2025 Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop

The first Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop always felt like the automaker was testing the EV waters without committing to it fully. It had a particularly poor range, something that this all-new Mini Cooper aims to rectify to some extent. Being designed as an EV from the start will also have performance benefits for the new electric hatch, with the Cooper SE delivering a healthy 215 horsepower. Other changes include refreshed but still lovable styling, the new Mini Interaction Unit inside, and a Go-Kart Mode, while the greater track width and wheel diameter will contribute to the fun handling for which the car has become famous.

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Fully revealed in September 2023, the exact release date of the Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop is unknown. However, the 2024 version of this hatch is on sale already, so we assume the new one will be coming out as a 2025 model in the USA. An arrival date in the second half of 2024 seems plausible.

No price has yet been provided for the 2025 Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop. The 2024 model begins at $30,900, making it one of the cheapest new EVs, but you need to spend quite a bit more to unlock the best features. We expect the new Cooper E (the designation given to the new base model) to start at an MSRP of about $33,000, with the quicker Cooper SE probably going for around $37,000.

Electric hatchback rivals of this size are rare. The cheaper Chevrolet Bolt EV is more basic and doesn't have the brand cachet of the Mini. The new Fiat 500e definitely has the cute factor and should have a similar cost, but it won't be as sprightly as the Mini.

Even though you still won't mistake it for anything else, there have been quite a few changes to the exterior of the new Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop. The compact hatchback proportions and cheerful rounded headlights are still there, while the long wheelbase contrasts with the short hood and minimal overhangs.

Mini has cleaned up aspects of the styling, with no fender flares and flush-fitting door handles to reduce the design "to the essentials." The circumferential Black Band has been removed for the first time. Wheel sizes range from 16 to 18 inches in size depending on the model, with the optional 17- and 18-inch wheels having an increased tire width over the previous model.

In front, there is a new octagonal grille with a filigree contour in place of the older model's hexagonal grille. Vibrant Silver accents replace the previous chrome for a more expressive look around the body. Smart LED daytime running lights have a horizontal graphic on the Essential trim, but three adjustable light signatures are available - this is the first sign of the new Mini being much more customizable than it was.

At the back, the vertical light clusters are markedly different from the old ones, with three modes, like the headlights. A black handle strip stretches across the rear.

As always, Mini likes to experiment with colors, and the exterior of this all-new Cooper Electric Hardtop is no different. Sunny Side Yellow is one of the vibrant hues on offer, while the Favored trim has an available Spray-Tech design with the Multitone Roof in three different colors.

The sporty John Cooper Works model - seemingly just a more stylish trim and no longer a more powerful model - has a high-gloss black finish for the grille and a Chili Red roof. JCW-specific hood stripes are available in red or black, while this model also has unique front/rear aprons. A panoramic glass roof is available optionally.

Previous indications lead us to believe that the dimensions of the Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop may actually have decreased, which isn't bad news for a car that has always been defined by its slight proportions.

For reference, the current three-door Mini measures 152.2 inches in length, 68 inches in width (or 75.9 inches from mirror to mirror), and 55.7 inches in height. Mini did, however, say that the track width and wheelbase of the new model are up; the current model has a 98.2-inch wheelbase.

Although we don't know its curb weight, the new electric Mini will probably be roughly as heavy as the current model's 3,100-3,200 lbs.

Although a gas-powered version is on the way, the focus will initially be on the electric powertrain in the Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop. In the Cooper E, a single electric motor produces 181 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque; compared to the current electric Mini hatch, torque is improved by 15 lb-ft. Powering the front wheels, the base Cooper E goes from 0-62 mph in 7.3 seconds.

The more powerful Cooper SE makes 215 hp and 243 lb-ft, dropping the 0-62 mph time to 6.7 seconds. These performance figures aren't jaw-dropping for an EV, but if the Mini brand has shown us anything from its humble origins to today, you don't need excessive power for driving enjoyment.

The track width and wheelbase have increased slightly for the latest Mini, which should help the hatch's corner-carving capability and stability. The same can be said for the low center of gravity created by placing the high-voltage battery in the floor. Highly preloaded stabilizer mounts on the axles and a strut brace contribute to confident cornering and better ride comfort.

