No excuses for EV price gouging. Battery prices have dropped off a cliff and are still falling. Good to see Fully Charged reviews becoming more objective and calling out the bad points if necessary.

"Not that I've had much experience of science fiction robots". Said with a perfectly straight face.

Nice to see they are not all getting bigger, that is the size a mini should be. A little to expensive. Good to see Bobby doing testing.

for 150 miles of range, it should cost under 20K, not 38K

Great review, simple and honest. With the battery prices falling I don't see how the new EV's are still at a premium over ICE versions. Well said and keep pushing that point. I look forward to the day that a similar spec ICE car and EV are at price parity. That is then truly giving the choice to consumers.

In 2024 I'd expect more real world range than 150 miles, for that price. Car itself looks alright.

This is a much better review than most: I love how instead of trying to describe how the car handles and ‘feel’ through steering and inches of legroom, he just got straight to the point: it’s not boring, it’s fun to drive, range is less but still sufficient for most people, getting in the back can be hard for some, but once in it’s decent. And focused on: the screen, the ease of use, the head up display position, the styling elements because it’s a mini, and the price. All of this without so much drama. Can’t all reviews be like this one (and the others by Robert?)

I don't know what figures you achieved in the end, but in 2024 for a car that small anything under 4 miles/kWh is inexcusable. 5 or more is perfectly doable and it allows cars to have a smaller battery without compromising on range. Seat did it with the Mii which wasn't even a dedicated EV.

Nice to see more Bobby reviews, I was half wondering if once he got in the back the rest of the review would be done as he was 'trapped'. Thanks for another great vid

I do wonder if the EU legacy manufacturers are even trying tbh. 4 mpk is atrocious for a car that size. My ioniq 5 regularly exceeds 5.5 in mixed driving so something this small with 2/3rds the battery size should be over 6.

Great to watch another brutally honest car review from Robert. Who really cares about the 0-60 time or the top speed nowadays. Tell us what it's like to drive and how it feels. Top job Kryten :-)

Cant believe the range is still so bad 😂

I would disagree that 150 miles (240km) is enough range for long-range driving: You want the range for 70% of the battery (10-80%, as this is the range where charging is fast), to give you more than two hours on the highway (a comfortable interval to stop at). 70% of 240km is 168km, which is barely an hour and a half driving. So about 300-350km range is the sweetspot.

I knew what Robert was going to say about the suspension long before he said it; you could SEE how rough it was from the inside camera as he was driving along (roads I know), that arent that bad. 150 mile real world range is really barely adequate unless you only want to potter around town; come winter - unless it has heated seats/HVAC (not mentioned), the range is going to plunge. it isnt a case of inadequate charging infrastructure, more a case of always needing to be conscious of where you need to stop next; and a short range also means those out-of-range trips are going to cost a lot more; home charging is so much cheaper than using even the cheapest Rapid charger. I occasionally do a run to Heathrow (through the Cotswolds = ~120 miles); a 100% home charge costs me ~£3 for my remaining 26.1KWh of battery, then I need 3x 20-80% rapid charges along the way, that cost me ~£33+; if I had the newer version of my car, I could JUST make the trip on my initial charge - which would cost me ~£10.

I really find it wild that I am still watching you Robert, I had been a long time viewer of the Junkyard Wars. SO insane youre still at it! Hope to see you for years to come!

Did Robert say, ‘Tinny’ the Robot?” Frunkin’ HIGHlarious!

The Mini website says that the head up display (+ a few of the other features in the Mini tested here) are not standard but come as part of a £2000 Level 1 upgrade package! Sorry Robert, but it looks like someone fibbed if they told you that you were driving the base model.

