2021 Mini Cooper SE Electric Road Test and Review

2020 Mini SE Hardtop ・ Photo by MINI

Take Tesla out of the equation, and the sales of electric vehicles remain a very small percentage of the total new car market. But they’re here to stay. And their popularity is growing, if slowly. Car companies from every corner of the globe, from Hyundai to Porsche, are heavily investing in EV technology and creating battery-powered models as quickly as they can. That massive investment has fueled a rapid improvement of the technologies, and EVs are getting better almost on a daily basis, offering more range and performance for new car buyers looking for the greenest of green options.

Mini has been in the EV game practically since the beginning. Its first electric car, the Mini E, hit the market back in 2009, and it found some customers. Now there’s a new electric from the company known for its fun turbocharged premium small cars, and it’s called the 2021 Mini Cooper SE. Based on its two-door Cooper Hardtop model, it combines classic Mini design and exhilarating dynamics with a powerful electric motor and battery back. It’s a blast to drive and competes with EVs that include the BMW i3 and Nissan Leaf.

Priced From About $31,000

Despite being owned by BMW for about two decades, Mini remains a very British brand, and the 2021 Cooper SE is built in Oxford, England. It’s available in just one body style: a two-door hatchback with seating for four. Mini offers three trim levels: Signature, Signature Plus, and Iconic, which are all front-wheel drive and powered by a 32.6-kWh battery pack and an electric motor creating 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque.

Some EVs break the bank, but the Mini is priced reasonably, and it’s eligible for a federal tax credit that essentially cuts $7,500 from its MSRP. Prices start at $30,750, including a modest $850 for destination and handling. The Signature Plus costs $4,000 more, and the Iconic, like our test vehicle, starts at $37,750. Standard features include 16-inch wheels, heated seats, LED headlights, and dual-zone climate control. The big gets on the Signature Plus are the panoramic sunroof and an updated audio system. Pay up for the Iconic and you also get leather, 17-inch wheels, navigation, and Apple CarPlay.

Photo by MINI

Range and Charging

According to Mini, if you use a fast charger, the Cooper SE’s 32.6-kWh battery can be charged up to 80 percent in 35 minutes. Charging at home takes considerably longer, but not as long as you may think. Plug in at home at 7.4 kilowatts, and Mini says you can charge the car’s battery pack in four hours. With a fully charged battery, the 2021 Mini Electric has an estimated driving range of 110 miles.

That’s not an impressive number. Most EVs, including the Nissan LEAF and BMW i3, offer more range. Still, we found the Mini’s stamina to be sufficient for what we consider to be a normal week of driving — especially now, when most of us are driving less. True, this isn’t the car for a multistate road trip, but we didn’t have an ounce of range anxiety driving it around Los Angeles for a week, either on the freeways or its endless grid of city streets. For a few of those days, I covered about 90 miles and still had about 15 miles of range left. Some days I drove it less. Every night before going to bed, I plugged it into my standard garage outlet and it was fully charged in the morning. I would simply unplug the car, toss the cord in the vehicle’s cargo area, and drive to Starbucks.

Photo by MINI

Very Quick Off the Line

Electric cars are fast. Even the slowest electric cars jump off the line as soon as you put your foot down. It feels weird at first, but it definitely gets your adrenaline going. The MINI Cooper SE isn’t the quickest EV around, but it also isn’t the slowest. Mini says it hits 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 93 mph. In other words, a Tesla will blow its doors off, but it’ll smoke a Prius like it’s tied to a pole. With 181 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque, merging on the highway is a breeze, and it’s beyond zippy around town. This little car will put a smile on your face.

And it all happens in complete silence. That takes a little getting used to. There’s no roar from the engine or whistle from the turbocharger like there is in a gas-powered Mini Cooper. Just dead silent and violent acceleration and a soothing whir from its electric motor.

Photo by MINI

Firm Ride, But Fun to Drive

Minis are fun to drive. All of them. The entire brand is built on the entertainment value of its cars, especially from behind the wheel. The 2021 Cooper SE lives up to that reputation with a lively chassis, responsive steering, and go-kart handling. This may be the world’s most agile car. It changes direction like a housefly.

