The article was originally produced on June 8, 2017, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

Mini Cooper SE Countryman

With the sun as an energy source, it is now possible to drive the new Mini Countryman on electricity in the Plug-In Hybrid version. 

The Countryman model name is old and was already introduced in 1960, only one year after the dog house had been introduced. At that time Mini was not an independent brand but was marketed as Austin or Morris but later also as Wolseley, Riley and Innocenti. The Countryman (Traveller) was an extended variant with double cabinet doors at the rear and externally the cars had a wooden structure so that they were reminiscent of the "woodies" that were so popular in the USA.

As the entire car industry electrifies its models, of course BMW-owned Mini is on the bandwagon. Now the new Countryman has just been released with the suffix E in the model designation. E means that the car is rechargeable and can partially be driven entirely on electricity. Charging to the charging socket located on the right side in front of the driver's door takes place with a cable to an electrical outlet in either a charging pole or a wall socket. To fully charge the battery from a 220 volt outlet, only 195 minutes are needed. As the heart of this new Mini, we find a powertrain consisting of two engines, a three-cylinder turbo engine of 1.5 liters and an electric motor. In total, the engines generate 221 horsepower and 385 Newton meters of torque. The power is delivered to all four wheels, the combustion engine on the front wheels and the electric motor on the rear axle. The gearbox that is in it is a six-speed automatic. The range for electric operation alone is estimated at around 40 kilometers. Together with the petrol engine, the total range is 496 kilometers. There are three different driving programs to choose from. Either Auto eDrive where you can drive at a maximum of 80 km/h. Then you can select the MAX eDrive mode where you can reach 125 km/h. The last mode is called Save Battery, which reduces electricity consumption.

The new Countryman has grown quite a bit since its predecessor. To be precise, we are talking about 20 centimeters in length. The increase means that this will now be the largest Mini that the company has produced. What is really noticeable about the increase in size is that the cargo space now swallows 450 liters and 1,309 with the seats folded down. This is 139 liters more than before when the Countryman had a total of 1,170 liters when the seats were folded. A fun detail that found its way into the tailgate is a folding picnic bench. In addition, you now don't have to put the food bags down when you need to open the tailgate thanks to Comfort Access, which opens the tailgate automatically. The distribution of how you can fold the rear seats is 40/20/40, the predecessor had 60/40 so the new distribution definitely means more flexibility. In addition, the rear seats can be moved forward and backward by 13 centimeters. A function that, however, was also available on the previous generation. The cabin feels spacious and the glass roof provides extra space when the sun is shining. The classic circular gauge and screen still sits in the center console. Here you will find the navigation and infotainment system. On the screen, you can also follow the energy flow between the battery, electric and petrol engine. To symbolize the environmentally friendly way of thinking, the colors are green. The start button that used to be red is now yellow. 

Just like the previous generation Countryman, you can choose different colors for the lighting behind the panels. This has been taken a step further with a carbon fiber-like instrument panel that is semi-transparent and has lighting behind it. Really nice when the darkness of the evening comes and lets the interior lighting come to the fore.

With the E addition, the new Mini Cooper S Countryman becomes a very nice friend on the road. When the car is powered by electricity, the journey is virtually silent, only the sound of the tires hitting the road is heard. Being able to contribute to a cleaner environment while having fun behind the wheel and in a very tasteful way cannot be seen in any other way than a complete success!

We quote Peter Maier at BMW…

"We believe that the MINI Countryman has great potential, not only because it is unique in the segment with the combination of plug-in technology and four-wheel drive, but also because it is perfect for our Swedish conditions.

Drive to and from work, via daycare or the store, on electricity - without sacrificing range when you need it and get there with four-wheel drive in all our weather conditions. Add spaciousness, functionality and a large portion of driving pleasure with 224 hp and you have the car that does the job in everyday life and in leisure time with a MINI feeling. Low benefit value, from SEK 1,1183/month (50% marginal tax), combined with a high level of equipment such as four-wheel drive, navigation system and automatic gearbox makes it attractive, not least as a company car."