I had a good time in the Mini Cooper SE. It’s an all-electric vehicle with a driving range of approximately 110 miles. Yet, in my experience, I’ve been able to charge it up to 124 miles using a CCS fast charger.
The Mini Cooper SE hardtop is very comfortable and easy to drive. I loved its regenerative braking. It can recycle the power to extend the driving range. I drove from Silver Spring to Hagerstown, MD. Which is about a 60 or 70-mile drive on a hundred-mile tank and still had about 50 miles remaining. With the regeneration.
I was able to use an EVI (Electric Vehicle Institute) charger in Hagerstown. They charge a five dollar flat fee for a full charge on their fast chargers. I was also able to drive to Annapolis Maryland and used the charger at Whole Foods while I shopped.
What was cool was they have 2 level two charger for free with a two-hour limit. Charging infrastructure remains a huge issue for electric vehicles. However, I found a lot of places to charge around Maryland during my week of driving. I was also able to charge near Costco in Columbia, MD.
My first impression of the SE was wow I could really drive on a day-to-day basis. Especially with the range extends with the regenerative braking. It has multiple eco modes including eco-plus where it cuts off all the electronics inside but you’re still able to use things like Bluetooth.
You could also go to sport which is a more aggressive system. Power comes out to 181 HP and 207 lb-ft of torque.
It also comes with a complimentary three-year maintenance program. The base price on the mini Cooper SE hardtop Is $29,900.
The only option was the iconic trim. It gives you the mini steering wheel, the panoramic roof, the parking assistant, the Harmon Kardon premium audio system, touchscreen navigation, wireless charging, and more.
The total retail delivered price is $37,750. It’s eligible for the full $7500 federal tax credit, plus additional state credits. For more information, visit www.mini.com.