH drive market.
I've heard BYD are building a plant in Thailand which has a right hand drive market
Well, the current wait for a new one of these is 9 to 12 months so it appears your views are in the minority
Totally get it. I had a Mini Cooper, I don’t however have another car available so for range the mini E just couldn’t quite do it for me I really really wanted one
I got an i3S Rex and now an i3S BEV for just that extra range ( 150 miles easily doable in the latest i3) while it’s still a lightweight and fun car which is what I loved about my mini, and I still find it a lot of fun while being a different experience, I definitely would go back to mini E again with just a little extra range they are the MOST fun to drive .
I was about to give Harry some "top tips" about i3 models, but since I've seen you've posted on here already, I'll bow to your superior knowledge and let you crack on, Carmen...! 😔
@@jonathantaylor1998 ha ha !! Lol my advice would just be i3s are awesome and he can have minis as way into the future as he likes probably but the i3 is no more very soon. Classic car already but still punching where it matters as an EV
@@loonymoon1 hi Carmen. ;)
In fact Andy and Harry did the North Coast 500 in an i3 soon after the 120Ah came out and had their usual fun.
Good review lads 👍 my electric mini comes at the start of June, and out of all the electric cars I took for a drive in this price range the Mini was by far the superior car to drive
If you own a short range EV ("80" mile), you would really appreciate that little more range, especially because you keep the same amount safety reserve (lower percent).
Similar to The thrill of going from a year of slow charging to getting a L2 charger.
I have the VW Egolf & like the mini it is not a floor up EV. But surprised at the range of mini & my Egolf is 5 doors, so surprised they didn't do it with the mini.
Then again talking about the range as you've said how many people do 100 miles in a day, on average I'm doing less than 100 miles & charge up at night. When doing longer ranges & not sure I can charge up I will use my diesel.
New to the channel. Nice review guys. As I understand it there is an updated version coming in the next year that has a greater range (+200). As an aside the BMW i3S is a nice car, but if you buy an older model with the REX then its not considered a zero emissions car and attracts the premium VED.
A question I really would like your opinions: presumably you can get a Mini Electric or an MG EV4 at the exact same price, for city commuting purposes, which one will you buy?
All this fuss about range…………. It’s a city car not a continent straddling Luxo barge. I took delivery of my L3 last November I’ve covered 3500 miles and paid for lecky has cost me £20.50 as where I live I have loads of free to use 50kw chargers and I have a wall box that diverts electricity from my solar array. My longest trips are 60 mile round trips and I have zero range anxiety. I do have a large diesel powered Defender that I can use for long trips and off-road fun but that has sat since February at the dealership waiting for a part……….. one thing for sure the Mini SE (and the Countryman PHEV I had before it) are 1000 times better assemble than every one of the £80,000 Range Rovers and Range Rover Sports I’ve owned over the years yet the Minis are half the price. Loving my Cooper S E and it’s certainly great fun to drive but the torque steer and wheel spin on wet roads and pulling out of junctions does take getting used to! Mine is easily getting 5 miles per kwhr now the weather has warmed up but it was down at 3.6 over the winter. It’s more efficient than the i3 despite the carbon fibre “lightweight” construction of that car……..
My Level 2 Mini is on order, fully blacked .... can't wait ! .... as my 2nd car it's a no brainer.
Tell Harry, I’ve got a BMW I3S Rex that I’ll be selling in the next 3 months…
Thanks guys, for the excellent video. 🙂👍
The problem with the electric Mini is that I wish it was a Mini. I followed an absolutely pristine 1959 Austin Seven (a real Mini) into town last week, and the driver pulled into a petrol station and parked it near a 'fake' Mini. It's twice the size of the real one, and looks nothing like the real deal. As a car, it's not bad, but it really needs a different name.
If you look on the Electric Classic Cars channel, you can find a proper electric Mini, with about 350 hp; upgraded form it's ~30 hp petrol engine. It goes like the clappers.
