After going on a road trip from Hamburg to the North Sea coasts, the people over at MINI decided to send the Cooper SE on another scenic route. This time, the purely electric car from Oxford went on one of the most famous roads in the world: the Pacific Coast Highway. Its route went from picturesque San Francisco to the home of entertainment, Hollywood, proving the electric range of the car is enough for such trips.
The trip also aimed at proving the car is usable daily, without any restrictions compared to the ICE version. The loading capacity is the same as on the MINI Hardtop 2-door, ranging from 211 to 731 liters. Furthermore, the battery charge should offer up to 270 km of electric range. The first stop was Lombard Street, easily the most crooked road in the world with its eight sharp hairpins. The steep one way downhill single lane street has an inclination of 27 percent and a recommended speed of only 5 miles per hour (8 km/h).
From San Francisco, the MINI went to Monterey, past the famous Redwood forest, with a pit stop in Santa Cruz at the famous ‘Picnic Basket’. From there Cambria was the next stop, going through Big Sur and its Bixby Creek Bridge. Reaching Cambria, the car still had 40% range but it was recharged, just for good measure. From there on out, Santa Barbara was the next stop.
Only minutes south of Santa Barbara is Rincon Point (Spanish for “corner”), easily one of California’s most famous surf spots and it could not be more conveniently located: The car park is literally right next to the Pacific Highway exit and it also offers a charging station. MINI left it for others in need since the Cooper SE only needed some 60 percent of the battery’s capacity to reach its final destination Venice Beach, home of the fit and beautiful.
Closing in on L.A. we are reminded that the cities’ smog problem in the 1970’s initiated California’s strict emission standards. Now the MINI can enjoy the clean air, surf, fusion food and emission free mobility that level of air pollution seems generations away. In California, electric mobility is part of everyday life – sure. But the MINI Cooper SE will Mini-fy electric mobility.
