EV convertible

FIRST DRIVE Limited-run open-top car is a taste of things to come from MINI

- Jordan Katsianis

WITH a strict 999-unit run, only 150 of which will be coming to the UK, the MINI Electric Convertible will be something of a rarity. And at 52,500, it would likely have stayed that way, even if it had been put into full series production. So this MINI Electric Convertible is more of an appetiser for the world of open-top MINI EV motoring.

Under the skin, the new Convertible features the same basic powertrain as the hard-top, with a 181bhp electric motor powering the front wheels. Performance is spritely, rather than sporty, with 62mph reached in 8.2 seconds; that’s nearly a second down on the standard electric hatch, due to a hefty 1,470kg kerbweight.

The extra weight comes as a result of combining the electric powertrain with the added strengthening required for the Convertible bodystyle. However, as is the case with the electric hatch, the 269Nm of torque delivered by its e-motor is available from a standstill, so the car feels quicker on the road than the numbers suggest.