I know what’s missing, range, definitely the range. That’s going to knacker the battery quicker than in a car with descent range. My nearest city is 45 miles away. They are very nice, but I see them as a very nice compliance car. I’d rather have an eUp.
I do love the mini enthusiast rationalisation of it though😂
And as a former proper mini racer and driver, I’m not a fan of the BMW mini.
I own a eup. You can´t compare those cars. Mini is more push, more powerful, more comfortable, and.. twice the price ;-)
@@sergigorchs7329 I didn’t compare them, I said I’d rather have one, and I would.
@@devonbikefilms hope you enjoy it. i know you would.
my comfort break/ cup of tea range on the motorway is about 120 miles so anything over 140 is nice but not essential. 100 is just a tad tight these days but as a fun second car this would be perfect. and all the brand image you could ever ask for
I chose the Fiat 500e over the Mini largely because the Fiat has a slightly better range (currently 160 miles) and its performance is all I need. The first manufacturer to produce a small BEV under £20K that does at least 200 miles in real life conditions will open up the EV market to a much wider audience.
I get what you are saying but 30+grand odd is alot of dosh for a second car with compromised on range. How much more range drop in the cold? Not for me but then I don't like the mini much so probably not aimed at me!
Range in winter is about 110 miles on a full charge with summer bringing about 130 miles of range (depending on the way you drive). A channel called the EV Puzzle managed to get 170 miles out of his Mini electric driving on country roads.
A friend of mine is a Mini driver, and the one thing that puts her off the Electric Mini is the range. She rarely drives long distances, other than the odd shopping down to York from Newcastle. I do think an extra 30-40 miles range would be all it takes to make the range more palatable.
And, on the topic of it not being available in a 5 door Mini, that's the way it should be. In fact, they should just scrap the 5 door altogether, it's just wrong!
Mini do 24hr test drives at the moment. Tell her to give it a go, it will win her over
But she's already said she rarely does long distance. Buy a Mini and hire a car for the rare long distance trip.
Nice shirt? Bloody fabulous shirt.
I watched another Mini electric review and one of the reviewer’s complaints (and he only had two) was the “gear selector”. He said you push the lever forwards for reverse and back for drive!! Does that bother you?! I’m definitely going to get this Mini for my next car; I love it and don’t care that it has a short(ish) range. It’s a Mini!!
Good video lads, as always great honest information.
Cool guys i didn't know you had a podcast I'll check it out👍
2 points - 1, a 100 mile range is no problem if you ve got a home charger but if you dont and you need to go and find a public charger its a real pain 2. Harry, if you go for the i3 range extender you have to pay road tax even though you only use the engine once a blue moon and the rear doors get people trapped between the doors in tight spaces but it drives extremely well
On the subject of road tax in general i was wondering if current full EV's will be exempt from road tax for their lifetime or when/if the government introduce a road tax for EV's it will only apply to cars from that year onwards.
@@marks-0-0 Well in 2017 when the new car tax was included, this wasnt applied to older vehicles so id imagine it would be the same but highly depends on what tax model they go for.
Weird your video according to RUclips when I clicked 'Electric Vehicles' to filter your video totally vanished from the recommended vids. Liked your review.
I've owned loads of minis, still got a classic mini but we bought a Zoe50 GT as it will literally go twice as far as the Mini EV and we do a regular 160 mile round trip, easy in a Zoe even in winter.
I have a Tesla model Y and my wife wanted to go electric, she only wanted a Tesla, but they are so expensive.. we test drove the Mini and she loved it. Actually I love it too.. we are waiting on ours and I know that even in my Tesla I rarely drive more than 80 miles a day in Arizona.. it's never that cold Who knows. if I really love it and we fight over who is driving the mini, we may need to get the 2024 version to replace the Tesla. it will have a longer range
the mini is the same for ICE and BEV and so they could only get that size battery in the sapce available at the current energy density
its clever in that they can build cars based on demand, new mini electric out soon
You missing the point. With my petrol mini I would not let the petrol get below say a 50 mile range before filling up
So in eV are you going to let it run out completely or start looking for a charging point after 59/ 60 miles
My neighbour drives minis (replaces every 3 years) and is looking for electric for her next car but she does maybe 6 times a year the same 350 miles journey and i cant recommend she gets this as it will be such a hassle compared to any EV that has 200+ plus miles, thats three necessary charging stops compared to just one (each charging stop adding the chance of charger unavailability or issues) .
