The all-electric Mini Cooper is fun, adorable, and as good as it gets


This article was originally published by Steve Schaefer on Clean Fleet Report, a publication that gives its readers the information they need to move to cars and trucks with best fuel economy, including electric cars, fuel cells, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and advanced diesel and gasoline engines.

The 2020 Mini Cooper SE is the brand’s first production all-electric vehicle (EV). It delivers all the charm and fun of the premium small hatchback, which has built a following since its debut in 2001—without using a drop of petrol.

There are two ways that manufacturers market their EVs—either as unique, stand-alone models, such as the Nissan Leaf or Chevrolet Bolt, or as an electric version of an existing vehicle, such as Volkswagen did with the e-Golf. In the case of the Mini, the electron-powered model looks almost exactly the same as the gas model and is built in the same Oxford, UK, factory.