Would you believe that the first pure-electric Mini first broke cover in July 2019? In other words, it has been more than two years since that happened. And, if it wasn’t for the pandemic, the car in question would have landed on Indian shores long back. Well, it has now. Almost. Mini has opened bookings for the three-door zero-emissions hatchback, and the minimum token amount is Rs 1 lakh. But, if you want to reserve one, you can do so only by visiting Mini India’s online shop.

In profile, the Cooper SE looks identical to the conventionally-powered three-door Cooper. However, the EV does have some bespoke styling elements, such as the front grille, wheels and the complete absence of any tailpipes (obviously!). As you’d expect, the changes are a lot more significant underneath.

Stacked in a ‘T’ formation within the car’s floor is a 32.6kWh (28.9kWh net) lithium-ion battery. It powers a single electric motor that produces 181bhp and 270Nm of torque. Courtesy of those figures, the EV can hit 100kmph from a standstill in 7.3 seconds and reach 150kmph flat out. Now, let’s not forget that the Cooper SE weighs 145kg more than the Cooper S three-door automatic. With that in perspective, those performance figures aren’t too shabby.

Range? It can travel up to 270km (WLTP) on a single charge. And yes, it has multiple charging options. Using the home charging cable (2.1kW), the EV will take around 12 hours to replenish the battery. However, that wait time drops to 3 hours and 12 minutes if charged using a 7.4kW dedicated charger. Another option is using a public charging point. Plug it into an 11kW charger, and the battery recharges in about 2 hours and 30 minutes. The fasted option, however, is finding a 50kW DC charger. Use that, and the Cooper SE’s battery recharges in just 36 minutes.

In India, the Mini Cooper SE is available in four colours – White-Silver, Midnight Black, Moonwalk Grey and British Racing Green. And the list of features will include dual-zone automatic climate control, a digital instrument cluster, cruise control, LED headlamps and an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

When it launches, the Cooper SE won’t have a direct rival in India. And yes, it will most likely cost considerably more than the petrol-fed Cooper.