Remember the one-off electric Mini Cabrio introduced last summer? One that was never intended for production and was only meant to showcase Mini’s electric convertible idea? Guess what? It went into production.

The BMW-owned MIni has made a major U-turn on its one-off project, and thanks to a fairly convincing response from the public, the company has decided to put last summer’s “just an idea” into a limited production run of just 999 vehicles.

The limited series is not only in number but also in choice, only two colors are available – you can have it in White Silver or Enigmatic Black. All models have Resolute Bronze door handles, light frame and grille frame.

As for the choice of power units – there is only one. A single electric motor produces 184 hp (135 kW) and drives the front wheels. This is enough for the Mini to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. It won’t break any records, but it’s nimble enough for a fun driving experience.

However, the experience may not last too long if you are too comfortable with your right foot ruling the roost. The WLTP claimed range of 125 miles (201 km) can only be achieved with extreme caution and a strong tailwind. You’ll never see the 200km mark in real life, which is a shame, but the company uses the same 32.6kWh battery as the non-convertible Cooper SE.

Mini likens driving the new electric Cooper SE to the experience of driving a go-kart. Sure, all Minis are nimble and handle really nicely, but a go-kart nearly 4 meters long and weighing at least 1250 kg is a bit of a fantasy.

The company is proud to point out that the 17-inch wheels are made entirely of recycled aluminum, and the electrically operated folding roof can be folded and unfolded while driving – as long as the car stays below 30 km/h.

The limited edition of 999 units will go on sale in April only in Europe and will be produced in the Netherlands. It’s great that the company is actually taking their customer feedback into account and bringing out a car that should never have gone into production.

The new generation electric Mini will have its own convertible version that will go on sale in 2025. This will have more power and a longer range thanks to a special EV platform developed together with the Chinese company Great Wall Motor. The new generation electric Mini has a longer wheelbase but maintains the same overall size. The electric motor is slightly smaller but offers up to 221bhp and there will be two batteries on offer – 40kWh and 50kWh, with the latter apparently capable of delivering up to 400km (250 miles) of range.

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