Urban Electric Cars - MINI SE versus Others

Puppethead

Puppethead

Well-Known Member


A video highlighting the "urban" class of EVs, covering MINI SE, Honda e, and Fiat 500 E. It's weird that they don't actually drive them in a city, and the hosts have some questionable opinions. But you can see how the SE compares to other cars in its class. Not a surprise, does quite well.
 
Where did they get their 1.36 hp/kW conversion factor? AFAIK the conversion factor is 1.34102, giving the MINI 181 hp, not the 184 they quote in the video. Also, how can Lovecars claim the rear seating in the MINI Electric is much less accommodating than that of an ICE-powered MINI? Are they comparing a 3-door SE to a 5-door Cooper?

It's too bad they couldn't find a true 100-kW charging station for their charging comparison. I believe the Honda e can absorb its specified 100 kW for a very short period of time before tapering off to a lower level. On the other hand, the MINI Cooper SE sucks down its 50 kW max for a long time before tapering off. I read that the Honda e takes 30 minutes to get to an 80% charge vs 36 minutes for the MINI Electric and 35 minutes for the Fiat 500 e. So the MINI's 50 kW charging rate isn't as debilitating as it might appear on a spec sheet.

It would be nice if this test had included slalom-course times and the maximum G-force achieved on a skidpad. They certainly had the right venue to conduct such testing. I guess Lovecars considers a tight turning circle to be more important in the urban-car context than handling. OTOH, I consider good handing a major benefit for urban driving. They give tickets for U-turns on the roads where I live.

Perhaps I'm biased because I was looking for a BEV sports car when I chose the MINI Cooper SE. I feel so lucky that of these three cars it was the MINI Cooper SE that came to the USA.
 
I love reading opinions and thoughts on why they bought what they did. For me I am a Mini driver and switched over after nearly 2 decades of owning Hondas. I'm early 40s so the switch was huge for me to do since that means all of my adult cars were Hondas. My spouse's car is even a Honda still.

I love driving my Mini. I love it for the handling and how much fun it is to drive. I test drove it after deciding to ditch my CR-V for fun and sporty. Test drove so many cars and thought I'd do a Mini to get it out of my system. Oops backfired lol

Minis are just plain fun. They invoke smiles here - where as in the UK I get they are common cars. I think that is something to think on.

I would've loved more comments on handling as that's key for a city car. Of course only 1 of these is available here so for US owners there's 1 choice. Even outside of city cars, my choices were limited here. After driving a few though, my heart lies with Mini handling. Makes giving up my current one much easier.
 
I really don't get the fascination with the Honda e, the design seems rather unfinished to me. And I think having a virtual fish tank may be a sign that there's too much screen. But that is my opinion, others may feel otherwise. With those camera side mirrors it'll never make it to the US.

The SE may be our only "hot hatch" choice in the US, this market seems to only be for trucks and SUVs. I really want a BEV wagon (holding out hope for an all-electric Clubman soon).
 
I hate the design of the Honda e. Totally. Reminds me of a 1980s hatch with too small a grille. I also cannot stand the dash. It's too weird too me. I also don't like the Tesla dash so I just don't like flat screens. Though the Honda E is way better than Tesla to me, but that's not saying much. The side mirrors drive me nuts too.

I didn't need a hot hatch really but coming from a Mini Cooper S, I appreciate the engine in the SE.
 
Lainey said:
I hate the design of the Honda e. Totally. Reminds me of a 1980s hatch with too small a grille. I also cannot stand the dash. It's too weird too me. I also don't like the Tesla dash so I just don't like flat screens. Though the Honda E is way better than Tesla to me, but that's not saying much. The side mirrors drive me nuts too.

I didn't need a hot hatch really but coming from a Mini Cooper S, I appreciate the engine in the SE.
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I drove nothing but Hondas since the mid-1980s and was looking forward to the Honda e. I even wrote many letters to Honda, begging them to bring the e to the US. Our other car is a Clarity Plug-In Hybrid. However, as more and more details about the Honda e emerged, I was disappointed.

Honda, unlike MINI, was starting with a clean sheet of paper when they designed the Honda e. I assumed it would be a quick, sporty urban street fighter like my 1986 Honda CRX Si. But nope. Honda decided to build a new-age technology demonstrator. They loaded it down with electronic gadgets and designed a lounge-like interior (no side-bolstered seats and no center arm-rest). It turned out to be expensive, heavy, and not very quick.

In the early 80s I had a 1968 Morris Mini Moke (a military Mini made to be parachuted from an airplane--a moke is slang for a donkey) and it was a fun little car, but it had no top so it was only for nice days. Although it was not reliable, it made me a Mini fan for life (I had a white one, but this isn't my Moke). One day I was trying to push-start it down my driveway and someone went to the front door and warned my housemate that someone was stealing their golf cart.
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When BMW acquired Mini and began producing a new MINI 20 years ago, I was interested, but by then I had become an eco-conscious driver and was driving the first Honda Insight hybrid. Then MINI built a few MINI-E cars to let real people drive them and provide feedback. I never read a bad review of that car. To my disappointment, it turned into the BMW i3, not an electric MINI I could buy.

