One of the cheapest EVs on the US market now starts at $4,325 more due to supply chain issues

Markets / August 2, 2022 / Admin / 0

Most new electric vehicles hitting the market aren’t cheap.

But the two-door Mini Cooper SE is a rare exception and one of the three cheapest EVs. It’s arguably far more exciting and image-boosting than the Chevy Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, which all start around $30,000 or less, if you’re willing to work with its 114-mile range.

It was also one of the few EVs on the market that didn’t see a big price hike in the past year.

That is, until now. While the base Cooper SE maintained the price line for this 2023 model year, deferring its $30,750 sticker price (including $850 destination charge), the price leader is no longer available. . And the most affordable EV option in the lineup costs $4,325 more.

According to Mini USA corporate communications manager Andrew Cutler, the base Cooper SE has been “temporarily unavailable due to supply chain issues.”

Mini had no further details on what this supply chain constraint is. But that leaves a pretty big affordability gap to the merry EV value leader that was.

Mini Cooper SE Resolute Edition 2023

The 2023 Mini Cooper SE gained more standard features, including a new steering wheel design plus an Apple CarPlay-enabled 8.8-inch center screen, heated steering wheel, lane-departure warnings and SiriusXM satellite radio.

To that, you might as well opt for the top-of-the-range Iconic 2.0 model, as we see it. The Signature 2.0 is mostly a look and luxury upgrade over the sought-after base model. At $35,075, it gets a panoramic sunroof as well as several exterior, roof and upholstery choices. In the top Iconic 2.0 trim, which costs $37,550, the Cooper SE gets Harman Kardon audio, a head-up display, front parking sensors, park assist and active cruise control.

But both are a big leap, for a price-conscious buyer, over the base version.

If you can claim the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, that equates to an effective price of $30,050 for the Iconic 2.0, compared to $23,250 for the now-unavailable base model.

2022 Mini Cooper SE

Mini suggests that while the base SE isn’t gone for good, it can’t provide a timeline for when it might return. In the meantime, it has removed this version from its ordering tool, which notes that even for these more expensive versions, “Due to increased customer demand, production availability of model year MINIs 2023 is limited.”

There are many more all-electric models to come from the brand. Mini has suggested it will switch fully to electric vehicles by the early 2030s, and Mini last week launched a preview of the brand’s design direction and a future all-electric crossover – in the Aceman Concept. . He also recently teased the possibility of an all-electric convertible with a unique Cooper SE convertible.