The other difference to you (or anyone else) having a low mileage EV years back is that anyone driving a 100ish mileage car then was an early adopter who was willing to put up with the inconvenience. We are now moving beyond that to the mass market, who wont be.
I didnt realise its a three door only either, another negative point especially for anyone who has kids with child seats in the back.
Sure, its OK as a second car but then there are cheaper better cars available.
As it happens i talked with a MIni E owner last year (INstavolt chargers at Banbury) she had it as a company car, no choice. She hated it because she was 'always' charging, every other day or so.
We have two MINI’s on the drive a split new clubman was last purchase and a Hatch also factory spec split new, our fifth arrived in the Clubbie. The clubman travels from Flasgow to London most weeks and tipped over 37k miles in 15 months.😁 The more special Hatch is eight years old and on 27k miles. The hatch does road trips and holidays. I’m onboard, love the idea of EV’s been following Tesla since 2009. The model 3 is just pushing too much I’d pay for a car for everyday use. At best 140 miles range I’d struggle with on road trips.
I can’t wait to see what the ground up built China pack second generation. If I can get my MINI feel on B roads, minimum 240 miles in summer then I’m onboard. I’ve deliberately not tried the current SE MINI even when I was at the reveal think it was 2019 in case I liked it. But it definitely needs 200 miles. BMW deliberately limited the power as this thing as it could be as rapid as a works.
One thing that makes these expensive second hand is just how few are for sale. I keep an eye on prices but since ditching my Zoe for an 10 year old SLK I realise that the extra I pay to run the SLK is well worth it for the pleasure of open air motoring. There's nothing electric available that's a proper convertible but I think the Mini may be the most fun EV out there (Tesla / Taycan etc wouldn't be fun in the same way in my opinion).
I just picked up a level2 LCI so the new facelifted version with 3000miles for £24k. There's deals out there especially if you have a decent car to trade in as trade in values are very high right now.
bright shirt :)
wife’s polo comign to the end of the PCP. Wondering whether to get another (she loves it) and go for an EV next time with hopefully a bit more choice under 20k, or jump into a used EV this year.
Range, range & range. I know for most people, we don't do 100 miles a day but it is still a case of "what if" you need to go somewhere at short notice or you don't want to charge every day or every other day. Short wheelbase and too jiggly but with the i3 powertrain plenty fast enough but torque steer as FWD. Best small car for the price is the VW e-Up. WLTP 160+ miles. Highly efficient/ refined and spacious 4 seater!. Not a hot hatch, but still has that nice turn of speed. The MINI E is overpriced and outgunned. Peugeot e-208 better inside and out with better range and same price.Mini E has been left behind. (and 50kW charge speeds. Good enough 5 years ago. Not now. No thanks)
If you watch Carwow's video of the Mini Electric and other EV hatches the range difference of the Mini Electric and the e208 weren't that different and because of it smaller battery the Mini will be cheaper to charge up. The Mini will also hold its value on the second hand market better so you'll get more money back in the end.
I think that the arrival of the Ora Cat will put a great deal of pressure on the Mini EV and the Fiat 500e.
if it ever arrives.
@@davidspencer7254 Their UK website says 2022 and asks to register an interest. They are no Mickey Mouse operation.
@@PassportToPimlico I'm aware, and I'm registered already. It's very very quiet...
@@davidspencer7254 Fingers crossed then.
Isn't the cost of the ora gonna be double here in the UK than in China?
