The British manufacturer MINI officially introduced its first model with a plug-in hybrid drive. This is the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, which is designed for everyday urban use, but it is also suitable for long trips.
The hybrid crossover is powered by a power unit that includes a 3-cylinder petrol engine with a capacity of 1.5 liters and 136 hp and a 88 hp electric motor under the floor. The total system power is 224 hp, with the average fuel consumption of the manufacturer being 2.3 liters / 100 km and the CO2 emissions of 52 g/km. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 6.8 seconds.
The MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 relies on the BMW Group’s eDrive technology and electrified four-wheel drive. The front wheels are driven by the internal combustion engine and the rear wheels by the electric motor. Only on electricity the hybrid can go up to 42 km and develops a maximum speed of 125 km/h.
Immediately in front of the electric motor, under the rear seat is a lithium-ion battery. It consists of five modules with 16 cells and just like the electric motor is made by the BMW Group. The battery capacity is 7.6 kW/h, and it can be fully charged by a special station for 2 hours and 30 minutes, while a standard home contact time is 3 hours and 15 minutes.
During the trip, the driver has the option to choose between three driving modes that command a special switch – eDrive Toggle. The first mode is AUTO eDRIVE, where the car is driven only by electricity, and the internal combustion engine is activated at 80 km / h. It comes on as soon as the battery charge drops below 7%.
In the second MAX eDRIVE mode, only electricity evolves to 125 km/h, with the internal combustion engine running at higher speeds or when the pedal is depressed to the full for better acceleration.
There is also a SAVE BATTERY mode in which the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine. In this case, the battery charge level is maintained above 90% or rises to that of the starter generator.
The battery charge level and the selected mode of navigation are displayed on the 6.5-inch display on the instrument panel as it enters the model’s standard equipment. As an option, a Wired package with a MINI Professional navigation system is available, 8.8-inch touchscreen control and a dedicated middle console controller.
