How important is the Countryman for MINI? Looking at last year’s sales figures, it’s safe to say that the “U25” is a crucial model. One in three vehicles sold by the British brand last year was a not-so-small crossover. Built at BMW’s Leipzig plant in Germany, the company’s largest vehicle ever made accounted for 32.4% of total deliveries.
Demand for the electric E and SE ALL4 models increased by 81.8% year-on-year and MINI is upgrading both versions for 2026. As seen last year in the BMW i4 and i5, the Countryman also receives a new inverter made of silicon carbide (SiC), which enables more efficient energy conversion while minimizing power losses.
In addition, the battery’s net capacity is slightly increased, from 64.6 kWh to 65.2 kWh. Elsewhere, MINI is installing new wheel bearings on the front axle, which reduce rolling resistance and further improve efficiency. Taken together, these changes result in a noticeable increase in range for both electric variants of the Countryman.
The front-wheel drive E can now travel up to 501 kilometers on a single charge in the WLTP cycle. Previously, the entry-level electric Countryman was quoted as having a maximum range of 287 miles (462 kilometers), a significant increase of 24 miles (39 km).
Step up to the SE ALL4 and the range increases to 290 miles (467 kilometers) without charging. Its predecessor ran out of juice after 268 miles (432 kilometers), meaning the updated model was still able to cover 22 miles (35 km) on the same WLTP test cycle.
Both electric Countryman variants still require 29 minutes to charge from 10% to 80% at a DC fast charging station with up to 130 kW. Since the new BMW iX3 can produce an impressive 400 kW, this value is starting to seem outdated. Nevertheless, it will take some time before MINI will benefit from the special New Class platform. If this is the case, you can expect rear-wheel drive electric vehicles.
Meanwhile, the updated Countryman E and SE All4 models are scheduled to go on sale in Europe in March.
