Next-gen 2024 MINI Electric to gain space, efficiency & charm [Update]

Update: ‘Interior’ section updated.

The iconic MINI Hatch is entering its fifth generation soon. Preparations for the lifecycle makeover are on, with BMW Group having revealed the first pictures and details and allowing select journalists to travel in the prototypes. Here’s everything we know about the second-gen, 2024 MINI Electric (MINI Cooper Electric), which is expected in the U.S. as a part of the 2025 MINI Cooper series.

Name & Family

The official name of the MINI 2-door and MINI 4-door is MINI Hatch, but in the next generation, it will be launched as the MINI Cooper, as per a report Auto Express published on October 13, 2022. Currently, MINI uses ‘Cooper’ in the trim levels of all four models: Hatch, Convertible, Clubman, and Countryman.

The future MINI Cooper series will consist of three models, a 2-door hatchback, a 2-door hatchback, and a 2-door convertible. Only the MINI Cooper 2-door will be available as an EV, the model detailed in this story.

Design

The next-gen MINI Electric (codename: MINI J01), like its predecessor that’s currently on sale in the U.S., is sticking with the 2-door hatchback format. On April 3, 2023, global publications carried pictures of a completely uncovered and totally undisguised 2024 MINI Cooper spotted with California registration, fully revealing the exterior. BMW Group revealed the exterior of the new electric car following the leak.

The 2024 MINI Cooper maintains its predecessor’s much-loved charm, as well as the street-friendly dimensions. The hood is lower and the face is tapered inward, both of which should result in improved aerodynamics. The hood doesn’t have an air scoop like that of the outgoing model, giving the car a cleaner look, and it is comparatively shorter. This is the first MINI without the clamshell hood since the BMW Group revived the brand in 2001.

The signature circular headlamps feature not only the familiar round DRL at the edge but also two slanted horizontal-line DRLs on the inside. The new octagonal grille isn’t in chrome finish, as MINI is avoiding chrome usage entirely beginning with the new electric hatchback. The new bumper doesn’t have side air inlets, which adds to the car’s cleaner look.

The side profile is nearly identical, but it looks cleaner as there are flush-fitted door handles instead of pull-type door handles and no wheel arch moldings. Also, note how there are no side scuttles either. The oblong door mirrors look a bit weird in our opinion and don’t offer an appealing upgrade over the outgoing model’s units, which did have a slightly rounded appearance.

As a bespoke EV, which isn’t the case with the outgoing model, the 2024 MINI Cooper reportedly has a longer wheelbase and a shorter front overhang. According to a report from Autocar, the wheelbase is around 40 mm/1.6 in. longer (current model: 2,495 mm/98.2 in.), and the track is also wider.

The alloy wheels look bigger than those of the outgoing car and probably have a diameter of at least 18 inches. From 2024, BMW Group plans to only use sustainably produced aluminum wheels in all MINI (and BMW) models. Producing these wheels with 100% green energy will save up to 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. BMW Group started sourcing aluminum made only using electricity produced with solar energy from Dubai (UAE) in 2021. The company processes this aluminum in the light metal foundry at its Landshut plant in Germany.

The all-new electric MINI’s rear-end makes it instantly recognizable from a distance, thanks to newly designed tail lamps that are slimmer and almost triangular. A thick trim strip runs across the width of the tailgate and connects the tail lamps.

Interior

Gleaning from the spy shots that hit the web in 2021 (via Twitter), the interior of the next-gen MINI Cooper Electric has a layout that is familiar to MINI owners — but with some big design changes. MINI designers have adopted a minimalistic approach and given the car a sleek, clean, and upmarket feel. This should particularly benefit tech-savvy customers, as we expect more controls to go digital.

The 2024 MINI Cooper Electric appears to sport slim, horizontal central AC vents below a compact control panel with retro-style toggle switches to select the gear, power level, and drive modes, a wide head-up display, and a floating touchscreen in the shape of a makeup mirror.

