Almost Green
Member
As I'm one that doesn't trade cars every 2-3 years I've put my recent Mini search/order on hold to wait for the 24 model that sounds like it will more closely match my desires of the car.
2024 MINI Cooper SE Prototype Test Drive
- Thread starter teslarati97
- Start date
- Replies 66
- Views 11K
Smart Wannabe
Member
The strip comparison is a farce. The Strip doesn't have a screen in the middle at all. I won't mind just allow space to dock the phone in the middle. They can have a in dash speedometer that is legal but "hidden" in the dashboard.
endquote
Well-Known Member
I was excited about this… but if it’s any wider than the current one, it won’t fit in my parking spot!
SpeedyRS
Well-Known Member
Battery tech hasn’t moved on significantly since the SE was launched two years ago, so the 40% increase in battery capacity is going to have an impact on weight.
Unless they’re going to build the car from CFRP like the i3, I can’t see how it would be lighter or even the same weight as the current car. The CoG will certainly be lower in a purpose built EV since they don’t need to compromise on where the heavy batteries go. I guess we’ll find out over the next 18 months when it launches.
Rasmus Aage
New Member
I quite like the look of the upcoming model. Not sure what I think about the rear lights, but other than that it looks good. Not too different from the current model, but for me, that's a good thing.
I am saddened by the fact it'll be a Chinese car with a Mini shell. Whereas the R50 and R56 models were a mix of Rover and BMW parts and the F56 all BMW parts, this upcoming model sounds like it is all Great Wall Motor parts and production. I am sure it is going to drive very well, but I do not like the fact that a great historical European / British car brand will be built and co-developed in a country with terrible human rights (China).
We have perfectly adequate facilities to produce a car in Europe and other companies have succeeded in transforming to EVs whilst keeping production in Europe. Apparently, the petrol version of the new models are going to be built in Oxford still. I wonder whether these will be the last Oxford build cars, or maybe BMW will prepare the facilities in Oxford for the next (after the Chinese Minis) models from 2030ish. I certainly do hope, that the brand manages to stay in Europe in the future.
I am saddened by the fact it'll be a Chinese car with a Mini shell. Whereas the R50 and R56 models were a mix of Rover and BMW parts and the F56 all BMW parts, this upcoming model sounds like it is all Great Wall Motor parts and production. I am sure it is going to drive very well, but I do not like the fact that a great historical European / British car brand will be built and co-developed in a country with terrible human rights (China).
We have perfectly adequate facilities to produce a car in Europe and other companies have succeeded in transforming to EVs whilst keeping production in Europe. Apparently, the petrol version of the new models are going to be built in Oxford still. I wonder whether these will be the last Oxford build cars, or maybe BMW will prepare the facilities in Oxford for the next (after the Chinese Minis) models from 2030ish. I certainly do hope, that the brand manages to stay in Europe in the future.
CuriousGeorge
Well-Known Member
Likely heavier, yes, but not 19% heavier.* Power: weight would increase with larger motor, not decrease.
*24% if the 225 (vs. 215) hp figure is correct.
The old adage is "With great power comes great responsibility" (no, Spider Man didn't say it first). In this case the responsibility is to provide adequate cooling for the more powerful motor and the higher-capacity battery. An enhanced cooling system will add weight, too.
I'm a huge fan of Colin Chapman, creator of the Lotus 7 and other landmark lightweight cars (none lighter than the 7, of course).
SpeedyRS
Well-Known Member
The 40% increase in battery capacity would increase weight and would therefore potentially reduce power to weight ratio. I know the 40% battery size increase won’t equate to a 40% kerb weight increase, but it will have a significant impact. It may come out broadly similar, the only fact we can all agree on is that no one but Mini/BMW/Great Wall knows at this point.
SpeedyRS
Well-Known Member
Likewise. The best way to add speed is to add lightness.
CuriousGeorge
Well-Known Member
See the math further up thread. Even with LFP batteries, a 50 kWh pack won't increase the mass by 19 (24)%>
Carsten Haase
Well-Known Member
The SE used old battery tech when it was launched so the improvement is not from 2 years ago but from some time before then.
There seems to be no good source on whether the SE uses CATL or the old i3 battery but this is supposedly info from the MINI engineers saying it's the old 94aH i3 tech which would mean the battery is from 2017. There's been a lot of improvement in the past 5 years.
SameGuy
Well-Known Member
Power:weight (or the torque/metric equivalents) isn’t everything; multiple car sites and magazines loved the Bolt’s zippiness when it was released, but in all their testing, despite having ~20 bhp advantage and ~67 lb-ft more torque (and carrying just 400 lbs more weight), the SE edges it in almost every performance metric.
teslarati97
Well-Known Member
It's a series of trade-offs with battery chemistry. You can increase the energy potential of NCM batteries by intensifying the nickel % but trade for cathode stability and battery degradation with lesser concentration of cobalt.
With the rising prices of nickel, the LFP alternative could be a viable (but heavier and less peak energy) option. I suppose that's why they don't make Tesla "Plaid" using LFP chemistry (NCA actually). Maybe pray that Minnesota Tamarack mine can be the nickel bullet!
With the rising prices of nickel, the LFP alternative could be a viable (but heavier and less peak energy) option. I suppose that's why they don't make Tesla "Plaid" using LFP chemistry (NCA actually). Maybe pray that Minnesota Tamarack mine can be the nickel bullet!
CuriousGeorge
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, current battery technology requires compromises. Each individual will of course have their own opinion of the perfect balance between performance, cost, and range, but MINI is in the business of making money, which means building vehicles they believe will be most likely to do so.
If the Chinese MINI Electric is going to weigh close to as much as a 3,648-lb Tesla Model 3, it had better be just as quick.
Tommm
Well-Known Member
look at it this way. Instead of building the parts in China and shipping them to England for assembly, then shipping the cars around the world, they are just cutting out the middleman.
Smart Wannabe
Member
They probably don’t want to waste effort and expenses to procure more parts than needed. The order book probably will close early. Probably 2024 will be allowed to be ordered end of this year