Green Car

2025 Mini Cooper, Countryman EVs lead brand’s electric remake

At the Munich auto show this week, Mini is showing the first two of what it claims will be part of a full lineup of EVs.

The duo debuting at the show includes a redesigned version of the Mini Cooper hatchback and a first-ever all-electric version of the Mini Countryman crossover. Both are expected to reach the U.S. for the 2025 model year.

Previewed in May, the redesigned Cooper brings an updated version of the styling from previous Mini models developed under BMW ownership. It still sports short front and rear overhangs and large headlights, but Mini ditched the latter’s chrome surrounds for a cleaner look. The grille has also been reshaped; it’s now octagonal instead of hexagonal.

2025 Mini Countryman

The Cooper also gains flush door handles, and loses some of the previous generation’s side-detail elements like fender flares for a cleaner look and better aerodynamic properties, contributing to a coefficient of drag (cd) of 0.28, according to Mini.

The Countryman goes for a more rugged look, keeping the fender flares, which blend into matching rocker-panel trim and jut out from flattened body sides. Despite these additions, the crossover has a lower cd than its Cooper sibling (it’s all relative to frontal area). The Mini-quoted 0.26 cd is also a big improvement over the 0.31 of the outgoing Countryman.

Total length for the Countryman has grown to about 174 inches, up 5.1 inches from the outgoing generation, while height has grown about 2.4 inches to 63.5 inches.

2025 Mini Countryman

2025 Mini Countryman

Mini plans to offer two versions of each new EV. The Cooper E has a 40.7-kwh battery pack and a single electric motor producing 184 hp and 213 lb-ft of torque, getting it from 0-62 mph in 7.3 seconds, according to Mini. The Cooper SE has a 54.2-kwh pack and a more powerful motor rated at 218 hp and 243 lb-ft, which lowers the 0-62 time to 6.7 seconds.

Following a similar pattern, the Countryman E has the lower output, in this case 204 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, which gets it from 0-62 mph in an estimated 8.6 seconds. The Countryman SE ALL4 gets a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain rated at 313 hp and 364 lb-ft, with 0-62 mph in 5.6 seconds. Mini didn’t mention battery pack sizes, but the Countryman is thought to use a 64.7-kwh pack.

Range estimates for the European WLTP testing cycle are 189 miles for the Cooper E, 250 miles for the Cooper SE, and 280 miles and 269 miles for the Countryman E and SE ALL4, respectively. EPA range ratings will be lower, but the new models should offer more range than the 114 miles of the current Mini Cooper SE—the only EV in Mini’s lineup right now.

2025 Mini Cooper electric hatch

2025 Mini Cooper electric hatch

Maximum Level 2 AC charging power is 11 kw for the Cooper and 22 kw for the Countryman. The Cooper E can DC fast-charge at up to 75 kw; the Cooper SE ups that to 95 kw, and the Countryman has a 130-kw maximum charge power. Mini estimate a 10%-80% DC fast-charge will take 30 minutes in all cases.

Both the Cooper and Countryman debut a new dashboard design that eliminates the traditional instrument cluster, leaving a large round central display as the only screen. The 9.4-inch screen runs the new Android-based Mini Operating System 9, which includes a voice assistant. A head-up display is available as well.

2025 Mini Cooper electric hatch

2025 Mini Cooper electric hatch

The two models also get the expected array of driver aids, the highlight being a hands-free system that Mini says works in single-lane driving at highways, but only at speeds up to 37 mph, and with driver monitoring.

Mini aims to make its lineup all electric by 2030 and has confirmed that the electric Cooper and Countryman will be followed by the smaller Aceman crossover in 2024. Mini is also making a convertible version of the outgoing electric Cooper SE, but it’s unclear if that will return with the new-generation model.

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