The iconic Mini Cooper is the latest to jump on the electric bandwagon.
Wearing the same stylish looks the three-door hatch always has, the SE variant is powered by an electric motor and battery with a 233-kilometer (145-mile) range.
It might not be a recipe for major driving excitement, but as a city runabout, it doesn’t get much cooler than this.
READ MORE: 5 coolest features of the 2022 Kia EV6
Its tiny proportions make it ideal for grabbing a coffee and fitting into the smallest parking spots.
But being a Mini, it’s also ultra-quirky, and those quirks are what we were keen to check out when Adelaide Mini Garage handed us the keys to the car.
While the SE performs like a futuristic EV, it still has features linking it back to the original from the 1960s.
So, let’s get stuck in. Here are our five favorite features of the 2022 Mini Cooper SE.
5. Lime green trim everywhere
EVs are obviously angled as being a somewhat more environmentally-conscious and ‘green’ mode of transport.
That’s why this Mini does everything it can to remind you there’s no petrol engine powering it.
There are flashes of lime green absolutely everywhere you look, including the exterior badges.
On the wheel center caps there’s a lime green ring surrounding the central ‘Mini’ script.
The wing mirror caps are also painted, making them a particular standout.
Even inside, there are are green flashes on the shifter and starter button, which is actually a metal toggle switch.
Plus, there’s a ‘green mode’ you can put the car in to make it turn even greener.
Okay, just kidding – green mode doesn’t do that. But seriously, there’s so much green in this thing.
4. Circles everywhere
Before you even get behind the wheel of the electric Mini, you’re greeted by a circular key fob.
In true Mini fashion, the headlights are round.
However, it’s in the cabin that the circles really hit you in the face.
The door handles, air vents, the speaker grilles and climate dials are all circular.
Even the instrument cluster and pedals are oval-shaped to fit with the theme.
However, the central infotainment screen stands out most.
In homage to the central round speedometer in the 1960s Mini, the screen is housed inside a big circle and is rounded at the sides.
The circle also lights up in correspondence with the parking sensors, changing color as you come closer to obstacles.
3. Square wheels…?
Yep – the only thing that isn’t round on this wheel are the wheels… sort of.
While the Mini Cooper SE we drove was fitted with ‘Roulette spoke’ wheels, the optional ‘power spoke’ wheels feature square cutouts.
For our British readers, you’ll recognise the distinct pattern as it’s modelled off your power sockets.
It’s a brilliant way of hinting at this being an electric car.
However, as an Australian, it took me a second to catch on to it.
2. The badge is power plug-shaped as well
Don’t think the electric entendres end with the wheel design.
The special ‘E’ badge that’s on the trunk and the charging flap of the Mini Cooper SE contains its own play on the theme.
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At first glance, the chrome outer part forms an E shape.
Look closer and the inner lime green section resembles a power plug.
Someone at Mini has a real sense of humor, and I’m here for it.
1. Union Jack taillights
Of the Mini’s many unusual quirks, the taillights have to take the cake.
A famously British car, the taillights on recent Mini models incorporate the design of the Union Jack flag split across both sides.
If you’re looking for the quirkiest EV out there, then this Mini is a seriously solid bet.
2022 Mini Cooper SE specifications
- Electric motor: Single HV electric motor
- Power: 181HP (135kW)
- Torque: 270Nm (199lb-ft)
- Transmission: Single-speed, front-wheel drive
- 0-100km/h (0-62mph): 7.3 seconds
- Top speed: 150km/h (93mph)
- Battery capacity: 32.6kWh
- Range: 233km (145mi)
