I own the Mini Cooper SE (as of May last year) and absolutely LOVE IT! My wife & I find that the range is more than enough for 99% of our needs - for road trips, we have my wife’s ICE car that barely gets used these days. Without a doubt, the Mini gets the most usage and it’s a joy to drive!
Thank you guys for this great review! As a future new owner (my 2023 Mini SE will arrive in May…) my general opinions resonates more with John’s. Because of its limited range and size, this car is definitely not for everyone. However, most people simply overestimate their realistic needs. For me it is just perfect. One point I think you did not considered is availability. With actual car dealers low inventory and worldwide car shortage, Mini’s 2-3 months order waiting list (Quebec) is pretty good! My son works for a VW dealer and actual waiting time for a ID4 is 18 months...
We are waiting for our 2023 as well! To complement our 2018 i3. Indeed people do overestimate their needs. The range is fine for daily driving as long as you have home charging.
That’s such a relief. My situation is particular, in that I can only charge at work, I had a lot of hesitation. Winters in Montreal are no joke and that gave me a lot of pause. In reality. I never really leave the island and if I do, I don’t go far. No trips to Costco. I’ve been wanting a Mini forever and life is seriously too short!
I ordered my Mini SE Essential 2 days ago and i will have it in the begining of October. The same blue color but with white roof,side mirrors and white stripes on the hood.
I just traded my BMW i3 Rex for the SE. I loved the i3 but wanted to go full electric and the new i3s are pricey. I like the color options, sunroof and retro styling of the SE and it looks like I can add an aftermarket bike carrier tow hitch which was impossible for the i3. I didn’t like the non existent tire choices for the i3 either. Bjorn Nyland showed that it’s actually more efficient than the i3 as well
As we pointed out in the video, I (John) prefer the Mini-e/BMW I3 because of my specific driving need of mostly city commutes. Whereas Solomon likes the Kona electric due to his particular need of having frequent drives between Calgary and Edmonton.
Guys, you both are adorable creatures, but know very little about vehicles. You talk about features of this Mini, but you don't touch the essentials, like the technology packed inside; the things you don't see, but make a huge difference. I'll give you a few points! The battery cooling system, which is on par, if not better than the standard of upper level in the industry, Tesla. The cooling of the Mini battery is done with a hybrid liquid which exceeds Tesla's liquid properties. Comparing it to the Leaf, which you mentioned, note that the Leaf's battery is air cooled which means a drastically shorter life. Also, the Mini battery is made near Munich/Germany!!! The motor of the Mini involves more high tech than most of the mentioned "comps". The list can go on and on if we go into details of how it's finished, the better materials in the cockpit and such. (As mentioned, the higher price of the petrol Mini compared to those cars. Now; you mention the size as a downside, but nobody and I mean NOBODY buys a Mini, without wanting and desiring that size! The battery size... In fact, it's a plus simply because a larger battery will cost more, add weight and increase consumption, while being less "snappy"... You don't mention the fun factor, which makes me wanting to trade my 2019 X5 3l Diesel for my wife's Mini, but she has no desire to go for it. In my opinion it's the best second car, the best city drive and also not bad in a 200km (~125mi) radius. If you charge from about 50% to 80% at a fast charger, it will only take about 12 min... Larger battery cars also take longer to charge, keep that in mind. You mention the iD4... That one has 2600kg, compared to Mini's 1440kg... All that weight represents the difference in price and a weight you need to howl at all times... Also no fun factor included since it's 0-100 is bad. Cheers!
$15 to charge is almost as expensive as gasoline.. $15 for 100 mile range. my current mini gets me like 350 miles for $50 of gas.. I know that on the road charging isnt going to be the main type of charging and home charging is much cheaper but using DC chargers seem very expensive..
For sure, though keep in mind that DC fast charging slows down quite a bit when charging past 80%. DCFC is also throttled in this case due to the low battery temperature in the cold. Many other jurisdictions allow for billing of DCFC based on the amount of power (KW) instead of time, but that's not the case here in Alberta.
