Mini launches Countryman S E All 4 plug-in hybrid
BY JUSTIN HILLIARD | 11th Apr 2019
MINI Australia has officially added the S E All4 plug-in hybrid to its Countryman small SUV line-up after a two-and-a-half-year wait, with the new model priced from $57,200 plus on-road costs.
Slotting between the Countryman’s $54,200 Cooper SD All4 and $59,900 JCW All4 variants, the S E All4 is Mini Australia’s first electric vehicle.
The S E All4 combines a 100kW/220Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine (from the Countryman Cooper) with a 65kW/165Nm synchronous electric motor for combined outputs of 165kW/385Nm.
The former (via a six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission) and latter send drive to the front and rear wheels respectively for All4 all-wheel-drive traction.
As a result, the S E All4 can sprint from standstill to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds – the same mark that the Countryman Cooper S achieves.
A 7.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides 40km of pure-electric driving range on the NEDC cycle and is covered by a six-year/100,000km warranty. The rest of the vehicle falls under Mini Australia’s three-year/unlimited-kilometre term.
Claimed fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions on the NEDC combined cycle test are only 2.1 litres per 100 kilometres and 49 grams per kilometre respectively.
While a full charge takes 3.25 hours using a domestic power outlet, the time needed drops to 2.25 hours if a Mini Wallbox is used.
Three e-Drive driving modes allow the driver to change the interaction between the petrol engine and electric motor while on the move.
Auto e-Drive, the default mode, sees the electric motor drive the S E All4 up to speeds of 80km/h, at which point the petrol engine also kicks in. Switching to Max e-Drive changes the latter’s engagement point to 125km/h.
The petrol engine starts up sooner if more rapid acceleration is required or the battery pack’s charge drops below seven per cent.
Alternatively, Save Battery uses regenerative braking to charge the battery pack to 90 per cent and maintain that capacity until a different mode is selected.
Standard equipment includes silver 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated side mirrors with Mini puddle lights, Satin Silver roof rails and side skirts, and a power-operated tailgate.
Inside, an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, satellite navigation, Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio, a six-speaker sound system, wireless smartphone charging, two USB ports, keyless entry and start, sports steering wheel and front seats, Carbon Black leather-appointed upholstery and velour floormats, a Satellite Grey headliner, Hazy Grey trim and LED ambient lighting feature.
Advanced driver-assist systems extend to autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, speed limit recognition, a reversing camera, and front and rear parking sensors.
Despite the extra hardware added to its rear, the S E All4 offers 405L of cargo capacity with its 40/20/40 split-fold second-row seats upright, or 1275L with them stowed.
“The Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid is the first step in what will be an exciting journey into the world of Mini future mobility,” Mini Australia general manager Brett Waudby said.
“With performance on-par to the famous Countryman Cooper S but even greater efficiency, thanks to its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, the Countryman plug-in hybrid offers exceptional all-round performance, versatility and economy.”
Sales of the Countryman have decreased this year, with 250 examples sold to the end of March – a 15.5 per cent slide over the 296 deliveries made during the same period in 2018.
As a result, the Countryman is now the seventh best-selling model in the $40,000-plus small-SUV segment, trailing the Volvo XC40 (781 units), BMW X1 (613), Mercedes-Benz GLA (595), Audi Q2 (589), BMW X2 (470) and Lexus UX (446).
