If you are into MINIs, the newest addition to its product line might be appealing. The MINI Countryman is an all-rounder and roomy daily driver that continues the MINI brand’s product campaign of all-electric cars. This is the largest model in the new MINI family of vehicles, with five doors and a flexible interior, that […]
If you are into MINIs, the newest addition to its product line might be appealing. The MINI Countryman is an all-rounder and roomy daily driver that continues the MINI brand’s product campaign of all-electric cars.
This is the largest model in the new MINI family of vehicles, with five doors and a flexible interior, that is steering the company into a future of locally emission-free electromobility. The strongly powered Countryman also provides safe and carefree driving pleasure off the beaten path with its optional all-wheel drive.
The first generation of the MINI Countryman was an immediate hit for MINI, and starting in 2010, the company expanded the model lineup to include a small SUV with all-wheel drive, five doors, and a length of more than four meters for the first time in a MINI model. The sliding and folding rear seat in the first edition of the versatile Countryman allows the trunk to be easily enlarged from 370 liters to up to 1,170 liters.
The MINI Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 was the first plug-in hybrid MINI model to provide a second 65 kW/88 hp electric motor on the rear axle starting in 2017. It was part of the second-generation MINI Countryman.
The largest MINI model’s new generation is all electric and has zero local emissions. The MINI Countryman SE ALL4 is the brand’s first all-wheel-drive fully electric vehicle, while the MINI Countryman E produces 140 kW/191 hp. The combined output of two highly integrated drive units on the front and rear axles, including a transient boost, is 230 kW/313 horsepower. The battery has a 64.7 kWh capacity. The MINI Countryman, which has an estimated 450-kilometer range, is equally at home in urban areas as it is traveling farther distances through rural areas. With the introduction of the all-electric MINI Countryman, MINI is increasing the percentage of electric models. Today, every fifth MINI is electric.
The roomy adventurer provides even more room and comfort for its occupants thanks to an increase in length of 13 centimeters to 4,429 mm. To provide even more headroom, the height increased by almost six centimeters to 1,613 mm.
The brand-new MINI Countryman working towards the highest level of environmental compatibility during manufacture with locally emission-free electromobility. To do this they are getting rid of all the chrome accents both inside and out and making the cast light-alloy wheels with up to 70% secondary aluminum. To cut CO2 emissions they use green electricity in production.
Floor mats and the surfaces of the dashboards, steering wheel, vehicle floor, and headliner are all comprised of recycled polyester manufactured from PET bottles and scraps of carpet. This makes for a colorful, and cozy substitute for conventional materials and highlights the emphasis on reducing the ecological impact of the next generation MINI model by cutting CO2 emissions along the value chain by up to 85%.
The new Mini Countryman will be manufactured at the Leipzig site in Germany. The “green plant” of the BMW Group in Leipzig has four wind turbines with a combined height of 190 meters as part of its long-term sustainable energy generation and consumption strategy. By this, more than 20 GWh of wind-powered electricity might be produced annually.
The Leipzig site also uses around 700 second-hand high-voltage batteries from BMW i3 cars at the Battery Farm to store energy, including that produced by wind turbines. Local energy management can be optimized and the electrical grid can be maintained by storing the energy on the premises.
By 2024, the BMW Group plans to invest more than €800 million to increase local e-component production capacity by increasing to eight production lines. Due to its focus on decarbonizing production by using hydrogen in place of fossil fuels, the location is already among the most advanced and ecologically friendly automotive manufacturing plants in the world.
Production is expected to start in November 2023 at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig facility and will be the first time a MINI model is produced in Germany. The new MINI should hit the market and be available for purchase in early 2024. Pricing for the Countryman will probably be released after production begins later this year.
Source & Photos: BMWGROUP
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