Next-Gen Mini Cooper Revealed: Mini’s Future Is Electric

• Mini has revealed the first images of the next-generation Mini Hardtop.
• It's seen here in the Mini Cooper Electric variant.
• The design features a similar body shape to the current model but with a few tweaks.

After spy shots of an undisguised next-generation Mini Cooper Hardtop SE surfaced last week, Mini has decided to officially pull the wraps off the upcoming electric hatchback. We can see that the new two-door Mini Cooper Hardtop's proportions are overall quite similar to the current model, but a few key differences clue us in to the fact that the upcoming version is all-new. The doors have a new kink near the handles (which are now flush with the bodywork) and the lines up front suggest that the hood no longer completely encircles the headlights. We also see an all-new lighting signature front and back, with the triangular taillights crimped in the middle. They point to a new full-width black trim piece upon which the trim name is emblazoned. The entire body sits on new 21-spoke wheels that are visually stunning, albeit likely a pain to clean.

Given the current Mini Electric's range of just 114 miles according to the EPA (we achieved 150 miles on Edmunds' real-world EV range route), we wholeheartedly expect the next version to have a larger battery pack with more range. We just hope the extra mass of a long-range battery doesn't diminish this EV's handling characteristics. The sprightly 0-60 mph time of 6.4 seconds and nimble, playful dynamics are a few of our favorite things about the current electric Mini Cooper.

Edmunds says

We're eagerly awaiting official information and specs of the next-generation Mini Cooper. But thanks to Mini itself, we at least know what the next version of its electric variant looks like.