[Auto] Fiat 500e vs. Mini Cooper SE: Retro-fashionable EVs Face Off On Paper

[Dr@g0n]

The electric car revolution has largely been fought by larger, faster, and more expensive luxury offerings. Why? At higher price points, it's easier for automakers to extract a profit from pricey-to-build EVs using new technology; plus, until recently, usable driving range has required a lot of batteries—thus larger cars to fit them into. As battery technology improves, smaller electric vehicles with more modest batteries and usable range have become possible. The Mini Cooper SE hatchback teeters on the edge of this transition; a gasoline-to-electric conversion, it's representative of an older school of thought, where automakers simply removed engines and fuel tanks and replaced them with electric components to quickly and relatively cheaply deliver new EVs. Around since 2019, the stylish, fun-to-drive Mini is finally getting a direct competitor: the newly announced 2024 Fiat 500e. Unlike the Mini, the Fiat arrives on a dedicated EV platform, meaning that it was developed from the ground up as an electric vehicle. In the past, both the Fiat 500 and Mini Hardtop have been rolling style statements as much as they are means of transportation, and that certainly hasn't changed with these quirky and cute electric variants. As city cars, we think that they benefit from lower centers of gravity (thanks to low-hanging batteries) and instant and substantial torque (thanks, electric motors!), factors that contribute to the nimbleness and maneuverability for which they are known. The Mini Cooper SE and Fiat 500e may be fashionable, but we dug into the specs to find out which one of these electrified icons offers more substance. SPONSORED CONTENT Why EV Specific Tires? By Sailun 2023 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop Resolute Edition 45 filterSEE ALL 38 PHOTOS Powertrain The 2023 Mini Cooper SE comes equipped with a front-mounted electric motor that develops 181 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque, making it nearly as powerful as a gasoline Mini Cooper S. In our instrumented testing, 60 mph is reached in only 6.0 seconds. Fiat's upcoming 2024 500e delivers less performance than its rival. We're expecting the version coming stateside will produce 118 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. According to Fiat, 60 mph should arrive in 9.0 seconds, although the automaker claims it'll scoot from 0-30 mph in just 3.1 seconds, which we reckon will help it feel peppy in city driving. We found the 500e to be plenty zippy when we briefly drove one, but those in need of performance will likely want to stick with the Mini Cooper SE or wait and see if Abarth's hotted-up, 152-hp 500e makes it to America. Fiat 500E 8 filterSEE ALL 38 PHOTOS Battery, Range, And Charging Mini equips the Cooper SE with a 32.6-kWh battery, which is delivers an EPA-estimated 114 miles of range. That figure lags most EVs that are on sale right now, and even a few from years ago. Fiat one-ups Mini with the upcoming 500e's claimed 150-200 miles of range. It has yet to confirm the specifications for the battery that we'll be receiving in our market, but in other markets a larger 42-kWh battery (of which 37.3 kWh is usable). Given America's taste for more range, that's the battery that we expect to make it to our shores. Fully replenishing the Mini Cooper SE's battery from zero to 100 percent takes just four hours on a 240-volt Level 2 unit but a Level 3 DC fast charger can restore 80 percent of battery capacity in 40 minutes at a rate of 50 kW. As with the Mini's range, that fast charging rate is growing less impressive by the day; our 2023 SUV of the Year, the affordable Hyundai Ioniq 5, for example, can charge at speeds up to 350 kW. Battery Capacity    Range    Max. Charge Rate Fiat 500e    42 kWh    150-200 miles (est)    85 kW Mini Cooper SE    32.6 kWh    114 miles    50 kW Fiat says a full recharge of the new 500e's battery takes four hours and fifteen minutes on a Level 2 charger. Level DC fast charging can add 80 percent charge in 35 minutes at rates up to 85 kW. Unless Mini introduces a new version of the Cooper SE before the 500e arrives, the Fiat hatchback appears to have the advantage with its battery, range, and charging. 2023 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop Resolute Edition 50 filterSEE ALL 38 PHOTOS Dimensions And Cargo Volume The 2023 Mini Cooper SE measures 151.4 inches long, 68.0 inches wide, and 56.4 inches tall with a wheelbase of 98.2 inches. The international version of the Fiat 500e measures 143.0 inches long, 66.3 inches wide, and 60.1 inches tall with a wheelbase of 91.4 inches, though some aspects could change to accommodate local safety regulations here, namely the bumper lengths, etc. Fiat 500e    Mini Cooper SE Length    151.4 in    143.0 in Width    66.3 in    68.0 in Height    60.1 in    56.4 in Show All Even though it's an EV-converted version of the gasoline Hardtop Cooper S, the Cooper SE offers the same 8.7 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the back seats and a total of 34.0 cubes with the second row flipped down. (That means unlike in many converted EVs, the Mini doesn't sacrifice any interior space to the electronics and batteries.) The Fiat's storage volume is much smaller than that of the Mini. Behind its rear seats, the 500e offers 6.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and an overall volume of 19.4 cubic feet with the back seats folded. Those in need of a little more space will want to stick with the Mini—or, say, the larger and less expensive (but far less stylish or fun) Chevy Bolt hatchback. Fiat 500 EV first drive 2 filterSEE ALL 38 PHOTOS Technology And Safety Every Mini Cooper SE receives an 8.8-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay; Android Auto has yet to be offered as part of the infotainment suite, a common shortcoming of Mini and its corporate overlord, BMW. Mini also offers optional tech including navigation, premium audio, wireless charging, and a head-up display. The standard suite of safety equipment includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning. The available Driver Assistance package adds adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, and a parallel parking assistant. Fiat announced that it will equip the 2024 500e with a 10.3-inch touchscreen running the  Uconnect 5 infotainment system spreading amongst Stellantis brands such as Jeep and Chrysler. That means it will also offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Other tech will include a 7.0-inch instrument cluster display, adaptive cruise control, level 2 semi-autonomous driver assistance, lane centering, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot detection, 360-degree parking sensors, and an emergency braking system. We'd wager that the Fiat just ekes out the Mini in terms of its tech and safety features, simply by dint of being newer. Fiat 500E 6 filterSEE ALL 38 PHOTOS Value The 2023 Mini Cooper SE starts at $30,750 for the base Signature trim. The mid-level Signature Plus model starts at $34,750 and the top-spec Iconic trim is priced at $37,750. Fiat hasn't yet announced pricing for the upcoming 2024 500e but has indicated that it will be offered as a luxury item rather than a car for the people this time around: Fiat brand CEO Olivier Francois has said that "The car will be expensive" and that special edition pricing will be "ridiculously high." In Europe, top trim models start around the $40,000 mark, so we expect the same to be true for the version that's offered in the United States. With this in mind, we anticipate that the Cooper SE, even if it receives a major update or even a full redesign, will remain the better value of the pair as far as pricing and features are concerned. If you were hoping for an affordable yet stylish "people's electric car," it seems like Mini Cooper SE will be the best bet.
link:https://www.motortrend.com/news/fiat-500e-vs-mini-cooper-se-specs-comparison/