In an announcement on May 10, 2023, BMW Group indicated that the central display is a round OLED unit measuring 240 mm (9.5 in.) diagonally and combines the functions of the instrument cluster, on-board monitor, infotainment system, and climate control system. Recent spy shots have indicated it features a cleaner and more 3D-look user interface. The round frame makes sense now, as the whole area is used for the display and isn’t just a piece of decor, unlike in the outgoing model. The temperature of both the climate zones (FL and FR) are shown at the edge the on respective sides.

A card-like compact menu at the bottom lets the driver select climate control, navigation, phone call, and other functions. It includes a home button as well. An iOS-like horizontal line sits below this card-like compact menu, which could give the user an alternative to that home button; a swipe-up gesture on that line could navigate the system to the home screen. The top of the display presents critical driving information, including the speed, speed limit, gear, and remaining range, and that could be an always-on thing, even when another primary function dominates the display.

Customers will likely be able to choose from two steering wheels. The standard unit should be a two-spoke unit and the optional unit a three-spoke unit with a unique fabric finish serving as the additional spoke, as seen in the pictures above. Expect the armrests to be integrated into the seats, as seen in the image below. Needless to say, there’ll be no chrome anywhere. Instead, you may see Vibrant Silver accents throughout the cabin for a similar shiny metallic appearance.

Platform & Specifications

Bespoke EV platform

Underpinning the next-gen MINI Cooper Electric is a dedicated EV platform co-developed with China’s Great Wall Motor. Thanks to the bespoke platform, it can offer more interior space in a smaller exterior compared to the current model. Thomas Geiger of YouTube channel ThomasGeigerCar rode shotgun in a prototype where he said that the car feels bigger from the inside. The motor is smaller, while the wheelbase, as stated in the previous section, is longer, all of which contribute to space efficiency.

Variants

According to a report Autocar released on March 7, 2023, two variants of the 2-door MINI Cooper EV will be available initially: E and SE. The Cooper E has a 40 kWh battery pack and a 181 hp motor, while the Cooper SE has a 54 kWh battery pack and a 215 hp motor. A Cooper JCW will follow later, packing the same 54 kWh battery pack and higher-output powertrain which could produce around 250 hp.

Stefanie Wurst, Head of the MINI brand, BMW Group, has told Autocar that the range of the 2-door MINI Cooper EV will start at 240 miles, with more expensive configuration(s) delivering “double what is offered with the same battery sizes now.” Considering the fact that the MINI Electric that’s currently on sale delivers a WLTP/EPA-est. range of 143/114 miles, the model that replaces it could have a WLTP/EPA-est. range rating of around 290/230 miles in the SE trim.

Aspect\Specification	Base Variant	Top-end Variant
Battery Pack Capacity	40 kWh	54 kWh
Expected Range (unofficial, WLTP)	240 miles	Around 290 miles
Power	181 hp	215 hp

According to a report Express released on September 4, 2022, Dr. Thomas Becker, Vice President – Sustainability and Mobility Strategy, BMW Group, suggests that the company is not worried about the short range of MINI EVs. He says that many MINI customers reside in urban and suburban locations and don’t necessarily travel thousands of kilometers. They use their MINIs for commuting. Moreover, there’s a strong possibility that these customers already have a long-range model as their primary vehicle for traveling distances.

Top speed

Geiger said that the electronically limited top speed of the next-gen electric MINI will be higher than that of the current model, which tops out at 150 km/h (93 mph). We expect the redesigned model to do about 180 km/h (112 mph).

Lower center of gravity

MINI engineer Klaus Bramer has told Auto Express that the redesigned MINI Electric has a lower center of gravity, and so, it’s possible to make the car more agile and playful. The new MINI is lighter, too, which can only make things better on the street. The high-output, long-range variant, which will likely be the one heading to the U.S., has a sportier set-up. According to the report from Autocar, the all-new model will have a slightly rear-biased weight distribution.