It's amazing the way MINI was able to create such a successful electric car by borrowing a motor and other components from the i3 and developing a new CATL battery pack that fit into the ICE MINI's exhaust tunnel and the space vacated by the gas tank. It has switches and knobs where newer cars have screens and more screens. It has enough range for my needs and it's minimal battery keeps the car light on its feet and very quick, too.

The MINI Cooper SE owns the compact, sporty BEV market all to itself. I thought that perhaps Volkswagen's ID.Buggy might give the SE a run for its money, but that vehicle is canceled. Will there be a Tesla Model 2? Not anytime soon.

In 2017, Honda showed off a small electric sports car along with the prototype for the Honda e, the Urban EV. Rumors persist that the Sports EV may be Honda's second BEV (not counting the Clarity Electric, RIP)--but probably only for the European market, and it probably won't look like this 2017 show car:
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I'm confident that if you're already a MINI Cooper S owner, you won't be disappointed by the SE. As Autoblog News Editor Joel Stocksdale wrote of his favorite car of 2020, "I think this may actually be the best Mini you can buy." (And I'm sure he's heard of the John Cooper Works MINIs.)
 
insightman said:
In the early 80s I had a 1968 Morris Mini Moke (a military Mini made to be parachuted from an airplane--a moke is slang for a donkey) and it was a fun little car, but it had no top so it was only for nice days. Although it was not reliable, it made me a Mini fan for life (I had a white one, but this isn't my Moke). One day I was trying to push-start it down my driveway and someone went to the front door and warned my housemate that someone was stealing their golf cart.
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When I was very young in the early 80's, my family went on a holiday to Magnetic Island in tropical north Queensland. We rented a Morris Mini Moke like the one pictured in order to get ourselves around the island. It was an absolute blast and so much fun! My Dad let me steer while sitting in his lap a couple of times. To a young boy this was a huge thrill. There was very little traffic on the island so this wasn't as dangerous as it sounds. With the open cabin and no doors it felt like we were having a real family adventure. Despite being very young I still have many fond memories of that trip which, in no small part, is due to having had use of that car.
 
I love the Morris Mini Mokes. Living in a solid 4 season region that would need to be my 2nd car. I read about some electric Mokes too!

I'm confident that I will love the SE. I had my eye on the i3 for a few years and it just was not my style enough. Though the carbon fiber really intrigued me. I really am a Mini lover and wanted one for so many years. Just thought they weren't reliable enough. Nearly 5 years of ownership and I have to say zero issues outside of a squeaky clutch that I had Mini fix for free. Even my Honda's squeaky clutch I couldn't get them to fix. And I still have love for Honda.

This truly was a great group of posts to wake up to. Though I have some volunteer work to do and it's supposed to snow. Not a fan of snow even though I do live in the midwest. I work from home on my own schedule and I volunteer similarly on my own time though with contact tracing and pandemic stuff I try to schedule in to the building at a roughly specific time when no one is there. But this all sure warmed my heart before I head out in the snow.
 
And...the Mini in that video is the configuration I hope to order...middle trim, BRG, black roof, and roulette wheels. I plan to use the money saved on Signature Plus trim (instead of getting Iconic) for window tinting and protective coat.
 
GvilleGuy said:
And...the Mini in that video is the configuration I hope to order...middle trim, BRG, black roof, and roulette wheels. I plan to use the money saved on Signature Plus trim (instead of getting Iconic) for window tinting and protective coat.
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I hope that tinting and coating don't cost as much as the $3K upgrade to the Iconic trim I (and most on this forum's pie chart) chose. You've been considering your purchase very carefully for longer than most on this forum ever did, so I shouldn't even be writing this pro-Iconic post. I should note that I always opt for the highest trim level on all the new cars I've purchased--even when I couldn't afford it. The $6,200 cost of my 1973 Porsche 914 2.0-liter (instead of the regular 1.7-liter) forced me to live in a tiny $125/month room for years instead of renting my own apartment--and still I regretted I couldn't afford a 911. I laugh when I recall my landlady noting how generous the low cost of my room was when she said, "I hope you're enjoying that Porsche I'm buying you."

I didn't go for tinting--I don't like the look when the rear windows are darker than the front windows. Also, I've always enjoyed the hands-on task of waxing my cars and IMO the paint on all of them looked as good when I sold those cars as when I bought them.

I believe that the Signature Plus trim includes all the essentials--the seats look very nice. I like the leather seats because they seem so luxurious. I really appreciate the way the Front Distance Sensors warn me about curbs that might cause damage and I find the Head-Up Display way more useful than I expected.

