New MINI Countryman SUV to be joined by pure-EV Electric model

MINI’s plans for electrification are gaining momentum and a big step will come this year as the firm’s third-generation Countryman is revealed at the Munich Motor Show in September.

The new Countryman will initially be launched as a petrol model in 2024 but in May next year we’ll see the first all-electric Countryman. Following the MINI Electric hatchback, We expect it to adopt the Countryman Electric name, following on from MINI Electric hatchback - the first pure-EV from the brand.

The first German-built model in MINI’s history, the Countryman will be produced at parent company BMW’s Leipzig plant. MINI will use the FAAR architecture from BMW, which sits under BMW’s 1 Series and 2 Series models, including the X1 and X2 SUVs. The electric BMW iX1 gives plenty of clues as to the Countryman Electric’s vital statistics. So there will be a 64.7kWh battery, with an expected range of around 280 miles.

In the iX1 there’s a 309bhp dual-motor setup. This should provide a 0-62mph time of around six seconds in the Countryman Electric and it should support the same 130kW peak charging speed as the iX1.

MINI boss Stefanie Wurst spoke to Auto Express about the new Countryman, stating the car has a big job to do. “This will definitely help us out in the US,” she says. “It’s also for people we were losing from the brand.”

As for internal combustion-engined versions, MINI will use BMW’s 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre engines with SE and four-wheel-drive ALL4 trim levels available. The lesser-power 1.5-litre turbocharged unit should produce around 134bhp with the potential for a 168bhp mild-hybrid version. The BMW X1 already uses a 215bhp 2.0-litre mild-hybrid and this powertrain could make its way over to the Countryman. Wurst also confirmed that hot John Cooper Works versions of every new MINI are on the cards.

The John Cooper Works is likely to be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 302bhp. Expect a performance increase for the new one, decreasing the outgoing car’s 5.1-second 0-62mph time. As indicated by a previous round of spy shots, the Cooper S will arrive with a smattering of design tweaks to separate it from lesser models, including a deeper front grille and quad exhaust tips.

Inside, the Cooper will feature a trademark central, circular screen with a slim, high-definition makeover, an improvement in the quality of materials throughout the cabin, a wider variety of colours and textures, plus what Wurst describes as “an immersive digital experience”.

The new car will also be more spacious inside. MINI has grown the Countryman by 100mm to just over 4,400mm long, giving much more usable space in the back row and a bigger boot than the outgoing car’s, leaving space for a new, smaller electric MINI SUV in the future. 

The exterior is still under wraps, but revealed by these official images of a camouflaged prototype, the next Countryman will retain trademark MINI design cues such as a floating roof panel and round LED headlights.

Now read more about the new all-electric MINI Cooper SE Convertible...