The old version did about 130 which is way more that most people drive in a day.... I always wonder what daily mileage people who moan about EV range actually do.... truth is 10yrs ago lots of people bought EVs with a 80 mile maximum range and had no issues at all as a daily driver, seems to me people convince themselves they are doing intercontinental tours all the time when in reality they go to Aldi on a Saturday and 20 miles a day to work 😂

My very first can was a yellow mini. Bought new. A few months into ownership I drove from Birmingham to Bath on a cold day. I was puzzled by the frost gathering on the inside of the windscreen. On return, I took it back to the dealer and told them of my experience. They had a look at the car and told me that the heating ducts hadn't been connected. Thankfully, your sample wasn't made at Longbridge.

never thought I’d see a display that looks like a dinner plate, but there you go

5:18 I guess the conversion from miles to Km is the other way 😛 -> 160 Wh/Km or 16 kWh/100Km as we prefer to use 😉

Better, but still pretty poor miles/kWh per £ compared to the competition

I have to be honest i hated the circle infotainment with rectangle screen inside on the older minis, and i'm someone who actually likes buttons. Making the whole screen circle looks clean.

Those rear lights are ridiculous - I realise they’re supposed to be half a Union Jack, but they look like arrows pointing the wrong way. Indicate left, arrow points right.

Tesla Model Y RWD base model in Germany atm: 39.000 € New Mini Cooper: 35.000 €

Love the show (as usual!) but as a product designer it pains me to see this car. One of the most iconic, recognizable, and loved car design ever to be made was totally disconfigured here. The back looks horrendous. The front fascia lack personality - and to say this of a mini is to say a lot. I hope Frank Stephenson does a critique of this, I'd love to watch it. Also, Bobby, you should have him on the show!

5:18 Somebody got the efficiency wrong 😅. If the efficiency is 261 Wh/mile, it should be 163 Wh/km (dividing 261 by 1.6, but somebody multiplied it instead 😅)

I think the design is absolutely on point! It is now much cleaner, simplified, and it certainly looks as iconic as ever. I know the range is not the best and the price is maybe a bit to high…but I would definitely get this one instead of an MG4 or a e-208!

I like the comment of not messing with the screen as concentrating to stay safe. Now drive on our roads and adjust the temperature and fan speed and fan direction on these ridiculous touch screens.

Explaining how a button works LOL. Great video. thank you

Perhaps they are still making petrol cars because they work!! When I look at whole life costs together with how most of our electricity is still produced I really struggle to see the argument for ev’s. Love the presentation all the same. 10 out of 10 for enthusiasm!

It shares its platform with the GWM Ora as GWM and BMW developed the platform together. I find it interesting that the GWM gets a bigger battery though and that the Mini has much less range. I can see some GWM bits in the interior as well and i'd bet that a fair bit of the mechanicals are GWM too. In essence, its a Chinese German British car!

140 miles is 2 hours on the motorway, not 3

Robert clearly likes to drive local, it always makes me smile to see the Cotswold edge in the background. I drive around there quite often but have never caught him yet!

Since late 2023, the Electric Mini Cooper is developed and produced in China at the Spotlight Automotive joint venture facility in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu. It seems BMW made a major error in judgement building it in China, EU Tarrffs may make it uncompetitive in the UK market. It's way past time BMW manufactured it here, and stopped being cheapscates...

Resplendent in "Fully Charged Yellow". I'd be comparing it to something like the Hyundai Inster. I prefer the Inster.

Good to see the fully charged show going on the road and travelling all over the world. So good to see that we’re all helping the planet and flying around the world!

I’m a HUGE fan of instrument displays that are CLEAR and CONSISE. What I mean is that if I’m looking for the speed or the navi or temperature controls; they shouldn’t blend together. If you are doing greater than 100km/hr, in traffic, you don’t have time to fiddle here and fiddle there. Make 3 displays rather than 1 display to help preserve the safety for the driver. Rather a disappointment to remove a physically shielded driver cluster (showing speed, distance, warnings, other essentials). I’m not turning my head to look at a central display that the passenger can play with. That is a hazard. (To be clear about heads up displays, you can do a windshield projection and have a decent daylight visibility while it creates no clutter. The little tinted glass where a proper clutter belongs is a failure honestly.)

A great down to earth review, but this mini needs the indicators below the lights, as It just looks too plain and un mini like. The rear lights too don't look right (the old model ones looked better). Also never in mini history have the rear lights been triangles?

