Already being hailed as one of the most affordable electric cars to enter the US market, the electric Mini Cooper SE is to have an MSRP of $29,900. In some places, with federal tax credits and state electric vehicle tax, the price will drop as low as $17,900.

US sales for the tiny electric car will start in March. The BMW subsidiary Mini has introduced the Cooper SE in July this year. The electric Mini has been given the technology of the BMW i3 and been repacked with the familiar Mini design. This explains the slick little city car’s power output of 135 kW (184 hp) and 270 Nm of torque. The battery pack sports 32.6 kWh with 12 battery modules and provides a WLTP range of 200-232 km (124-144 miles), which is up to 270 km (168 miles) NEDC. The compact car can do 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).

Michael Peyton, vice president of Mini Americas, said that: “U.S. pricing of the new Mini Cooper SE was set to establish this new battery-electric as a true class leader in making premium electric mobility more accessible to a broader range of customers.” He said that the Mini is an EV that is “built for the drive.”

The British-German company has given the Mini standard AC Charging at up to 7.4 kW, which allows for a 100% charge at home in 4 hours, as well as DC Charging at up to 50 kW. This allows for charging at public stations in as little as 35 minutes to achieve an 80% charge. The BMW subsidiary says that will hit the network of 122 Mini dealers this March.

Recently BMW sent their electric version of the classic Mini to the famous German race track, Nurburgring. The compact electric car racing not for speed, but efficiency. Thanks to two-stage recuperation, the electric Mini could circle the Nordschleife track without the need for a brake pedal.

insideevs.com, carscoops.com, press.bmwgroup.com