At the IAA Mobility show in Munich, BMW Group’s Mini unveiled its new three-door Cooper Electric, which it says is a major step forward in technology with an electric powertrain and a focus on interior design. The EV (electric vehicle) was unveiled alongside an all-new Countryman, which will be available in internal-combustion-engine and all-electric powertrain form. The focus here is on the all-electric Cooper.

“In the fifth generation of the Mini Cooper, we combine the traditional Mini DNA with innovative, future-oriented technology while enabling locally emission-free driving fun,” said Stefanie Wurst, Head of Mini. She added that “the new Mini family—with the three main brand pillars of small footprint, digitized community, and electrified go-kart—offers a next level experience and will lead to rapid growth in electric share—from now 15%, going up to 50% in just under two years until 2025. We will be going fully electric in 2030.”

Next up in Mini’s all-electric product portfolio will be the Aceman, which will premiere in April 2024, said Stefan Floeck, Senior VP for Mini & BMW Compact Class, and Head of Product Line for Mini, on the smaller all-electric crossover right under the Countryman. “We are well on track in electrifying John Cooper Works as well.”

 

Charismatic Simplicity

The Cooper’s new design language, redefining the brand’s DNA, is called Charismatic Simplicity.

“The idea behind it is a design that gives each new Mini model a strong, individual character and is characterized by a clear, reduced design language intuitively focused on the essentials of the brand,” said Oliver Heilmer, Head of Mini Design at BMW Group.

The car features hallmark Mini proportions, with short overhangs, a short hood, and a relatively long wheelbase. Also carried over are the visual three-part division of the vehicle body with the floating roof, all-around windows, and lower body. However, the wheels are larger, ranging from 16 to 18 in, and most of the chrome is removed. The new Cooper Electric is slightly shorter and has a slightly increased track width and wheelbase. Its aerodynamic Cd figure of 0.28 is good for the small car segment.

The front has a new octagonal grille shape. The traditional circular headlights have horizontal light graphics as standard, with optional daytime running light elements adjustable to create three light signatures. All light modes have an orchestrated welcome and goodbye animation. Welcome projections of front and rear lights begin when the driver is within 3 m (10 ft) of the car; the doors are unlocked when the driver is less than 1.5 m (5 ft) away. Door handles are now flush, and the wheel arches and side scuttles are removed. The rear lights can be switched to different modes in the same way as the headlights.

 

Upgraded central display

Inside is a classic Mini minimalist design using a central round instrument cluster with a toggle bar below. The curved dashboard features a textile surface using a special knitting process for the “easy care” two-color design made of recycled polyester. To keep the dashboard as slim as possible, the air vents are flat. An optional head-up display provides “relevant content” in the driver’s field of vision. Other interior design details are “generous space” front seats, optional panoramic glass roof, and side lighting based on ambient light.

The toggle bar houses important driving functions like the parking brake, gear selector, vehicle start/stop, experience mode, and audio volume control. With no gears to select, there’s no gearstick, which means more storage space in the center console for larger cup holders, an open storage compartment, and a wireless charging area. Folding down the 60:40 rear seat expands the luggage compartment from 200 to 800 L (7.1 to 28.3 ft²).

Mini says that the central OLED display, which has been moved closer to the driver for easier reach, is the defining feature of the interior. With a diameter of 240 mm (9.4 in) and the Mini Operating System 9, all vehicle functions can be operated with either touch or voice control.

The upper half of the screen, which displays vehicle-related information such as speed and battery status, can be expanded to full screen. The lower half houses the interface for navigation, media, phone, and climate.

In the Home menu, widgets displayed in thumbnail view to the left and right of the current menu can be brought up and selected by swiping horizontally to the center. All other functions can be accessed via the menu, with the display returning to the default setting via the home button. Swiping up from the lower edge of the screen, or via the star button on the multifunction steering wheel, reveals a tool belt where favorite functions can be stored and called up rapidly.

The Mini Operating System 9 is an in-house development of the BMW Group based on an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack. The interface uses all-new static and dynamic graphical elements that blend into the circular form of the OLED display.

“The new Mini Operating System 9 is characterized by simple, emotional touch operation that is specific to Mini,” said Wurst. “Together with the new cloud-based Mini navigation for particularly precise and fast route calculation, high-speed connectivity, and optional 5G capability, the new Mini Cooper takes a giant leap into the digital world…”

The new navigation provides maps and directions in realistic 3D visualizations, displaying complicated turning situations, current traffic levels, assistance with information on parking options, digital payment methods, and charge-optimized routes to a destination. An optional augmented-reality function is available for the visualization of turn-by-turn directions.

In addition, Mini Connected upgrades allow customers to purchase additional vehicle functions from a variety of apps including those for gaming, music, and video streaming. The new AirConsole app provides a unique form of in-car gaming for all passengers, making a smartphone the gaming controller on the OLED display.

 

Experience modes and assistance

Each of the seven Mini Experience interior personalization modes—Core, Green, Go-Kart, Personal, Vibrant, Timeless, and Balance—focuses on a relevant Mode App, a projector on the back of the OLED display immersing the dashboard in matching color schemes and patterns. The immersive driving experiences, including other ambient lighting, are enhanced by new acoustics created by digital Mini Sounds for interior driving sounds.

Trim can also be personalized with Classic, Exclusive, or Sport choices. In Classic trim, Mini uses a modern 2D knitted textile in the interior of a production vehicle for the first time. Customers choosing the Exclusive trim can also take the all-new Spray-Tech roof, which features a blending of three different colors. The Sport trim offers a performance-focused interpretation of the new materials, combining multi-colored knitted textile and black synthetic leather with red stitching.

Many functions can be controlled using the brand’s first “fully fledged” voice assistant. The Mini Intelligent Personal Assistant can be activated with the greeting “Hey Mini” or by the push-to-talk steering wheel button. Verbal commands are displayed on the central display cluster and allow drivers to control navigation, telephone, entertainment, and vehicle functions by hand movement.

The system continuously learns about the drive to be as helpful as possible on repeat trips. Drawing on geobased data, the vehicle can learn to automatically open the window when entering a car park for example, making day-to-day routines more convenient and personal.

Building on the automatic parking functions of Parking Assistant, the optional Parking Assistant Plus makes the parking process even easier. With 12 ultrasonic sensors and four surround-view cameras, the vehicle can identify possible parking spaces and initiate space-restricted parking maneuvers. Taking this further, Explore Mode offers a unique solution for the vehicle segment, enabling parking via smartphone if the space is too limited for side entry.

E and SE power

The Cooper Electric comes with a completely new front-wheel-drive powertrain in two variants: E and SE. All technical specs are preliminary, with not too much tech info yet from Mini.

The E has a 135-kW and 290-N·m (214-lb·ft) electric motor for 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) acceleration in 7.3 s and a top speed of 99 mph (159 km/h). Its 40.7-kW·h battery pack provides up to 190 mi (305 km) of WLTP range. The SE’s e-motor produces 160 kW and 330 N·m (243 lb·ft) for a 0 to 62 mph sprint in 6.7 s and a 106-mph (170-km/h) top speed. Range increases to a maximum of 250 mi (402 km) from a battery capacity of 54.2 kW·h.

Charging is by 11 kW AC or 75-/95-kW (E/SE) DC fast charging. The fastest battery charging from 10% to 80% is under 30 min. Use of the navigation ensures an ideal temperature for efficient charging to reduce charging time.