We try out the Mini Electric

Many years ago, I went on holiday with a friend in Cornwall. We stayed outside a beautiful small coastal village next to a farm. If you needed anything, even a pint of milk, it was a hike, or you needed to drive. This meant several times a day driving those narrow single-lane country lanes that twist and turn. Stone and mud banks either side of you with visibility no more than about ten metres. Our driving weapon of choice was an original Mini in a 70s shade of yellow. Young, fearless, and without crumple zones, airbags, or ABS, it was a potentially lethal setup. We took it in turns driving the lanes and dodging tractors, ramblers, and wildlife. Amazingly we survived the rally-like experience, and we gained a newfound respect and love for the Mini.

The new Mini from this century retained much of the original characteristics we loved in the original, the fun, the compact size, and the responsiveness to every turn of the wheel. It thankfully gained other things like safety and air conditioning. It’s a great car but could it carry itself in an electric guise without losing everything we love. Following a few hours with the electric version we can solidly answer this in a word… Yes.

Same great driving characteristics, nippy acceleration, solid build, and lovely design features - all for a price that is competitive in the EV space. We'd like a bit more range, we think it's about 120 miles in real world use... but you can't beat the physics and economics - it wouldn't be a Mini if you put a giant battery lump in it. Awesome around town and for mid-range commutes - but we wouldn't really recommended it if you do more than a few junctions on the motorway every day (unless you have chargers at both ends of your drive). Few Mini drivers do long commutes, so we think this is the perfect package to move to the EV world.