A more driver’s car

The suspension system is the same, a combination of MacPherson struts (front) and a multi-link system (rear). During its prototype drive, Autocar felt less bounciness, and drivers would much appreciate its settledness. Bramer told the British publication that the electric power steering will also offer more feeling in the next-gen model.

The all-new traction control should contribute to improved handling. The traction control system integrates a new motor controller, and with the two components closer, the functioning is faster and active rather than passive, reducing understeer and torque steer. At least in the prototype, it was felt that the new setup provided more traction than the current gas-powered MINI Hatch which was brought for comparison.

Production

Production of the next-gen MINI Cooper Electric will take place at a new Chinese plant of Spotlight Automotive Limited, a joint venture between BMW Group and Great Wall Motor. Located in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, this factory will have an annual production capacity of 160,000 units. Series production of the ‘Cooper E’ and ‘Cooper SE’ will begin in November 2023, as per an exclusive MotoringFile story published on February 2, 2023.

Meanwhile, the manufacturing of the gasoline-powered MINI Cooper 2-door, MINI Cooper 4-door, and MINI Cooper Convertible will take place at BMW Group Plant Oxford in the UK, as per a report Autocar released on October 13, 2022.

Release Date

On March 15, 2023, BMW Group revealed in an investor presentation that the next-gen MINI Cooper Electric will arrive in Q4 2023 (October-December 2023). U.S. dealers may receive the redesigned electric hatchback around the same period as the 2024 Fiat 500e – in the first half of 2024. Like the current hatch, it model should be among the cheapest electric car models in the country.

Handelsblatt published a report on June 11, 2022, claiming that MINI U.S. dealers received a secret preview of the next-gen model in May 2022. The report suggests that they were so impressed with the product that they were willing to pay the import duty that would be levied on it due to its Chinese origin. In its internal discussions, the company is likely concerned about the complicated trade and geopolitical factors between the two countries. However, this may be the only way to keep the MINI Cooper Electric in dealer showrooms through to its second generation, as the EV’s production at BMW’s Oxford plant is set to cease.

MINI compact hatchback rumors

With business decisions superseding core brand values, the MINI line-up has expanded to include two compact models, Clubman and Countryman, with the latter moving up a segment with the incoming generation. In the future, MINI could launch a further two models that are anything but mini/supermini – an electric van inspired by the MINI Vision Urbanaut concept and a MINI compact hatchback.

According to a report Auto Express released on November 12, 2022, the company could replace the 4.3-meter Clubman with a pure-electric family hatchback like the VW Golf and VW ID.3.

MINI Head Stefanie Wurst told Auto Express that the company doesn’t have a “large and flat” car and could enrich the line-up with this body type. “I’m a big fan of analyzing different body types,” she added. A new compact hatchback based on the platform as the 1 Series (F40) and the latest X1 (U11), which includes the first-ever iX1 (U11E), could replace the Clubman. This platform would allow MINI to offer it in an optional pure-electric variant, and position it above the Cooper Electric.

MINI U.S. sales

BMW Group sold 29,504 units of MINI models in the U.S. in 2022, just 1.4% lower than in 2021 (29,930 units). The German automaker hasn’t released the specific sales data of the all-electric MINI Cooper SE for the country. Globally, it delivered 43,744 units of the small electric car in 2022 – 25.5% higher than in 2021. As electric vehicles become increasingly popular, the zero-emissions version of the MINI is set to make a larger contribution to sales in the coming years.

TopElectricSUV says

One in five MINI models sold in Europe is all-electric. With a new spacious interior, a punchier powertrain, and a competitive price tag, the next-generation MINI Electric will be truer to the brand’s roots than the current model. While most EV customers in the States prefer bigger cars, mostly SUVs, the 2-door hatch is a novelty that is sure to stand out.

The all-new Cooper SE Electric will be based on a dedicated EV platform, ensuring significantly more efficient performance and packaging. This next-generation model will build on the success of the current Cooper SE while addressing its primary drawback – limited range.

2024 MINI Electric (2024 MINI Cooper Electric) FAQs

Featured Image Source: BMW Group