Bets are on for Mini Electric in Las Vegas

The first ever Mini electric headed to Las Vegas, before lockdown. Photo: Mini

The new Mini Electric has been spotted in Las Vegas, but it wasn’t on the pokies, trying its hand at blackjack or seeing Britney Spears in concert, instead it was promoting its zero emissions in the famous desert town.

Don’t worry, the Mini Electric wasn’t breaking any Covid-19 rules that have seen the city of sin closed down, instead the photo shoot was taken before the outbreak.

The Mini Electric recently had its global launch in Miami, and will be badged this Cooper SE in most countries. Priced from $59,900, a limited number of launch special First Edition variants will arrive in New Zealand dealerships from August 2020. This makes it one of the cheapest new electric vehicles available here.

The first electric Mini will be starring on AutoMuse this Sunday in our Around the World feature where we curate reviews from global experts.

The Mini Electric has a range of between 235 and 270km on a single charge. Photo: Mini

But while it was in Las Vegas, the Mini Electric made an impact on the busy casino-lined streets, where visitors gave it the thumbs up and took videos and photos of it.

So much for the saying, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”.

Mini said “the small car only needs a modest footprint to park, it buzzes quietly along the world-famous Las Vegas Strip”.

But in the desert city that gets up to around 50 degrees Celsius there, the high-voltage battery of the new Mini Electric remains “cool”.

“The range is between 235 and 270 kilometres with a fully-charged battery, and it only comes down very gradually. This is made possible by an extremely effective all-in cooling system for the interior and the high-voltage battery.

The Mini Electric, aka Cooper SE, coped with the desert heat. Photo: Mini

“Thanks to highly efficient heat-pump technology, the cooling system runs like a dream into the bargain. It also permits pre-conditioning of the interior.”

We’re glad the Mini Electric had a safe time in Las Vegas – we wouldn’t want it emulating The Hangover crew.