MINI has staged the North American debut of the Countryman Electric at Climate Week NYC. Scheduled to arrive in the United States during the fall of 2024, the Countryman Electric is being billed as a “bold new addition to the MINI family.” The company went on to say it will have greater utility, a “fun to drive” spirit, and an unmistakably MINI design. The company didn’t mention U.S. specifications, but the international variant will be offered with two different electric powertrains. The entry-level Countryman E has a single motor producing 201 hp and 250 Nm of torque. This enables the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, hit a top speed of 170 km/h, and travel up to 462 km in the WLTP cycle.
The Countryman SE ALL4 is the more
interesting of the two as it has a dual-motor all-wheel drive system with 308
hp and 494 Nm of torque. The extra oomph lowers
the 0-100 km/h time to 5.6 seconds, while the top speed increases to 180 km/h. However, it comes at a cost as the range falls to 433 km. We’ll learn full details closer to launch, but MINI has previously
said the crossover will have a 130 kW DC fast charging capability. This will
enable the battery to go from a 10-80% charge in less than 30 minutes
On the styling front, the Countryman
Electric adopts a boxier design with an enclosed grille that is flanked by
distinctively shaped headlights. We can also see a stepped roof, a strong
shoulder line, and up to 20-inch wheels. The automaker also noted that, despite
the boxy shape, the coefficient of drag falls from 0.31 to 0.26.
The interior embraces a minimalist design
and is dominated by a circular 9.4-inch display that is a jack of all trades.
As such, it combines the infotainment system with a new personal assistant and
a speedometer – among other things.
