Mini has shown off the new Cooper Electric’s interior ahead of its expected reveal later this year.
In a short video shared on British carmaker’s social media, we can see the Cooper Electric‘s interior is clearly inspired by the original two-door Mini from 1959.
The centrepiece of the Mini Cooper Electric’s interior is the centrally mounted 9.4-inch circular OLED touchscreen infotainment system that shows the things like the current speed, driving range, selected gear, and satellite navigation, among others.
Unlike the current model, there isn’t a digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver. There’s still a head-up display, however, that shows the speed.
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Other interior highlights include toggle switches under the circular infotainment display, thick hand-grips on the steering wheel, as well as LED lighting on the dashboard.
As previously reported, the Mini Cooper Electric will be built by Great Wall Motor in China, and will be underpinned by a new electric car platform dubbed Spotlight EV.
The unrelated combustion-powered Mini Cooper will continue to be built in Oxford in the UK. An updated version of the car currently on sale is also expected to launch in 2024.
The Cooper Electric reportedly has a wider track, shorter front overhang, larger wheels and longer wheelbase than the current three-door Mini Hatch, though it will remain 3.8 metres long.
The entry-level E variant will offer a 40kWh battery pack and a 135kW electric motor, whereas the SE will receive a larger 54kWh unit and a 160kW electric motor.
Mini says the new electric hatchback has a “predicted range between 300 and 400 kilometres“, a marked step-up from the 233km (WLTP) offered by the current model’s 32.6kWh battery.
There are reportedly no plans for a dual-motor all-wheel drive variant, though a hot JCW version is coming.
It’ll reportedly arrive in mid-2025 with the larger 54kWh battery and a potentially more powerful electric motor with 186kW, and serve as a rival for the Abarth 500e and the Alpine version of the Renault 5.
Mini has developed a “soundtrack” for the next-generation EV, but Mini head Stefanie Wurst told Autocar it won’t use a Hans Zimmer-composed soundtrack as in recent BMW EVs. It’ll change based on the drive mode.
The company has also reportedly developed a new motor controller with the traction control system built in, said to improve handling.
