Cooper SE

Plenty of Smiles per Mile

Having driven a variety of EV's, a short test drive in a Mini prompted buying a new one. The Mini is far ahead of most smaller EV's in performance. The acceleration is the best grin producer, closely followed by the excellent handling. The low range is a concern, but has caused no problems. Having a home charger and solar panels, charging can be frequent and cheap. Free charging is still available in a few places, and most utility suppliers have cheap overnight rates aimed at EV drivers. I charge little and often, which is a step change to driving a diesel with a 700 miles tank range. Longest trip so far is 90 miles, although range is not quite linear; set off with 107 miles range displayed, 90 miles later and range remaining showing as 41 miles. I always use the higher regeneration setting and aim for 'one foot' driving. The general feel of the car is of quality bits, put together nicely. A genuine pleasure to drive.

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