@@READYSTEADYCHARGE I have a SE on order due in about less then a months time. I have a short commute and have other cars so I dont see me using DC charging often at all but for those who would use it often its not as cheep a EV owning experience as portrayed sometimes
Keep in mind that small EV batteries charge fast on AC chargers. Home charging our mini costs a whopping $4.50 for a full 100 mile charge (15 cents per KWhr in Arkansas). I would argue that most small range/small battery EVs charge at home, plugged overnight into a wall outlet.
@@toskin6395 since my initial comment I have collected my SE and my average monthly cost has been only $30 for about 1000 miles of driving. Maryland has a very good EV pricing program (10 cents kwh). DC quick charging is still overpriced in my opinion, and yes it charges in 15 -20 mins usually, but I find a lot of the DC chargers charge a flat fee ($5or $6) and then a high rate per minute in addition (.32 cents a min). While the level 2 chargers next to it would only charge by the min without the flat fee.. I'm not a fan of that pricing system..
All the enthusiasts commenting here are not looking far into the future. When the guarantee on your battery expires and with it's 5% degradation every year the car will be next to useless for any purpose and value zero. The scrapyards will be full of good cars with dead batteries in ten years.
and the enthusiasts would say you're not looking at the evidence available right now. Where exactly did you pluck that 5% yearly degradation from? I point you to the Nissan leaf, a car thats been out for over 10 years, known for its not so good battery management system in those early models. There are 2012 models for sale currently with plenty of range left, heck the presenter of the Auto trader TH-cam channel brought one, runs fine. Model S Teslas are also coming up on 10 years old and again are fine after that time. So these new EV's with not only better battery technology but also better battery management systems, will outlast your 10 year ill informed guess.
the most comprehensive review of mini SE. thank you. excited to get mine next week
I own the Mini Cooper SE (as of May last year) and absolutely LOVE IT! My wife & I find that the range is more than enough for 99% of our needs - for road trips, we have my wife’s ICE car that barely gets used these days. Without a doubt, the Mini gets the most usage and it’s a joy to drive!
Thank you guys for this great review! As a future new owner (my 2023 Mini SE will arrive in May…) my general opinions resonates more with John’s. Because of its limited range and size, this car is definitely not for everyone. However, most people simply overestimate their realistic needs. For me it is just perfect. One point I think you did not considered is availability. With actual car dealers low inventory and worldwide car shortage, Mini’s 2-3 months order waiting list (Quebec) is pretty good! My son works for a VW dealer and actual waiting time for a ID4 is 18 months...
We are waiting for our 2023 as well! To complement our 2018 i3. Indeed people do overestimate their needs. The range is fine for daily driving as long as you have home charging.
That’s such a relief. My situation is particular, in that I can only charge at work, I had a lot of hesitation. Winters in Montreal are no joke and that gave me a lot of pause. In reality. I never really leave the island and if I do, I don’t go far. No trips to Costco. I’ve been wanting a Mini forever and life is seriously too short!
I ordered my Mini SE Essential 2 days ago and i will have it in the begining of October. The same blue color but with white roof,side mirrors and white stripes on the hood.
this has to be one of the best reviews for this car! nice job!
Great Video guys!
Very thoughtful and balanced review of this vehicle presented in a most articulate manner. Looking forward to your next video!
I ordered one of these as our second car for around town. We have a model Y and I personally can’t wait for this car
Best review ever seen
Nice video!
I just traded my BMW i3 Rex for the SE. I loved the i3 but wanted to go full electric and the new i3s are pricey. I like the color options, sunroof and retro styling of the SE and it looks like I can add an aftermarket bike carrier tow hitch which was impossible for the i3. I didn’t like the non existent tire choices for the i3 either. Bjorn Nyland showed that it’s actually more efficient than the i3 as well
Ima buy this I don’t need to travel too far and way less maintenance than a gas vehicle
I'm waiting for the 2023. It's yellow with a red, white, or blue roof.
What vehicle do you prefer? E-kona or the mini e? They are close in price.
As we pointed out in the video, I (John) prefer the Mini-e/BMW I3 because of my specific driving need of mostly city commutes. Whereas Solomon likes the Kona electric due to his particular need of having frequent drives between Calgary and Edmonton.
