Electric MINI Countryman arriving in 2023

It seems the reveal of the all-new MINI Countryman is right around the corner as the brand has not only provided us with our best look yet at its first electric SUV, but also confirmed production will commence later this year. 

The new third-generation Countryman will be offered with both petrol and electric power, with the Countryman EV serving as MINI’s answer to the Volkswagen ID.4 and Kia Niro EV.

It’s hard to pick out any specific styling cues at this stage, but it appears that the new Countryman’s design will be an evolution of the current model, rather than a complete overhaul. The outgoing Countryman’s rounded edges, bluff front and rear end, and large rear spoiler have all been carried over, paired with a new set of LED headlights, flush door handles and longer overhang at the back that should help increase boot space.

8

We’ve yet to see inside the new Countryman, but we expect it’ll get the same setup as the next-generation MINI Electric that’s also landing later this year. In the new electric Hatch, MINI’s trademark circular dashboard display has been reimagined as a slim, disc-shaped touchscreen mounted to the dashboard, rather than nestling within it. 

Underneath the retro-inspired bodywork will be the same FAAR platform used by the new BMW iX1 compact electric SUV, with the running gear from BMW’s new entry-level EV expected to be carried over wholesale – the iX1’s 64.7kWh battery in particular. 

Back in 2017, MINI claimed the electric Countryman would offer a range of around 280 miles and the iX1’s 270-mile official range would tally with this. That would put the MINI on par with the Niro EV’s 285-mile range, but unable to match the ID.4’s 323-mile maximum. The electric Countryman should also inherit the iX1’s respectable 130kW rapid charging speeds, which allow for a 10-80% top-up in 29 minutes.

So far, only the dual-motor version of the iX1 has been introduced, with all-wheel drive, 313bhp and a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds. We expect this will be the powertrain used by the range-topping Countryman EV that’ll likely wear the ‘ALL4’ badge used by the existing Countryman, while the base model will feature just one electric motor likely driving the front wheels only. 

8

The outgoing Countryman measures close to 4.3 metres long, but its replacement is due to grow to around 4.5 metres. The smaller MINI Aceman electric SUV will bridge the gap between the Countryman and three-door Hatch in MINI’s EV line-up.

The new Countryman will be built in BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany alongside the BMW 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Coupe and 2 Series Active Tourer MPV.