Forum members may already know about these details of interest here, including that BMW intends to restart Oxford MINI SE assembly in 2027. The article also claims that the 2024 Chinese MINI SE will have a range of "up to 250 miles."
The big question--even more important than how much heavier will this SE be--is will the 2024-2026 SE come to the US? I couldn't expect HonestJohn.co.uk in the UK to answer that question. However, I will nit-pick some of the things I did read in the article: Prices will start at over £30,000 when the MINI Electric goes on sale in 2024 Today, "over £30,000" converts to $33916.50 USD. I don't know what the tariff on Chinese vehicles is in the UK, but if I just add the 25% tariff the US charges to that number, it brings the price up to $42,395 for the base model (not the 250-mile model). With the Chinese factory gearing up to make 160,000 examples of the MINI Electric each year, the firm will be keen to start attracting pre-orders for its new EV. If they want pre-orders, why is MINI delaying the introduction of the 2024 SE until the end of 2023? Will they be making 2023 SEs in the UK until the 2024s start rolling out in 2024? However, the car will remain very much a MINI. It’s a design icon, rather like the Porsche 911, so new design boss Oliver Heilmer will not meddle with things too much – despite his determination to stamp his authority on the famous British city car. Oliver Heilmer has been Head of MINI Design since September, 2017. Similarly, the interior will retain the large circular display – but instead of being a speedometer or inset rectangular infotainment screen, the entire display is expected to become a fully-functioning, high-resolution OLED display. It will be complemented by a few simple toggle switches, but again, the level of glitzy chrome and polished trim will be reduced. So the large center display will not be rectangular--will it or will it not include the speedometer? Should we take the lack of information about what will be in front of the driver to mean there will be NO instrumentation in front of the driver, as in the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y? Expect more room inside the 2024 MINI Electric than in today’s model. The architecture has been developed from scratch as a pure electric platform, making it much more space-efficient than today’s EV-converted setup. There should be more space for passengers in the rear seats, along with a bigger boot – although the new MINI Electric will not grow too vast Instead of the current SE's T-shaped battery, the 2024 SE's larger battery will almost certainly be a slab below the floor. How much taller will the 2024 SE be after adding height for that battery while also creating additional interior space for both occupants and luggage? Performance from the new MINI Electric is expected to be brisk. Today’s car does 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds; it’s likely the new 2024 MINI Cooper Electric will reduce this to less than 7.0 seconds. The 2024 MINI Cooper S Electric may be closer to 6.0 seconds. I believe Car and Driver got a current SE to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. Is the "closer to 6.0 seconds" the expected BMW spec and the real time will be 5.3 seconds? MINI may dispense with a conventional gear lever in the new Electric, creating a more open-plan interior feel similar to the minimalist cabin of the original 1959 Mini. The 1959 Mini had a gear lever. Will the 2024 SE dispense with the center armrest and the handy console, too? Find the best hatachback deals on HonestJohn.co.uk What is a hatachback?
By going from prismatic -> cylindrical 46xx for BMW Neue Klasse (also will have other battery styles), the height of the cell can be adjusted. For reference the BMW i3 94Ah is 125mm tall so you could technically make a 46125 cell at 46mm diameter and 125mm tall. In contrast to 4680, 45mm (125-80) is equivalent of 1.77 inches.
I asked my MA when the cutoff date for ordering a 2023 SE from the UK is, and he hasn't replied. (I've been thinking about giving one to someone.)
What a great friend you are to consider gifting a MINI SE! How accurately can MINI predict the demand for 2023 SEs and order enough parts to meet that demand? There may be a key SE part that must be ordered in a large quantity and MINI wouldn't want to be stuck with a ton of those parts when Oxford SE production ends. I wouldn't be surprised if MINI doesn't announce the ordering cutoff date until that day arrives. Here are some of the timing factors that could affect the demand for the final 2023 SEs: When will MINI announce if the 2024 SE is coming to the US? (or Canada?) If the 2024 SE is coming to the US, when will MINI reveal the cost? When will MINI allow automotive journalists to tell us if BMW/Great Wall can build a real MINI? Waiting for MINI to answer these questions before ordering a 2023 SE is probably a bad idea. However, you could order a 2023 SE now and hope these questions (and other questions important to you) are answered before you have to decide if you want to take the SE you ordered. If the questions won't be answered until a year from now, that strategy won't work, but driving a 2023 SE for a while and then selling it if the 2024 SE hits your mark wouldn't be a bad thing. It will be interesting to see how the answers to these three questions affect the value of used MINI Cooper SEs.
That's basically what they did with the 2022 LCI cutover; all of a sudden SE orders were on hold for a few months before the 2022 was unveiled, and already-placed orders were just changed to the new model. Since the 2024 is a completely different car I'm not sure that would work. According to the article the 2024 MINI BEV is supposed to be unveiled this month, MINI could stop taking 2023 orders at any time. If you want one I certainly would advise not waiting. The car can always be declined at delivery (at least in the US), so ordering has no risk.
Let’s hope that MINI is a bit more forthcoming with info during the next year of waiting. MINI may not be the only option by 2024. The electric Abarth 500 is looking very interesting, as well as the Tesla Model 2. Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
I had a 1967 Fiat-Abarth OT1000 (a stroked Fiat 850 convertible) and loved it. Many loved the recently departed Fiat 500 Abarth, but it didn't sell well because it's not an SUV or a pickup. Similarly, Tesla has little incentive to make a lower-cost non-SUV/pickup at this point in time. Even if Elon said, "Go," would the development of the Model 2 be any quicker than the new Roadster or Cybertruck? Also, Tesla would need new, bigger factories to turn out a truly high-volume car. We're so lucky MINI made the SE for people like us (living where we do)! I think MINI was surprised by its popularity.
I really doubt Stellantis is going to bring the Abarth 500 to the US. They hated selling the original 500e and aren't bringing the new one to the US.
My rental car a couple weeks ago was a Fiat 500 hybrid, and god it was slow (70hp), but it was fun to drive anyway! Interior quality and seating position are terrible though.