They're making petrol/diesel cars because they're £10,000 cheaper and not everyone has the ability to charge an EV at home and the charging infrastructure is a few years off being fit for purpose.

his reviews are always wayyyy too positive

Like a Renault 5, but bulkier, less range, more expensive, less charisma and an ugly gum shield in its gob… No thanks

I know a taxi driver local to me with the MG4 LR who gets over 300 miles a charge even on motorway trips. On hot days, he has seen over 340 miles

Agree, will take a MG4 any day instead, thanks Robert for covering this and the personal comparison This new Mini is not for practicality but for peoples wanting their own Mini, this is the best one yet

150miles, in ideal conditions. Unfortunately that is not sufficient here in Canada as real world would be closer to 100miles during our 6 month winter season.

Not enough range for that price. Looks good, but how did that work out for the Honda E?

I knew what the noise would be before you played it - the Jetsons

Thanks for the video. I think the Renault R5 Etech is more in line with the form/design of this mini. And that one is A LOT cheaper. The plus for this mini is, it is a sporty 2-door EV, and that is about unique.

"I cann't do 3 hours on a motorway, I need to have a wee" The joys of getting older! But if you cannot do 150 miles on a motorway in a lot less than 3 hours (roadworks permitting!) then I suggest Bobby you are no longer particularly safe on motorways. I suspect the range is actually closer to 190 miles in urban environments (under 4m/kw) but 150 miles on motorway at normal motorway speeds sounds about right. But the Mini is not intended as a motorway cruiser, merely a city car so for that the range is fine. As the video suggests, the new Mini is for Mini fans only. It is completely outclassed by the MG4 and BYD Dolphin. If it was priced at c. £23-24,000 then it would be viable option

That big round screen at the front.... I'm hoping the electronics industry magazines/sites have articles and interviews with the EEs who worked on that. It looks challenging in terms of manufacturing.

Yay to reviews of base models!

Nothing is more relaxing than a old style car review by Bobby.

Sounds a bit like the Jetsons vehicle sound.

Thanks Robert, great review! Not to be negative, but I've been a bit more critical of the latest MINI refresh. I want a small electric car for the limited city driving I do, so range it's my issue. But as a MINI purist, the exterior design has been downhill for ages. (Not to mention this model is still larger than the first 2 iterations). I'm not a fan of either the front end (it's looking like a lexus) and especially the backend (which no longer looks like a MINI). And the back turn lights point in the wrong direction again! The price is odd; the electric models are apparently made in China (so maybe the higher price is from tariffs). Sadly the MINI is billed as a "premium" car; not driving an oversized SUV shouldn't be premium.

Agreed, Mr. Llewellyn. In this time period, the only cars that should be produced that have internal combustion are enthusiast manual transmission cars. The average person would be thrilled to have a car that runs on the price of a fraction of fuel, have little to no maintenance, won't stink up the garage. Now manufacturers need to step up and make it happen!

Great review Rob! I had the F56 Mini Electric, I loved it. You got to consider the Mini factor, about 100miles is about 90miles once you've really booted it! I loved my 'old' Mini Electric but with a fatal flaw of 90miles range, it really wasn't usable even for motorway commuting as you can't guarantee the destination would have charging and public charging is so costly anyway. I suspect with the newest mini ev, the range of approx 150miles would drop to around 130miles once you had abit of fun in it! Still not a usable range in my opinion, I think 200miles is an optimum range in the UK to get from A-B and back again without getting stung by public charging, which in some cases is more expensive than fuel... I think it should really be used to top up. I found myself regularly charging near empty at public chargers. I've gone back to petrol. But in the hope that public leccy will get less expensive and when EV's come down in price with an effective range of around 200miles :)

We will now be expecting Kryten or the skutters to make that noise in the New Series of Red Dwarf that hasn't been announced yet. 😂

Up-thumbed at 3:16 just for that interesting unusual sound!

