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The electric Mini SE crushes its EPA range estimate in our real-world test

The range meter of my fully charged 2020 Mini Cooper SE reads 110 miles as I fasten my seatbelt, which is hardly a surprise because that number matches the official EPA-certified range of this all-new electric car. But then I turn on the climate control system, at which point the range prediction promptly falls to 103 miles. “Uh-oh. This could get interesting,” I say to myself. My range test course, you see, is a vast loop that measures about 105 miles around. I donÂ’t really think IÂ’ll end up walking, though. I remind myself that most electric cars IÂ’ve tested — the Porsche Taycan among them — routinely outperform their rated range. But “most” is the operative word in this train of thought, so I ease out of my driveway to begin the test under a tiny cloud of uncertainty. Will the Mini Cooper SE prove to be one of the outliers? Will I encounter any low battery warnings? All will become clear in the next three and half hours. None of my initial hand-wringing should be taken to mean the MiniÂ’s rated range of 110 miles is somehow insufficient. ItÂ’s not, in my view. The length of my course has no special meaning. It doesnÂ’t represent the “right” number of miles. How the test was run My loop in Orange County, Calif., represents what I call typical suburban city driving. ItÂ’s not as dense as the notorious gridlocked areas found in West Los Angeles or certain big-city downtown environs, so itÂ’s applicable to the vast majority of drivers. It features suburban residential and arterial streets, with speed limits that range from 25 mph to as much as 60 mph. But thereÂ’s no pure freeway mileage, and the entire route is peppered with more than 310 signals. As for elevation, it ranges from sea level to just over 600 feet. I run with the automatic climate control system set within the range of 72 to 75 degrees, aiming to settle on one specific setting throughout that delivers adequate comfort. IÂ’ll try whatever Eco drive mode there is, but if throttle response is anemic IÂ’ll use the normal setting. Here, the default mode is the “green” mode, and IÂ’m sticking with it because the SEÂ’s driveability is totally agreeable. As for speed, IÂ’m running mid-pack between the leadfoots and the slowpokes. I wonÂ’t try to out-drag anyone leaving signals, and I look far enough ahead that I can choose the best lane and anticipate when the next signal is going to change. In short, IÂ’m aiming to land halfway between hypermiling and hyperactive.

BMW will invest $750 million to build Mini EVs in the UK

LONDON — BMW said on Monday it will invest 600 million pounds ($750 million) in its UK plants to take its Mini brand all-electric by 2030, giving a fresh boost to Britain's car industry after years of Brexit-related uncertainty. From 2026, the German premium carmaker will make two electric models at its Mini plant in Oxford — the Mini Cooper 3-door and the compact crossover Mini Aceman. The plant will make only electric models as of 2030 and many of those cars will be exported to markets around the world, BMW production chief Milan Nedeljkovic said. Speaking to journalists in Oxford, Nedeljkovic said the company wants to use batteries made in Europe in the new models made in Oxford, but did not specify whether they would come from the UK, saying it depending on the attractiveness of the market for its suppliers. The same two models will also be made in China and exports of those cars will begin in 2024. Also speaking in Oxford, British business minister Kemi Badenoch said: "We want auto manufacturing not just to stay in the UK, but to be the best in the world, and this is part of that story". Badenoch declined to comment on the level of subsidy to be received by BMW for Mini production, reported by British media to be 75 million pounds. BMW will also invest in its plant in Swindon which makes parts for Mini models. It was too soon to say what would happen to the engine plant in Hams Hall, near Birmingham, Nedeljkovic said. The small, fast and affordable original Mini went on sale in 1959 and has remained popular under BMW since it revived the brand in 2001, but its future in Britain has been uncertain for years, exacerbated by fears that Brexit would prompt the company to relocate production to Germany, China or elsewhere. Still, the industry remains on edge with both Britain and Europe's carmakers calling for a delay in the implementation of post-Brexit "rules of origin", under which 45% of the value of an EV being sold in the European Union must come from Britain or the EU from 2024 to avoid tariffs. "The [auto] industry is screaming at the EU," Badenoch said in Oxford, arguing that tariffs on EU and UK-made cars would only help Chinese manufacturers and that more time was needed to build local capacity. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

BMW, Mini recall nearly every PHEV model built in 2020 due to fire risk

BMW is recalling a majority of the plug-in hybrid models it built in 2020 because their battery pack poses a fire risk. That's 4,509 vehicles covered by the campaign in the United States, including some made by Mini. The list of cars affected by this voluntary recall includes 2020 and 2021 examples of the 530e, the X3 xDrive30e, and the Mini Countryman SE, coupe and convertible variants of the 2020 i8, as well as the 330e (pictured), the 745Le xDrive, and the X5 xDrive45e from the 2021 model year. All are equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack whose cells might have been contaminated by debris during the manufacturing process, according to a recall notice issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). BMW hasn't revealed what exactly found its way into the Samsung-built battery pack's cells, or how, but it pointed out the debris can cause a short-circuit, which increases the risk of fires and injuries. It added that it became aware of the problem after four gasoline-electric X5s experienced what it refers to as a thermal incident.  Engineers are currently developing a remedy to the problem. Until a solution is found, BMW is asking owners of affected cars not to charge the battery pack, not to drive in manual mode, not to engage sport mode, and not to use the shift paddles. It expects to begin fixing cars affected by the recall on November 23, 2020. 26,700 cars manufactured between January 20 and September 28, 2020, are part of the recall globally. Outside of the United States, BMW also sells plug-in variants of the X1, the X2, and the 2 Series Active Tourer. It has been a bad month for electrified cars. Ford delayed its Escape PHEV after a recall of its Kuga twin in Europe over fire risk. U.S. safety officials are reviewing reports of fires in the Chevy Bolt EV, and Hyundai has expanded a recall of the Kona EV. Featured Gallery 2021 BMW 330e View 14 Photos Green Recalls BMW MINI Hybrid