New 2023 MINI Countryman EV targets 280 miles of range

Production of the new MINI Countryman will commence at BMW’s Leipzig plant this year, with an all-electric version joining the range for the first time

We’ve already been given a first taste at MINI’s zero-emissions future with the Electric hatchback, and in 2023, the British firm will expand its EV lineup with a new Countryman SUV. Utilising the FAAR architecture from parent-company BMW, the new Countryman will be offered with electric and combustion-engine power when production starts this year. 

As the first German-built model in MINI’s history, the Countryman will be produced at BMW’s Leipzig plant, which is also home to FAAR-based 1 Series. As revealed by these official images of a camouflaged prototype, the next Countryman will retain trademark MINI design cues such as a floating roof panel and round LED headlights.

• New BMW iX1 2023 review

Our exclusive image previews what MINI’s rejuvenated Countryman could look like when it drops the camouflage, and judging by the latest spy shots, the finished car won’t stray far from our prediction. The current car is around 4.3 metres long, but the newcomer will stretch this to almost 4.5 metres, leaving space for a new, smaller electric MINI SUV in the future. 

The introduction of a pure-electric version is another key development, with the Countryman tipped to offer the BMW iX1’s 309bhp dual-motor setup. This should provide a 0-62mph time of around 6 seconds, and a similar 270 mile range figure to the iX1 – provided it borrows that car’s 64.7kWh battery pack. 

MINI previously confirmed that the Countryman is targeting 280 miles from a single charge – lining up with these predictions – and it should support the same 130kW peak charging speed as the iX1.

For its next generation, the MINI Countryman could drop plug-in hybrid power in favour of 48V mild-hybrid engines, however. “I think once you get EVs to a certain range, for the MINI use case, I don’t see a big market for PHEV,” hinted former MINI boss Bernd Körber in 2021. 

The petrol engine range will kick off with MINI’s familiar 134bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol, with a starting price of around £28,000 in the UK.

This engine will form the basis of the 48-volt mild-hybrid version, too, which will generate 168bhp and 280Nm of torque. The 48-volt system should enable engine-off coasting, smoother stop-start transitions and better fuel economy.

For those craving more performance, the range-topping Cooper S model will utilise a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine; again with 48-volt tech for improved response and efficiency. This unit is already available in the BMW X1, where it puts out 215bhp and 360Nm. 

As indicated by a previous round of spy shots, the Cooper S will arrive with a smattering of design tweaks to separate it from lesser models, including a deeper front grille and quad exhaust tips.

Now read more about the new all-electric MINI Cooper SE Convertible…

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