Mini’s next electric hatch will reportedly have a much greater electric range when it goes on sale around May 2024.
According to a report by Autocar, the next Mini electric hatch will have 386km of electric range.
Mini’s smallest electric car is set to get a boost in power, too, producing 160kW instead of the 135kW/270Nm figures of the current electric hatchback.
The new Mini electric is due in 2024
The new Mini electric will be built on a new electric-only architecture in partnership with Chinese conglomerate GWM, known as the Spotlight EV platform.
Mini aims to have 50 percent of total sales to be electric by 2025. Currently, just 15 percent of all new Minis sold are electric.
The report also indicates that a hotter electric JCW (John Cooper Works) version will enter the market around 2025. A power figure of around 186kW for the JCW has been rumoured, but not yet confirmed.
Range will be significantly improved over the outgoing Mini electric hatch
How will Mini achieve more range with the new electric hatch?
The current Mini electric hatch is built upon and somewhat restricted by its converted ICE platform underpinnings – a platform not designed initially for electric motors and batteries.
However, the new electric hatch will be on a dedicated platform designed for electric powertrains and will use either a 40kWh or 54kWh battery pack.
Range should be boosted to 386km
This is a significant increase from the current Mini electric hatch’s figures. The current car has a tiny 28.9kWh usable lithium-ion battery pack and while Mini officially quotes 233km of range, a lower figure of 203km (WLTP) is more accurate.
During our independent testing of the 2023 Mini electric hatch, the hatch displayed just 170km of indicated range after a full charge.