Just replaced my 60mpg mini clubman with an iPace… really missing the fun and the small size but the electric iPace is in a different league… waiting for the 200/300 mile electric mini. 120 miles is no good in the south west where every town is an hour away on the motorway.
I keep looking at the MIni Cooper Electric, but I don't need it. I think it would be great fun.
I find even my Zoe ZE40 to be just too heavy. The electric driving experience is good, but the cornering etc just feels like it wants to go “somewhere else”. The Mini doesn’t want more weight. If you actually get 100 miles plus it’s enough?
I drive 96 miles round trip to work and back. All 70 mph highway. If this little mini had even just 50 more miles of range it would be perfect for me. I’m afraid I would be constantly worried about running out of range, especially in the winter with the heater on.
Fiat 500e would easily manage it. Or VW eUP.
The GOM on these cars is very pessimistic, especially if you set a destination in the onboard satnav.
Peugeot e208 weighs 90kg more..and has almost double the range and is 0.5 seconds slower to 60mph. That speed difference could be easily overcome. I don't buy they couldn't have got more range without effecting the handling and feel.
.... you don't buy it, but are you an automotive design engineer?!
If not then you know nothing about the issue...!
Thats the e208s claimed range though, the Mini WLTP is 145 miles. The Mini around town will actually do 145 miles, you wont get the claimed range from the e208 and it has almost double the battery size. 45 kwh usable in the e208 and 28.9 kwh usable in the Mini.
Per mile I can bet the Mini will be cheaper, faster and hold its value with that Mini badge.
I sat in an e208 before I bought my Mini. I could see the dashboard with the steering wheel hitting my knees, or the wheel cleared my knees and I couldn't see the dashboard, terrible ergonomics. A lot of the plastics felt very cheap, the centre console switches sounded like a 1980s joystick. Never bothered with a test drive.
I've driven both and the Mini feels a lot quicker
For me its a choice between the mini or the zoe gt line , mini looks better ,zoe has the better battery , I don't have home charging, so the bigger battery would make more sense, shame the mini doesn't have a option for a bigger battery if you wanted one
Bigger battery models are coming next year with a Mini Cooper E 40kwh 185 miles range and a Mini Cooper SE with a 50 kwh battery and 250 miles range.
EVM @12:04 "when you pick people up do you shove people in the back" Harry "only at Xmas and birthdays" 🤣 🤣 🤣
I do 108 miles per day for 7 days in a row for work so what car would you recommend as an all rounder for this, holidays and towing a trailer?
Model Y.
If it didn't have Union Jacks all over the place I'd have one, but the flag-shagging puts me off.
Essay inbound....I travel 60 miles a day commuting to work, 4 or 5 times a week. I would love to get an EV to save on fuelling a diesel 2 to 3 times a month at nearly £100 a time. What I’m unsure of, if you could share some wisdom, is how would a car such as a Renault Zoe with a slightly higher range fair doing that commute? As I would need to be charged at least twice a week, although only around 15k miles a year, will this amount of charging of the battery have a negative impact/speed up degradation or is it okay to literally plug the car in every other night and get it charged up? Or would a car with a lower range such as a mini still be able to do the commute each day and get charged every night?Thoughts, please and thank you
If your plugging in every night, then I'm assuming your talking about a home charger. That would be absolutely fine and have negligible effect on battery degredation. Constant rapid charging is what causes the battery to degrade if you can fast (home) charge it's better.
As for the Zoe, the 40 or 50kwh versions are a good compromise. Zoe won't be as fun to drive or as quick but will have a better range where you won't need to plug in every night.
Really it's all down to your individual needs and what your willing to compromise on.
@@waynehardy6080 cheers appreciate it. Just something I’ve never really heard about on this topic, thanks
My comment copied from another review of this car...that Mini in full black looks wild. Shame the range is a disappointment. Winter range anxiety is bad enough in my ‘161 mile’ Seat Mii electric. If BMW Mini double the range of the next Mini EV, I’ll consider it. So long as it is not a crossover.
