The MINI SE is the best value-based electric vehicle on the market.

Updated: January 24, 2020: We have been taking deposits for the new MINI SE since mid-December. There were 200 available for March delivery, all which have been claimed and confirmed. The first MINI SE models will be delivered shortly after March 7th, 2020.

• • Customers that put down a deposit that have not already confirmed delivery will get a guaranteed custom-order spot in late February when the Build Your Own site goes live.

• These cars will be delivered in May/June with production starting in March.
• Without a reservation, it’s very possible that an order will not be available until June or July.

The British Bulldog goes Electric.

Are you ready for the all-new 2020 MINI SE? The new standard-bearer is releasing on March 7th, 2020 and pre-orders will begin on December 16th. If you want to reserve yours to take home when it launches and read all about your new SE here. The deposit to reserve your spot is only $500, through PayPal, and the amount goes toward the final purchase. 

As the excitement builds for the upcoming release of the MINI SE, we’ve spent time reading official bulletins from MINI USA, exploring various forums, enjoyed some of the early promo videos and this first look from Kelley Blue Book, and got a glimpse of what we can expect. While there are a lot of things to look forward to with MINI going electric, including instant torque with 181 hp — the most exciting thing is that MINI is presenting a truly value-based electric vehicle. 

The S stands for the performance, and the E stands for electric…. It is, to quote a close friend of ours, “The perfect balance of fun to drive and sustainability.” While we are MINI enthusiasts first and foremost, the MINI SE is the thing conversion kit gearheads dream of… plus the fact that it was modified perfectly by BMW engineers. When the SE was announced, the stunts were huge — it pulled a Boeing 747 airliner. 

Timelines
December 16th, 2019: Pre-reservations begin through the provided link, orders will be filled by MINI on a first come, first serve basis
February 2020: Custom ordering opens up for May/June delivery
March 7th, 2020: Official launch date

Updates & Reminders
*MINI SE will not be available to lease for the time being
*This car qualifies for generous federal and state tax incentives

Pre-Configured MINI SE Combinations for March Delivery

With the MINI SE launch not too far off, MINI USA has already built and shipped just 200 pre-configured vehicles that will be available for at time of launch. These are the specs available:

Link to view each configuration: MY20 Cooper SE Pre-Orders

Signature – Starting at $30750 ($29,900 + $850 Destination)
Seats: Carbon Black Leatherette
Interior Surface: Black Checkered
Colors: Moonwalk Grey, White Silver, Midnight Black, Chili Red, British Racing Green

Signature Plus – Starting at $34750 ($33900 + $850 Destination)
Seats:Cloth/Leatherette Black Pearl Light Grey
Interior Surface: Dark Silver
Colors: Moonwalk Grey, White Silver, Midnight Black, Chili Red, British Racing Green

Iconic Trim – Starting at $37750 ($36900+ $850 Destination)
Seats: Leather Chesterfield Satellite Grey
Interior Surface: MINI Electric
Colors: Enigmatic Black, White Silver

MINI has done a great job covering all the options with these!

Cost

View the 2020 MINI SE Specs here.2020 MINI SE Spec Sheet

The 2020 Cooper SE is dollar for dollar, the best overall value for you. Once the available Federal tax credit of $7,500 is taken into account, the value gets even better. Check out the charts below: we have a comparison of the standard MINI 2-Door Hardtop set against the upcoming MINI SE, as well as the most popular electric vehicles set against one another. Fully loaded and customized, the SE still comes in under the base prices of some of the competition, like the Chevy Bolt and Kia Niro EV. Against the luxury brands like BMW and Tesla, the MINI shines like the first sunrise in Spring after a long and hard winter.

With the standard features, the MINI SE gives the best value when compared to other electric vehicles on the market. 