Unfortunately, some may find its ride overly firm. OK, it’s stiff. Like sports-car stiff. It may not be a problem for some buyers, but if you’re looking for an EV with a smooth ride, you’ll be happier in a BMW i3 or Nissan LEAF. They’re not as fun, but they are more comfortable. Another quirk is Mini’s aggressive regenerative braking, which slows the car intensely when you let off the throttle. It’s odd at first, but you get used to it. With time and a little practice, you can essentially drive the car without using the brake pedal at all.

Photo by MINI

Classic Mini Styling

There are two design theories when it comes to EVs. The first is to go hog wild, to design a car that screams, “Hey everyone, look at me, I’m driving an electric car.” The other way to go is to simply make it look like a conventional gasoline-powered automobile. This is the direction Mini has chosen for the Cooper SE. It looks like any other MINI Cooper, and that’s a good thing.

There are a few small differences, but you have to look closely. The charge port is above its right rear wheel. Its grille is blocked off and features a decorative yellow bar. Its rear apron is deeper to improve its aerodynamics. There’s no tailpipe. There is unique MINI Electric logo badging. And the design of its wheels has been aerodynamically optimized. Otherwise, it’s twinsies with the gas-powered model.

Photo by MINI

Funky, Fun Interior

Mini’s are also known for their funky interior design and unusual switchgear and layouts. When you’re in a Mini, any Mini, you know you’re in a Mini, and the cabin of the 2021 MINI Cooper SE lets you know you’re in a Mini. It’s basically the same layout you get in the gas-powered Cooper, and it’s one of our favorite interiors in the premium small car class.

It offers quality materials, impeccable fit and finish, and artistic details like toggle switches, chrome bezels, and contrasting stitching. It’s also focused on the driver, with a thick leather-wrapped steering wheel, a well-placed shifter, and clean instrumentation, which consists of a 5.5-inch color screen that displays the battery's charge level, available driving range, navigation, and audio information as well as your speed. Its heated leather front seats are comfortable, and its driver’s seat is height adjustable. A tilt and telescopic steering wheel is standard, along with a 6.5-inch infotainment screen. An 8.8-inch screen is optional.

Photo by MINI

Cargo and Cupholders

Cargo space is also about the same as the standard Cooper model. There’s 7.5 cubic feet of trunk space behind the rear seats and 26 cubic feet with the standard 50/50 split rear seat folded flat. That’s considerably less than you get in the Nissan LEAF and BMW i3, which are simply larger cars. Unlike Teslas and some other electric cars, the Mini does not have a secondary cargo area under its front hood.

Interior storage is also limited. There’s a small center console bin, a small bin ahead of the shifter, and small door pockets. Unfortunately, its two front cupholders are also ahead of the shifter, so tall drinks can interfere with some controls.

Photo by MINI

Tight Backseat

This is a pretty small hatchback, so rear-seat space is also at a premium. The Mini’s back seat is tight and only seats two. The BMW i3, which has reverse-opening rear doors, is also a four-seater, but the Nissan LEAF is a real-deal four-door and seats five. It’s probably the best choice of the three for small families.

The 2021 MINI Cooper SE has not been crash-tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It does offer a standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Front and rear parking sensors and self-parking assist are available.

Photo by MINI

Final Thoughts

Mini does EVs right. Back in 2009 we were big fans of the Mini E, and now we’re sold on the Cooper SE. Sure, it could have more range, but this is one of the coolest little electric cars out there, and it’s as fun to drive as any gas-powered Mini. Maybe even more so. It performs well, and its interior is cool, well-equipped, and comfortable, at least in the front seats. It’s the perfect little runabout with go-kart handling and sharp acceleration.

If you’re looking for a sporty EV, the 2021 MINI Cooper SE is an excellent overall choice. It’s the green choice that’ll make you smile. If you can, step up to the higher trim levels. They don’t cost too much more, and over time you’ll appreciate the additional features.

Photo by MINI