Upon watching this video through, I take my comment back to some extent. The Mini electric is well judged as a second car.
I however want a compact car like a Mini Electric to be my only car, and for that reason I really hope they can cram more kWh into the new one, without adding too much extra weight to give a range closer to 200mi in fair weather and 150mi in winter.
Wait till next year when the new model is announced, Mini Cooper E 40 kwh battery and 185 mile range and a Mini Cooper SE 50 kwh battery and 250 mile range.
Did it pass the "Yorkshire bumps" test or did you avoid them? 😉
15.53 - Scooby Doo laugh
I'd go for an i3 but I'm biased
It's not a REAL Mini - the way Alec Issigonis built it. It's a VW golf - (polo?) - with a funny body-shell.
Old Mini - primitive, unreliable, impractical, dangerous little tin box on wheels!
Take yer pick.....
@@andymccabe6712 Old mini, every time, no contest. I do understand your nervousness in the modern world, but there’s nothing like an Issigonis mini to drive. The difference between marketing and genius.
Mini isnt VAG group though so how is it a Polo with a funny body shell. The Mini shares more with the BMW 1 series and in the EVs case the i3 which are both more expensive cars.
@@Ben.Royals - Perhaps I was wrong I thought that VW bought the title to mini.
@@hamshackleton Nope they own Audi, Seat, Skoda, Porsche, Lamborghini and Bugatti
Looks like all the other Minis , Honda e for me
Saw a Honda E owner's video recently. On the motorway, in winter, with the heating OFF he said the range was 80 miles. Mini electric, heating ON 100 miles plus.
The question you didn’t answer though…. As a Mini owner, would you swap your current mini for that mini?
his current Mini is 5-door one. He would swap it if EV Mini was available in 5 door
@@jur4x he doesn’t say that though, unless I missed it. I heard the comment about the 3 door but did he actually say, if it was a 5 door he would change?
@@Mrtwistedblack I would if I needed to swap the car, but I don’t. I also couldn’t afford £30k on a second car which will do 5k miles a year.
Crucially, the missus would swap it as she likes the Mini. Financially it won’t happen for us.
@@ElectricVehicleMan thanks for the reply
The sum: Mrs + Yorkshire man = sensible decision. 😁
The question that wasn't answered was how fast is the charging? Andy mentioned that there was CCS available but didn't say how many KW the car could charge at. How long would it be to charge from 10-80%?
3:51 that’s the wireless phone charger
I'll keep my JCW until an exciting affordable MINI EV comes along with a range of around 350 miles, I know it most likely won't happen in my life time so it's petrol power for me, oh and by the way my neighbour has just returned his EV, he says it was the biggest mistake he'd made in all his car buying years, range anxiety? No thanks.
For me, MINIs are getting too big. They are "MIDI" now. I still drive my 2005 R53, and so far no MINI after that model has been able to provide me with a better or more fun driving experience. And the electric MINI will lack the engine sound as well. But that is just me. Happy for all those who like the newer models.
Tacky .
Remember this RUclipsrs - one word comments are dumbass.... and invariably, bollocks....!
If its economy why a cooper s
It's just no excuse for a really crappy range..... Apart from engineers who designed it, not having a clue.....
Had three old Minis and once Germany took over and re designed them they were no longer Minis. The latest Minis are bigger than a Ford Focus so no longer a small car basically an overpriced BMW with a Mini badge on it.
The original mini was a tiny, uncomfortable, unsophisticated, primitive, cheap, unreliable, impractical little box!
Drive it if you want to......
Oh - AND a death trap......
It's a binni, why would you?
Er.....?!?
If i was in the market for a small sporty ev i would rather take the cupra born, looks better, the mini is so bland and generic
Sorry, i’d rather have the e208 over this
Too expensive!
Kids in the back
Boring
Hello
🤢