Standard “Signature” Equipment

The standard equipment on the standard MINI SE is AWESOME. Take a look:

Exterior: 

• LED Headlights and Tail lights
• 5 paint color choices (Moonwalk Grey, White Silver, Midnight Black, Chili Red, British Racing Green)
• 2 Wheel Choices

Interior:

• Leatherette upholstery in Carbon Black
• Sport leather steering wheel
• Heated seats

Technology:

• MINI Navigation with 6.5’’ display
• MINI Connected
• Advanced Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI)
• Active Driving Assistant with Forward Collision Warning
• An occasional use charger (120v) and TurboCord charger (240v)
• Apple CarPlay
• Remote Services
• Connected Drive Services
• Intelligent Emergency Calling
• E-Drive Services (Initiate charging, monitor charging, and find charging stations)

Functional: 

• Fully digital display cockpit
• Automatic dual zone climate control
• AC charging up to 7.4 kW / DC charging up to 50 kW
• MINI Driving Modes: Sport, Mid, Green, Green +
• Power Regeneration
• Heat Pump (use heat from the battery to warm the cabin efficiently)
• Pre-Conditioning (remotely warm or cool the car before you go)
• Electric parking brake
• Automatic transmission
• Acoustic protection
• Comfort Access System (unlock the car without touching your keys)

The MINI SE will be the first MINI where no single options will be offered a-la-carte. If you want more features, just select one of the upgrade packages and you’ll be one step closer to enjoying your new MINI experience. 

The Signature Plus package adds: 

• Panoramic Moonroof
• Power folding mirrors
• Auto dimming interior and exterior mirrors
• Universal garage door opener
• Park Distance Control (rear)
• Harman Kardon Sound System

The Iconic package adds: 

• Everything from Signature Plus, +
• MINI Yours Leather Steering Wheel
• Park Distance Control (front and rear)
• Parking Assistant
• MINI Head-Up Display
• 8.8’’ Touchscreen Navigation System
• Wireless Charging
• Cooper SE specific floor mats

Expected Range and Charging Capabilities

The MINI SE is expected to have a 110 mile range when fully charged, similar to the current BMW i3. 

Charging times will be similar to other electric cars as well, when going from fully empty to fully charged. With a 120v supply (a wall outlet like you use to charge your phone) it takes about 24 hours, so we recommend using a 240v supply and the provided TurboCord to get to an 8 hour charge time. This is the overnight charging ideal, and SDG&E can usually adjust your time of use rates to get the overnight electricity costs lowered to bring cost of ownership down even further.  If you get what is called a Level 2 charger installed at your home, you can expect a 4 hour charge time, just like a public charging station from EV Go or ChargePoint. The big-daddy Level 3 DC Rapid Chargers are slowly being rolled out, but those only take 40 minutes! We can’t wait for those to be more prominent as the cost to build them comes down. 

Release Date

MINI was born 60 years ago, with 2020 marking it’s 18th anniversary in the USA and 1st year as all-electric. We are expecting the SE on March 7th, 2020 with the first wave of 200 pre-orders arriving first. All other orders will arrive in April forward. 

Customization

We don’t mean to brag, but the whole Energetic Yellow mirror cap thing and Vigorous Gray accents? We started that here at MINI of Escondido. On the Countryman SE hybrid, we painted some mirror caps yellow to match the yellow TurboCord, put them on, and bam! We’re pretty sure MINI USA saw our Instagram and decided to steal the idea for the MINI SE… but hey, art is meant to be copied anyways right?

“The whole Energetic Yellow mirror cap thing and Vigorous Gray accents?
We started that here at MINI of Escondido.”

That said. We love MINI for the customization aspects and the insane utility it provides in it’s segment. We have a lot of people that visit us and ask just how many bags of cement can be safely transported in their MINI Hardtop, or how much lumber can be stacked on the roof racks for their home improvement projects. 

It’s always best to start with your favorite palette, and pick the exterior color that suits your personality best. From there, choose from dozens of mirror cap colors, floormats, roof rack attachments, side scuttle, and even personalize your own with MINI Yours Customized. We are going to customize one completely, and we need your ideas. 

Ownership

Maintenance on electric cars is a lot less than normal cars. Don’t think about changing the oil or timing chain. This means you will have more time to give your MINI the TLC it deserves with proper spa treatments and maybe a thorough vacuuming every now and then. 

We will update this article as more information is released, and if you’d like to sign up for updates use the form below (form will go live once we have official confirmation from MINI USA on the upcoming release)!