Following in the footsteps of its ICE-powered siblings, the MINI Cooper SE has been updated for the 2022 model year, with the automaker announcing that it retains the MSRP of its predecessor across all three trim levels. The most affordable variant of the electric subcompact hatchback is the Classic. It starts at US$ 29,900, excluding the US$ 850 destination and handling charge. The model is eligible for the US$ 7,500 federal EV credit, and with other state incentives, it can drop to under US$ 20,000*. The Signature and Iconic grades complete the lineup, priced from US$ 33,900 and US$ 36,900 respectively.
Retaining the instantly recognizable MINI
design, the 2022 Cooper SE features updated front and rear end styling, a new
range of colors, yellow accents, closed-off grille and optional 17-inch Power
Spoke wheels. Inside, customers will find a redesigned steering wheel with
heating function, new center instrument design with an 8.8-inch screen,
satellite radio and lane departure warning, all of which are offered at no
extra cost.
MINI’s zero-emission hatchback uses a 181
HP motor, powered by a 32.6 kWh battery that supports 50 kW DC fast charging,
taking 36 minutes to be juiced up to 80 percent, and offers an EPA-rated range
of 183 km. For the 0 to 96 km/h acceleration, you are
looking at a brisk 6.9 seconds.
In other news, the automaker displayed the
2022 Cooper SE at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in Florida, over the
weekend. It was joined by the 2009 MINI E, which was the company’s first
battery-electric vehicle offered to customers. It used a 201 HP motor, with the
power channeled to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox, and had
a 100-mile (161-km) EPA-rated range.
