Next-generation MINI Countryman EV teased; specifications confirmed
BMW Group has dropped the first official teaser images for the next-generation MINI Countryman that will be going electric. The automaker has confirmed that it will officially unveil the new Countryman EV later this year and ahead of the same, MINI has revealed the specifications of the upcoming offering. The 2024 MINI Countryman will be produced at BMW’s Leipzig plant in Germany and production will begin in November this year.
The camouflaged new generation MINI Countryman EV will draw power from either single or dual electric motor options. The Countryman E will use a single electric motor tuned for 188 bhp, while the Countryman SE ALL4 trim will come with all-wheel drive from two electric motors churning out a combined output of 308 bhp. The latter will also be MINI’s first all-wheel-drive fully electric vehicle.
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The new Countryman EV is expected to offer a range of about 450 km (WLTP cycle) on a single charge from its 64.7 kWh battery pack, which will make it comfortable to do long-distance journeys outside urban environments. Although not confirmed, previous reports suggest that the bigger battery will be restricted to the SE variant, while the Countryman E will get a smaller 54 kWh battery pack with about 272 km on a single charge.
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The new-generation MINI Countryman EV will also grow in proportions over its current iteration. The automaker says the length has increased by 130 mm to 4,429 mm, while the height has grown by 60 mm to 1,613 mm promising more space and comfort for its occupants. The new Countryman EV will be built on the BMW Group’s FAAR platform which also underpins the BMW iX1 EV.
MINI has not revealed teaser images of the cabin but says that a number of parts including the dashboard surface, steering wheel, vehicle headliner and floor, and floor mats, will be made from recycled PET bottles. The automaker says that this will help reduce CO2 emissions along the value chain by 85 per cent.
While the new MINI Countryman will first arrive as an electric offering, the automaker is also said to be working on petrol-powered alternatives that will draw power from the 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol and 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with the 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Not just the MINI Countryman, the new-generation MINI Cooper with electric options is set to arrive soon, while an all-new MINI Aceman EV will join the lineup by 2025.
