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2017 Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4: Brand’s first PHEV detailed, on the cards for Australia

The 2017 Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 has been revealed, becoming the first model from the brand to offer a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain.


Joining the all-new 2017 Mini Countryman range next year, the PHEV variant promises to maintain the dynamic ability that the brand's cars are known for despite its more environmentally-friendly powertrain.

With its 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels and a synchronous electric motor turning the rear, the Cooper S E Countryman develops a combined 165kW of power and 385Nm of torque.

Mini claims a combined fuel consumption figure of just 2.1L/100km and an all-electric range of up to 40km/h.

Additionally, the Countryman PHEV is capable of running on purely electric power at speeds of up to 125km/h.

The petrol engine shifts gears through a six-speed automatic transmission, while the electric motor features a two-stage single-speed transmission.

Underneath the rear seats is a 7.6kWh lithium-ion battery, which can be charged in 3:15 hours via a regular household socket or 2:15 hours when hooked up to a 3.6kW wallbox.

The Mini Cooper S E Countryman also features selectable eDrive modes, which can be adjusted to prioritise performance or economy.

Auto eDrive allows for pure-electric driving up to 80km/h, with the combustion engine enabled at higher speeds, when accelerating quickly or when the battery's charge falls below seven per cent.

Max eDrive offers electric-only mobility at speeds of up to 125km/h, while the combustion engine is used at higher speeds or on kickdown.

Finally, the 'Save Battery' mode keeps the lithium-ion unit at above 90 per cent charge by primarily using the combustion engine or the starter generator.

Other differences include a yellow start/stop switch as opposed to the red button in regular Mini models.

The Mini Cooper S E Countryman uses a similar hybrid system to parent company BMW's iPerformance range, in particular the BMW X1 xDrive25Le iPerformance - though this model is reserved for China only.

Under the bonnet of the X1 PHEV is the same 100kW/220Nm 1.5-litre turbo triple that drives the front axle, while a slightly more powerful 70kW/165Nm electric motor turns the rear wheels.


Above: BMW X1 xDrive25Le iPerformance

Thanks to the larger size of the China-specific long-wheelbase X1, the BMW also features a larger 10.7kWh battery pack that allows for up to 60km of zero-emissions driving.

However, the similarities make sense considering the Mini range and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and X1 all share their 'UKL' platform for front- and all-wheel drive vehicles.

Australia

The all-new 2017 Mini Countryman range will launch in its European home market in February 2017, with Australian deliveries to commence "late Q1 2017".

However, the company's local arm can't confirm the availability of the PHEV variant just yet.

"If you look at how strongly BMW has invested in iPerformance this year, Mini is very keen to see the Countryman S E plug-in in Australia," said Adam Davis, product communications manager at BMW Australia.

"However, we can’t confirm the local line-ups at this point in time."

Stay tuned to CarAdvice for more Mini Countryman updates in the coming months.

Click the photos tab for more images of the 2017 Mini Cooper S E Countryman

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