Mini Cooper SE electric car starts as low as $17,900 (with incentives) in the US

After unveiling the electric Mini Cooper SE earlier this year, BMW is now announcing the price for its first all-electric Mini in the US, and it is fairly competitive.

The Mini Cooper SE all-electric can starts as low as $17,900 after EV incentives in the US.

When BMW unveiled the production version of the electric Mini Cooper SE earlier this year, some people were disappointed by the fact that the vehicle was based on the older BMW i3 electric platform.

It’s equipped with the i3’s older 32.6 kWh battery pack, which Mini says is good for a range of 235 to 270 km (146-168 miles) based on the WLTP cycle. It means closer to 130 miles on the EPA cycle.

The battery pack is limited to 50 kW DC fast-charging and it feeds a 135 kW/184 hp motor.

Some of those specs are not exactly impressive for a 2020 electric vehicle, but a good price would still make the car interesting.

Today, Mini announced the price of the electric Mini Cooper SE in the US: a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $29,900 plus an additional $850 Destination & Handling fee.

That’s before EV incentives.

After the $7,500 federal tax credit on top of some EV incentives in some states, the electric Mini Cooper SE can be bought for as low as $17,900.

Michael Peyton, vice president of MINI of the Americas, commented on the launch of the electric car in the US:

U.S. pricing of the new MINI Cooper SE was set to establish this new battery electric as a true class leader in making premium electric mobility more accessible to a broader range of customers. We at MINI are pleased to offer more people the ability to experience a drive charged with passion in the form of the MINI Cooper SE, an EV that is built ‘for the drive.’

The electric Mini Cooper SE is going to be in US dealerships in March 2020.

Electrek’s Take

We were disappointed in the Mini electric because it didn’t feature BMW’s latest electric vehicle technology. Instead, it relied on the BMW i3 powertrain, which is getting older.

It’s especially disappointing when you consider that BMW had a Mini electric for a decade as a pilot program before the BMW i3.

However, the powertrain is not bad for a vehicle of that format, which is mainly used as a city vehicle.

If you don’t plan on doing road trips with it, the shorter range and lack of powerful fast charging shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

So if the price is good, it can make sense for some people.

It could be the case in places like California, New York, Colorado, or Quebec, where strong EV incentives on top of federal incentives can make the price really attractive.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.