I think you hit the nail on the head - it should be cheaper than the petrol version, not massively more expensive. Until this happens across the board mainstream adoption will be stunted. Still, I bet we'll be seeing a lot of these around London and the Cotswolds!

Took a test drive in both the new Minis and I was surprised how harsh the suspension was. Even around town you felt every lump and bump in the road. Our Mazda MX5 feels like a magic carpet ride by comparison.

It's 50% more expensive than petrol, the range is rubbish, charging speed is catastrophic, and the suspension is non existent. Truly lovely...

A reskinned GWM ORA 03?

Seems like Bobby's main objection to the "original" Mini-E was range for the price. Otherwise all of the adjectives he has used to describe the new Mini-E can be applied to the old. I disagree with his perspective that because the old Mini-E was basically a petro conversion, that that somehow delegitimized it as a good if not great EV. The first example he gave was "the fit and finish was just so good" -- well, the old Mini-E had that, too, so next? Pleasure to drive -- old Mini-E had that as well. Head up display? Well had Mini NOT copied Tesla, with a forward instrument cluster like the old Mini-E the new Mini-E would need not have to bother with a head-up display. Center display? Mini heritage had been no-nonsense instrumentation -- what does putting picture of kids, dog or cat have to do with driving? So most of the "improvements" IMHO were simply gimmicks that do not a great EV make. New Mini-E "SO Much Better"? I completely disagree.

Happy to see more bespoke EV platforms being designed. And I really love the circular screen, very cool. But Bobby is right, the price needs to come down. And yes, why the heck are some dimwits still making fossil cars in 2024??

Robert Llewellyn is the Graham Norton of cars and other vehicles. He is so much better then other presentators. It is always a joy to watch him.

Nice to see you back behind the wheel doing reviews again Robert. Hope to see you do more in future.

About the range - this is the base model, the SE model claims 250 miles WLTP to probably about 200 miles in the real world. But obviously is more expensive (around £40k with the higher trim). I've already ordered mine :D Not the cheapest car, I could have got better value for money in terms of range/cost but the Mini was just so much better to drive than the MG4, e-208 or Zoe.

with it being a mini the price was always going to be high, compared to other brands. I think the fact the car makes a sound as you drive is really good. I think these should be mandatory for the safety of pedestrians and other road users.

Took 1 out for a drive, its a nice car but I told the sales guy it's just too expensive especially with the C3, renault 5, Panda and the Inster coming soon.

One of your Personal Best Reports!

I currently have a model 3. I’d love to have sth more compact for the city. I’ll consider this in a few years. I really like this car :)

Great review Robert , good to see you in the driving seat again 😊

I’ve always liked the mini , tip on getting in the back , as well as tippin the front seat forward it also moves forwards by using a small lever underneath, making it easy to get in 😂😂😂👍👍

Finally! A car that they've properly designed the radar sensor (black box thing) for. So many cars have them plonked on, but the Mini has it neatly in the centre.

The back of it really gives me "Chinese car design" vibes but I can't place my finger on why. Presumably this is a concious decision by BMW in order to try and sell in the biggest car market on earth?

The best thing about that car for me is something Robert didn't mention. It's in colour! (I loathe the fashion for monochrome dullness)

I don't find the MG LKA annoying at all, I have he sensitivity set to min and keep within the lane markings. It's not active below 35 mph. Just use your indicators and keep in the lane.

I love how everyone seems to have learned from the Honda E. I just wish that car was getting a second gen.

Such a nice colour for a Mini. Makes me sad seeing so many of these being bought in dull colours

Great review Robert. Totally agree, Mini could have been more ambitious with the range. Looks fun but will be interesting to see how it compares to the Renault 5.

Not a fan of the design of this at all, looks like a toy and sometimes thats fun and I generally like that in some cars but they should have kept more of the regular mini design in this, much better looking car. But good to see a dedicated EV platform. My favorite small EV is probably the Honda E with all its drawbacks it was so cool and I'll have one maybe in 5 years when a small car like that can have 2,5 times the energy storage onboard! The Zoe is another nice small EV, it was cheap for a while then it went up... did spot one just the other day! I'm still hooked on the first generation Kia Niro EV haha, would still be good today with 400 km's of range, in most models it has not changed that much unless you buy 80K - 120K+ cars! Best part about that car is that it looks like a normal car inside and out... not overly complicated.

