How to Charge Your MINI

Electric cars have meant real changes for many vehicle owners. Unfortunately, the charging process isn’t always what they expected, and that’s as true for the MINI as it is for every other electric vehicle on the market. In fact, many electric vehicle owners engage in incredibly dangerous behaviors that might not only damage the car, but everything around it as well. 

Fear not: your electric MINI Cooper is remarkably safe – but it pays to follow the brand’s instructions when you charge up your ride!

What Not to Do

A recent survey from the organization Electrical Safety First found that 75% of the 1,500 EV owners surveyed admitted to using unsuitable extension cords at some point to connect their EVs to charging stations. Of those individuals, 75% said that they had linked multiple extension cords together to reach their cars. Don’t!

A Fast Guide

Whether you have a MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid or any other plug in vehicle, use your dedicated, weatherproofed EV charging cable every single time you plug in. The MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid uses the Type 2 charging standard when you’re at home or in public. 

You can find the inlet behind the front left wheel (just in front of the driver’s door). You can open it by tapping on the charging socket flap, then removing the cover of the plug if you need to. Plug the connectors in, and if you’re at home, it should automatically begin the charging process. If you’re in public, you may need to activate a smartphone app or something similar to initiate charging.  

Once you’re plugged in, you can walk away until it’s complete, which usually takes two to three hours, depending on whether you’re using a fast or slow charging station and cable. Keep in mind, though, that charging time can vary, as you have to factor in how low the battery might be as well as a number of other issues. There is an indicator light on the charging socket to help you know more about where you’re at in the process. If it’s green, the charging process is complete. It it’s flashing yellow, it’s still charging. 

If you lock your vehicle when you walk away, the charging cable is also locked. You’ll have to unlock the vehicle before you walk away. Then, you release it by pressing the button on the handle and grasping the charging cable in the gripping area. 

Owning an Electric MINI Cooper can be a fun change of pace, but understanding how and when to charge it safely is nothing short of a must.