MINI

First Look: all-electric Cooper SE convertible concept

In a market where ragtops have been all but abandoned, the Mini Cooper Convertible has carved out a small but loyal following. Now, it’s offering a hint of what could come as the automotive world goes electric.

The British automaker has pulled the wraps off the all-electric Mini Cooper SE Convertible, a potential companion to the hardtop Cooper SE. Now, before you ragtop fans go running to your nearest Mini showroom, be warned that there are no firm production plans, at least not yet, according to the U.S. marketing, product and strategy chief Patrick McKenna.

But that could change, depending on how potential buyers react to the prototype — which made its formal debut on Thursday evening during the biennial Mini Takes the States, a gathering that, this year, included more than 600 loyal owners making a 1,000-mile group trek from Burlington, Vermont to Spartanburg, South Carolina.

By the numbers...The electric convertible shares the same basic design — but for the folding roof — and dimensions as the Cooper SE hardtop. It measures 152.1 inches in length, with a 98.2-inch wheelbase. It stands 56.4 inches tall and measures 68 inches in width.

The top can be folded down or put back up in about 18 seconds.

Meanwhile, like the electric hardtop, the SE Convertible concept has a lower center of gravity than the conventional, gas-powered ragtop. That's because of the way its battery pack and motor are mounted so low to the ground.

The two all-electric models also feature the same drivetrain, with a single motor mounted on the front axle putting out 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to launch it from 0 to 100 km/h — or 62 mph — in about 7.7 seconds, Mini claims.

Then there's range...The drawback is range. With the hardtop, the EPA estimates the typical motorist will get just 115 miles between charges, making it one of the shortest-range battery-electric vehicles on the market. A Mini news release claims the SE Convertible would be able to deliver about 143 miles — but that figure is based on the global WLTP standard. The stricter EPA test cycle usually comes in about 20% lower, which would be roughly in the same ballpark as the hardtop. And, realistically, the added aerodynamic drag with the top down would all but certainly bring the figure down to barely 100 miles.

The debut of electric convertible during the Mini rally might seem a bit odd considering participants have been logging about 5 hours of driving each day — which explains why there are no SE models among the countless body styles along for the ride.

Most of the current buyers get the electric SE “for fun … not for commuting” or traveling long distances, according to McKenna. And the vast majority have four or more vehicles in their household fleet.

Conquests...While it's clearly a niche vehicle, Mini has been surprised for the demand for the SE hardtop — which has a two-year backlog of orders. About 80% of those are “conquests,” according to McKenna, new to the brand. That’s well above the brand’s initial 50% forecast — and they tend to have higher income and education levels than Mini owners overall.

They’ve also been required to pay cash for the SE, Mini offering neither leases nor loans.

While the British brand has not made a decision on whether to put the Cooper SE Convertible concept into production, it may not have a choice, at least not if it wants to continue offering a ragtop. European leaders recently set in motion new rules expected to ban the sale of new vehicles using gas or diesel power after 2035. China and Japan are moving in similar directions. And even the U.S. is expected to reach 40%-50% all-electric by 2030, based on the target outlined by President Joe Biden.

What if?...This car is really a “what if?” McKenna told TheDetroitBureau, adding that it's a “skunkworks approach,” pulled together on a shoestring.

For now, the marketing chief stressed, “there are no firm production plans.” But that could change based on how Mini loyalists and potential buyers react to the concept.

Even if the response is strongly positive, however, “It would take a long time” to get an electric Mini convertible to market, “more than 12 to 24 months.” That would seem to position it out around the 2025 model year or beyond.

Boosting range...The good news is that Mini’s parent is moving far more rapidly to electrify both the BMW and Rolls-Royce brands. And that is leading to significant improvements in key components, starting with batteries. It’s widely expected that range will increase by at least 20% through mid-decade, according to industry experts, and possibly double if next-generation solid-state batteries hit expectations.

Mini products could use the help as they have far less room for batteries than, say, a BMW X5 or a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Bringing range up to 200 miles or more would make a production convertible far more realistic as an “everyday driver.”

Mini plans to roll out the Cooper SE Convertible concept at a lot of events this year hoping to get a better sense of whether to start working up a business case for the electric ragtop.

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