It's good to see Robert doing car reviews again, but I'm afraid it's a BIG miss for me and I think we'll be keeping our original 2020 Mini Electric rather than get the new one 🙁 - the bodywork no longer really looks like a mini (that rear end?! 😮) and has horrible creases in it so that it looks like it's had a prang at sometime, plus the handles will be a haven for spiders! 😆 - the interior looks really cheap, especially the buttons, and not worth the 30 grand price tag (an increase of £6k on ours?!) - yes the screen is nice but the changing of modes is sooo slow (5secs) & impractical and a backwards step from the 2020 model which is an instant change. I do agree wirh Robert that the range is more than adequate (we've had 120miles & 15% battery left before now) and a smaller battery just means quicker charging stops 😃 With the likes of the Renault 5, Fiat Grande Panda & Hyundai Inster (to name but a few) all coming out soon, cheaper and going further on a charge, I think Mini will struggle to sell these... 😬

I volunteered at the 2012 paralympic games road cycling events (and Olympic games) controlling the race vehicles, supplied by BMW. They had an electric mini they were testing out but it kept breaking down. The whole of the back seat was filled with batteries so it was definitely a prototype! I remember thinking how cool it would be to drive an EV. Even though it was a prototype it still accelerated very quickly.

If you need a break after three hours driving you need to hand in your licence. It’s also the fact you need somewhere guarenteed to charge it up when you get to your destination 75 miles away before you come home. Probably 60 miles because nobody drives around with less than a 10 miles range…

Always love cheerful mini style and round screen… It’s so nice!! But I don’t think 35k starting price is justifiable. It should start from 20k, maybe 25k.

£30k is just too much. Imagine if someone did a Fiat 500, little pocket rocket, £10k electric car. It would sell like hot cakes.

Nice to see Robert back on reviews!

Charming as always

It's difficult to get passed just how much the suspension creates a vibrato in Robert's voice.

I think it's cute, fun, and cheerful. Even the yellow color and I'm not usually a fan of yellow. Oh and that sound you can't drive without it being on that adds personality to the car

No "old usb"? I guess this car too got on the trend of not letting you play music from a usb. I know the infotainment system is not the point of these videos but is a feature that I really miss on newer cars. So many country roads lack proper service to use spotify and the such and I'm not paying extra for the ability to stream on the car when there's no internet

Brilliant. Would love to see more reporting on the expected average bundled model. That if you need no package to have a good experience then they should be letting reviewers test that ‘bare bones’ model. However if the car manufacturer means for you to subscribe to heated steering wheels or only have trail access to high beams, the car manufacturer should say the base price is X + a yearly subscription for Y (before counting the cost general maintenance).

I usually admire the way Robert chooses his wardrobe but definitely not this time ))

Feel like FC has been a little bit more forgiving on the EV overcharging / putting bigger batteries and more tech in the cars to keep them expensive situation recently. Good to hear Robert calling it out. Hopefully this is the biggest topic on the news show and so on, because it can’t be allowed to go on any longer. As far as the car itself, I like the design. It reminds me a bit of a Suzuki Swift, and that’s one of my favourite designs. Especially with the yellow paint, it really reminds me of it.

I hear you about BMW and petrol cars, but there still are situations that an EV isn't going to work. I'd love to go EV, but my 100+ year old building has no way to charge one where I park, and literally half the charging stations between myself and where I normally have to go are perpetually out of service. Maybe one day.

You gripped about having to raise the rear headrest in the Corsa, now with it being a Mini it’s cool. Make your mind up!

I'm surprised how good the round display looks. Very cool indeed!

Saw one of these live last week... the rear is such a mistake...

Still no 4 door version? Even though they've made a 4 door gas Mini hatchback for a while now?

5:49) Range? Excellent from Eisenhower Junction to Denver!