Guys, you both are adorable creatures, but know very little about vehicles. You talk about features of this Mini, but you don't touch the essentials, like the technology packed inside; the things you don't see, but make a huge difference. I'll give you a few points! The battery cooling system, which is on par, if not better than the standard of upper level in the industry, Tesla. The cooling of the Mini battery is done with a hybrid liquid which exceeds Tesla's liquid properties. Comparing it to the Leaf, which you mentioned, note that the Leaf's battery is air cooled which means a drastically shorter life. Also, the Mini battery is made near Munich/Germany!!! The motor of the Mini involves more high tech than most of the mentioned "comps". The list can go on and on if we go into details of how it's finished, the better materials in the cockpit and such. (As mentioned, the higher price of the petrol Mini compared to those cars. Now; you mention the size as a downside, but nobody and I mean NOBODY buys a Mini, without wanting and desiring that size! The battery size... In fact, it's a plus simply because a larger battery will cost more, add weight and increase consumption, while being less "snappy"... You don't mention the fun factor, which makes me wanting to trade my 2019 X5 3l Diesel for my wife's Mini, but she has no desire to go for it. In my opinion it's the best second car, the best city drive and also not bad in a 200km (~125mi) radius. If you charge from about 50% to 80% at a fast charger, it will only take about 12 min... Larger battery cars also take longer to charge, keep that in mind. You mention the iD4... That one has 2600kg, compared to Mini's 1440kg... All that weight represents the difference in price and a weight you need to howl at all times... Also no fun factor included since it's 0-100 is bad.
Cheers!
Which trim is this ?
Looks like it's the electric package as that's the only way you can get island blue.
It is the middle of the pack, the premiere trim.
$15 to charge is almost as expensive as gasoline.. $15 for 100 mile range. my current mini gets me like 350 miles for $50 of gas.. I know that on the road charging isnt going to be the main type of charging and home charging is much cheaper but using DC chargers seem very expensive..
For sure, though keep in mind that DC fast charging slows down quite a bit when charging past 80%. DCFC is also throttled in this case due to the low battery temperature in the cold. Many other jurisdictions allow for billing of DCFC based on the amount of power (KW) instead of time, but that's not the case here in Alberta.
@@READYSTEADYCHARGE I have a SE on order due in about less then a months time. I have a short commute and have other cars so I dont see me using DC charging often at all but for those who would use it often its not as cheep a EV owning experience as portrayed sometimes
More like $18.00 and yes more expensive and the added cost of the purchase of an electric car VS ICE car...
Keep in mind that small EV batteries charge fast on AC chargers. Home charging our mini costs a whopping $4.50 for a full 100 mile charge (15 cents per KWhr in Arkansas). I would argue that most small range/small battery EVs charge at home, plugged overnight into a wall outlet.
@@toskin6395 since my initial comment I have collected my SE and my average monthly cost has been only $30 for about 1000 miles of driving. Maryland has a very good EV pricing program (10 cents kwh). DC quick charging is still overpriced in my opinion, and yes it charges in 15 -20 mins usually, but I find a lot of the DC chargers charge a flat fee ($5or $6) and then a high rate per minute in addition (.32 cents a min). While the level 2 chargers next to it would only charge by the min without the flat fee.. I'm not a fan of that pricing system..
We would have to shot down TH-cam if we didn’t allow people to say “without further adieu.”
More expensive than burning gas... I have a Prius Prime and the Mini is WAY TO SMALL! My Prius is huge compared to the Mini...
All the enthusiasts commenting here are not looking far into the future. When the guarantee on your battery expires and with it's 5% degradation every year the car will be next to useless for any purpose and value zero. The scrapyards will be full of good cars with dead batteries in ten years.
and the enthusiasts would say you're not looking at the evidence available right now. Where exactly did you pluck that 5% yearly degradation from? I point you to the Nissan leaf, a car thats been out for over 10 years, known for its not so good battery management system in those early models. There are 2012 models for sale currently with plenty of range left, heck the presenter of the Auto trader TH-cam channel brought one, runs fine. Model S Teslas are also coming up on 10 years old and again are fine after that time. So these new EV's with not only better battery technology but also better battery management systems, will outlast your 10 year ill informed guess.