I can't believe Tesla doesn't offer a Head-Up display as an option. Elon claims that no one needs an instrument display in front of them, but why not make it a $5,000 option and see how many people are willing to fatten his wallet by ordering it? In this context it's funny to note that the original Mini's instruments were centered rather than in front of the driver. I believe that even the original BMW MINI had the speedometer in the center.

The other Iconic features aren't as valuable to me. Parking Assistant? I tried it once and it's really scary to watch how close it comes to the car in front as it backs into a parking space. The 8.8" display is nice for maps, but you can zoom a map on the 6.5" display to see the same detail.

If you spend your tinting and coating money on the Iconic trim, you can always add the tinting and coating later. However, there's no way to go back and add the capability for a thrilling Parking Assistant experience.
 
insightman said:
The other Iconic features aren't as valuable to me.
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I don't know if this is an Iconic trim only feature, but I recently discovered and have been playing with the automatic brights, and love them. They are really effective at turning off for oncoming traffic. I am disappointed the US market doesn't get the fancy matrix lights (the brights adjust independently based on conditions), but I have noticed when I have automatic brights enabled I get side lighting on turns! Not sure where that's coming from, I'm going to need to set up a camera to capture when it happens.
 
@insightman - I always appreciate your 'insights' these past few months! Thank you. I am not definite yet on Iconic or not. But there are budget considerations that may force the Plus trim on me when I order next month. The 8.8" screen being my biggest regret if I don't get Iconic.
 
I waffled on Iconic vs Sig+ utilmately I ran out of time before I could change my mind lol. I cannot use the phone charger which was a bummer. The HUD for me was never at a good height (I am short and blame that) and my polarized lenses made it look weird. Don't need Parking assist so I was stuck with $3k more for a larger screen (I have the 6.5 currently), Parking Sensors, and leather trim along with a couple SE interior touches. Well I added the cross punch leather myself for $500. I didn't actually like the dash with the yellow green and I didn't like the light leather (been there, bad idea for a mostly dk denim wearing person) so I would've upgraded to the black.

I made these choices after spending time in person though looking at each. While I chose the Sig+ the Iconic is fantastic. I suppose I felt if I didn't feel strongly about any of the extras I would stay there at the Sig+. If you really want one of the upper levels then get it. The Parking sensors would have been a nice bonus, but the one feature I wanted does not work (phone charging) for my phone. So it wasn't worth it. But had it fit, yes I would have jumped to Iconic.
 
The other thing I did not mention is the wheel choices. I like the tentacle spokes on the Sig+, but I think I would prefer the roulettes on the Iconic level. And, back to that video - I am grateful that we even have a hot hatch option like the SE in the states. Europe has a lot more choices than we do, but, seeing that video of the Fiat and the Honda, I much prefer the classic styling, inside and out, of the Mini.
 
I actually have the roulette on my current Mini. They are nice, but if they get a curb they aren't as nice pretty quickly. They are diamond cut and the texture can be damaged more quickly. Just more of a personal experience. They are very nice looking though and I saw drawn to them myself. I opted for painted black that can be touched up. We'll see if I regret that choice or not lol

I am grateful for the Mini. I know when I was looking I had ruled out the Fiat years ago and likely would again. So if given these all I am sure my Mini would win again
 
Lainey said:
the one feature I wanted does not work (phone charging) for my phone.
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The undersized phone charger is very perplexing. BMW customers wouldn't put up with a charger that can't handle anything larger than iPhone 3. When we realized the SE's charger wasn't large enough, I asked the dealer to remove it from the console to add storage space but they told me it cannot be removed (later I learned it can be removed, but what's left is messy). The phone charger being removed from a larger MINI Cooper in this video looks larger than the SE's--and it pivots up to give access to storage space underneath. Somebody dropped the ball on this accessory.
 
insightman said:
The undersized phone charger is very perplexing. BMW customers wouldn't put up with a charger that can't handle anything larger than iPhone 3. When we realized the SE's charger wasn't large enough, I asked the dealer to remove it from the console to add storage space but they told me it cannot be removed (later I learned it can be removed, but what's left is messy). The phone charger being removed from a larger MINI Cooper in this video looks larger than the SE's--and it pivots up to give access to storage space underneath. Somebody dropped the ball on this accessory.
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Reading on Bimmer forums, it doesn't hold larger phones either. So it's a BMW issue, not just Mini. BMW thinks their drivers like Apple only (hence no AA until fall of 2020 for BMW and no idea on Mini) because of the type of people the owners are or some crap. I was astounded when I saw just how small it was in person. I've seen videos on how to make it work for larger phones but having no 3D printer didn't help. My current arm rest holds a parking permit for a location I visit (hang tag), sunglasses and now masks. I'll use it for that.

I do have a cell phone holder that had room for a wireless charger. Proclip sells a decent one too. Considering redoing my set up this time around as I'm not overly thrilled with the proclip location anymore. I'm techy enough to figure it out.

But if it had worked, I'd have plunked down the extra $3k in a heart beat.
 
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