To inject even more fun into the experience, there are new Mini Experience Modes that can be activated by flicking a simple toggle switch. In Go-Kart mode, for instance, the chassis setup is altered, and the cabin is lit up in anthracite and red; these colors are inspired by John Cooper Works. The steering response and level of intervention of the traction control system are also adjustable.

Green mode is exactly the opposite of the Go-Kart mode, prioritizing efficiency above all else and directing excess energy into the battery when coasting or braking. Another feature is Mini Sounds, which consists of new acoustic worlds, essentially driving sounds that accompany your journey and make up for the absence of a conventional gas engine.

The Mini Cooper E has a small 40.7-kWh high-voltage battery, while the Cooper SE has a 54.2-kWh battery. In the Cooper E, the WLTP-based range on a full charge is around 190 miles. Sadly, local EPA ratings are likely to be closer to 150 miles or so. While that's an improvement on the current Cooper Electric Hardtop, it still means that the new car is best viewed as a city car. Longer distances where chargers are less common will be an issue.

The larger battery in the Cooper SE equates to about 250 miles on the WLTP cycle, so an EPA rating of about 200 miles seems realistic.

As with range, the charging speeds of the 2025 Cooper Electric Hardtop aren't that great for EVs. DC fast charging at up to 75 kW is possible in the Cooper E and up to 95 kW in the Cooper SE. It will take just under 30 minutes to get the battery from 10% to 80%. AC charging at up to 11 kW is also possible.

Mini has implemented several functions to improve the charging experience, including the ability to select your departure time so that charging can take place at optimal times. Using the Mini App, you can keep track of the battery's status and even view a charging-optimized route plan.

Mini's goal for the Cooper Electric Hardtop's interior was to recall the minimalist design of the classic Mini, but not at the expense of the latest technologies. In fact, the depth of personalization and available tech features are anything but minimalist. Of course, each customer can decide to what extent they want to interact with the car, but younger buyers will love what's on offer here.

Like the original round analog instrument cluster in the center, the new Mini has a new Interaction Unit in the middle of the dashboard. This high-res OLED display runs Mini Operating System 9.

The display has been moved closer to the driver to be accessed more easily, but voice controls are also possible. The display's diameter of around 9.5 inches is larger, and it has an attractive glass edge. On the upper half of the display, one can view important vehicle-related information like speed and battery status. Lower down, there are menu items like navigation, climate, phone, and media. In general, the display is based on the way one would interact with a modern smartphone.

But more than just a control interface, the OLED display is also a visual and tactile delight with the rest of the cabin. It can work with an optional projector on the back of the display that immerses the dash in various colors and patterns. It's here that customers will experience a new level of personalization, such as Personal Mode where a customer-selected image can be set as the display's background. Using a digital color picker, your personal image's colors can then be reflected through the ambient lighting system. The Go-Kart Mode that influences the driving experience brings up an anthracite and red lighting signature.

Elsewhere, there is a new toggle bar for functions like the volume, gear selector, and parking brake. Without a traditional shift lever, there is more space for storage in the center console, while the cupholders are now larger than before.

New driver-assistance systems, such as the optional parking assistant, have been implemented, not that 12 ultrasonic sensors and four surround-view cameras are desperately needed on such a tiny car. In Explore Mode, you can park the Mini in extremely tight spaces using your smartphone. The tech fest continues with the versatile Mini App that allows you to optionally view the surroundings of the vehicle via your phone. With the Snapshot feature, you can take photos with an interior camera and upload them to your phone via Wi-Fi - perfect for road trips with friends.

The materials inside the new Mini hatch are also very different from what came before. On the curved dash, textile surfaces have been used for the first time. Recycled polyester has been used to manufacture some of these materials. As for the seats in the Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop, both basic and JCW variants are available. Materials differ by trim, with simple black sports seats on the Essential making way for synthetic leather on upper trims. The Favored trim is the most flamboyant with its two-tone houndstooth pattern on the knitted-textile instrument panel. It also has perforated Vescin sports seats. Red stitching is found on the JCW trim.

Cargo space specs for the Mini Cooper Electric Hardtop are predictably poor, with only seven cubic feet behind the second row. This is the tiny three-door model, though, so we didn't expect much. The 60/40 split-folding rear seats can be folded to expand the available volume to 28 cubes.