MINI Countryman SE Midnight Edition brings 313 hp, AWD and a £3,750 UK grant

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Just £355 separates the new MINI Countryman SE Midnight Edition from the £42,000 mark, the upper limit that the UK's Electric Car Grant rules can allow for certain derivatives within the same model family. MINI has priced the fixed-spec all-wheel-drive version at £41,645 OTR and separately confirms that it qualifies for the maximum £3,750 grant.

The Midnight Edition is based on the Countryman SE ALL4 and does not introduce a new powertrain. Its two electric motors produce 313 hp, all-wheel drive is standard and 0–100 km/h takes 5.6 seconds. The updated 64.6 kWh battery provides up to 285 miles, or about 459 km, on the WLTP cycle, while DC fast charging is supported at up to 130 kW.

The main point of the new version is its fixed equipment package. It includes heated front seats, wireless smartphone charging, a head-up display, Driving Assistant Plus with adaptive cruise control, lane centring and Stop & Go, plus four years of the MINI Connected Package. Buyers can choose between Indigo Sunset Blue and Midnight Black, with two finishes for the 18-inch Asteroid Spoke wheels.

The British subsidy is more important here than the cosmetic details. The MINI Countryman Electric sits in Band 1 of the UK scheme and can receive up to £3,750 off. The basic price ceiling is £37,000, although some derivatives within the same homologation/interpolation family may be priced up to £42,000. At £41,645, the Midnight Edition remains inside that range, but there is no basis to claim MINI set the price specifically to secure the grant.

The idea of fixed-spec Countryman variants is already used in other markets. In July, Japan received the more affordable Countryman S ALL4 Select with a pre-selected equipment package. In the same month MINI announced a separate Countryman Edition with stronger off-road capability, with its world premiere planned for October.

Orders for the Midnight Edition are already open in the UK, with first customer deliveries expected in early 2027. MINI has not announced this trim for other markets, so the British price and subsidy terms should not be extrapolated beyond the UK.