(-- removed HTML --) A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for the Countryman. (-- removed HTML --)
The Mini brand hardly needs an introduction, the quintessential British automotive marque known for its ultra-small cars. Now owned by BMW, Mini has thrived since it was sold to the German company in the 1990s. Indeed, in 2017, Mini distributed 371,881 vehicles worldwide, its best year ever.
The US market has been a tough one for Mini as consumers continue to gravitate toward larger models, something the brand doesn’t offer. That said, a new Countryman began easing brand losses in 2017, as sales of Mini’s largest model rose by 17 percent.
The 2018 Countryman line includes six models with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available. …show more content…
Otherwise, the Countryman delivers a fun driving experience, whether you’re zipping down the straightaway or rocking the twisties.
(-- removed HTML --) Let’s Go Electric! (-- removed HTML --)
BMW’s electrification efforts are well known, represented primarily by its “i” line of models, the I3 and the I8. Here, you have a choice of pure-electric models or electric vehicles with a range extender, i.e. a small gas engine/generator to keep these vehicles moving.
With the Countryman PHEV, Mini went the traditional PHEV route where the gas engine is the primary motivator and the electric motor supplements same. Only in this case, Mini went with a system that seems too mild even for this small vehicle.
To wit, the electrified Countryman has only a 12-mile all-electric range. This means once it reaches a full charge, you can activate a switch located on the center console and drive on electric power until the battery is depleted. This represents the shortest range of any PHEV. Specifically, the Countryman has about half the range of the Toyota Prius Prime and one-quarter the range of the Chevrolet
The Mini brand hardly needs an introduction, the quintessential British automotive marque known for its ultra-small cars. Now owned by BMW, Mini has thrived since it was sold to the German company in the 1990s. Indeed, in 2017, Mini distributed 371,881 vehicles worldwide, its best year ever.
The US market has been a tough one for Mini as consumers continue to gravitate toward larger models, something the brand doesn’t offer. That said, a new Countryman began easing brand losses in 2017, as sales of Mini’s largest model rose by 17 percent.
The 2018 Countryman line includes six models with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available. …show more content…
Otherwise, the Countryman delivers a fun driving experience, whether you’re zipping down the straightaway or rocking the twisties.
(-- removed HTML --) Let’s Go Electric! (-- removed HTML --)
BMW’s electrification efforts are well known, represented primarily by its “i” line of models, the I3 and the I8. Here, you have a choice of pure-electric models or electric vehicles with a range extender, i.e. a small gas engine/generator to keep these vehicles moving.
With the Countryman PHEV, Mini went the traditional PHEV route where the gas engine is the primary motivator and the electric motor supplements same. Only in this case, Mini went with a system that seems too mild even for this small vehicle.
To wit, the electrified Countryman has only a 12-mile all-electric range. This means once it reaches a full charge, you can activate a switch located on the center console and drive on electric power until the battery is depleted. This represents the shortest range of any PHEV. Specifically, the Countryman has about half the range of the Toyota Prius Prime and one-quarter the range of the Chevrolet