Mini’s biggest model, the Countryman, has gone maxi when it comes to range – with a boost from 286 to 307 miles. The extra miles come as a result of tweaks to the Countryman’s battery system to provide more usable energy. New friction-reducing wheel bearings on the front wheels have also helped to increase the car’s maximum range.
While the Mini Countryman E now claims the 307-mile range figure, the all-wheel drive Mini Countryman SE All4 also sees a range increase up to 287 miles from 267 miles.
In even better news for Mini Countryman buyers, the electric versions are now eligible for the higher rate of the government’s Electric Car Grant, giving buyers a £3,750 discount off the £33,005 starting price.
No other electric Mini is currently eligible for the ECG, with the Countryman joining the Citroën ë-C5 Aircross Long Range, Ford E-Tourneo Courier, Ford Puma Gen-E, Nissan LEAF, Renault 4, Renault 5 (with the 52 kWh battery) and Alpine A290 as the only other cars getting the higher rate discount.
The current Countryman was launched in 2023 as the biggest Mini model ever at 4,444mm long. It was designed to provide something for Mini owners who need more room and used to have to leave the brand to get it. The car offers proper space for up to five passengers with a boot that can expand from 450 to 1,450 litres, considerably larger than the 300-litre boot in the five-door all-electric Aceman model. The Countryman was also the first of the new breed of Minis that now includes the Aceman and the three-door hatch, that took the Cooper name.
Particular highlights of the Countryman are its trademark Mini go-kart handling, with go-kart mode that changes steering and power delivery settings as well as the dash display and interior light colour (complete with a woo-hoo jingle). It also has a high-quality interior with cloth across the dash intersected by sporty straps, plus a high-tech take on the traditional central Mini instrument panel – a super-cool 9.5-inch wide circular OLED infotainment screen.
The electric Countryman is built in Germany at BMW’s Leipzig plant alongside the BMW iX1 and iX2, which both share the platform and battery tech with the Mini. So, it should be expected that those models will benefit from their own tech upgrades and possibly be eligible for the electric car grant, too.
The new all-electric Countryman with greater range and the ECG discount will arrive in UK Mini showrooms in March, just in time for the introduction of the new 26-plate registrations.
