Mini Cooper SE Countryman EV charger: which one fits best?
The Mini Cooper SE Countryman is a plug-in hybrid. At home it charges at up to 3.7 kW through a type 2 port. Mini quotes about two and a half hours for a full charge at a wallbox. The car sets that pace, not the charger. So the charger you want is simply the one that delivers those 3.7 kW without an expensive connection. The overview of every Mini EV charger shows how the other models compare.
For the Mini Cooper SE Countryman we recommend a charger from our 7.4 kW range.
Charging specifications of the Mini Cooper SE Countryman
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Car type | Plug-in hybrid (ALL4) |
| Battery capacity | 7.6 kWh |
| Max. AC charging power (home) | 3.7 kW, single phase |
| Charging time at a wallbox | Approx. 2.5 hours, including charging losses |
| Charging plug | Type 2 (Mennekes) |
| DC fast charging | Not available |
Why a more powerful charger does not charge this Mini any faster
The Mini Cooper SE Countryman never draws more than 3.7 kW, whatever charger hangs on the wall. An 11 kW or 22 kW model fills this battery at exactly the same speed as a 7.4 kW one. You would pay more and see nothing back in charging time.
There is one honest reason to go higher, and that is your next car. Many fully electric models charge at 11 kW. An 11 kW charger is three-phase: it spreads the load over three live wires instead of one. That does require a three-phase supply to your home. If you expect to swap this plug-in hybrid for a full EV soon, 11 kW EV chargers are worth a look. For the Mini itself they add nothing.
Choosing the right EV charger for the Mini Cooper SE Countryman
Because the speed is fixed at 3.7 kW, chargers differ in features rather than in charging time. Three of them earn their place on this car.
- Solar charging. A 3.7 kW draw sits close to what a home solar array produces on a bright day. A solar EV charger feeds that surplus to the car instead of to the grid.
- App control. With an EV charger with an app you set the session to start at night, when electricity is usually cheaper.
- Load balancing. The charger measures what the rest of the house is drawing. It turns its own power down when needed, so the main fuse holds. Our EV chargers with dynamic load balancing handle this automatically.
One feature you will not find at this power is a MID meter. That is a certified kWh meter, which records exactly how much electricity went into the car. In our range, EV chargers with a MID meter begin at three-phase models, and the choice really opens up at 22 kW. That reading is handy if you want to know what home charging costs you. Useful for your own budget, and for settling with an employer if that applies to you. For this Mini it means moving to a charger it cannot use any faster, so weigh that trade honestly.
Most Mini Cooper SE Countryman drivers land on a straightforward home EV charger. It does the job without extras they will never use. The car has a type 2 port. With a socket model you also need a type 2 charging cable to connect it.
Charging times for the Mini Cooper SE Countryman
Mini quotes two and a half hours for a full charge at a wallbox delivering 3.6 kW. That is a little more than the raw sum of 7.6 kWh divided by 3.7 kW. Charging is never perfectly efficient, and not every kWh of the rated capacity is usable. Plug in during the evening and the car is ready long before you leave in the morning.
A regular household socket takes about three hours and fifteen minutes, according to Mini's own figures. For a battery this small, the gap between the two stays modest. These figures are for the 7.6 kWh version built up to 2019. The 2020 update has a larger battery, so it takes correspondingly longer.
Other Mini models at Wallbox Discounter
Driving a fully electric Mini rather than a plug-in hybrid? Check carefully, because the names sit close together. The fully electric Mini Countryman SE ALL4 has a much larger battery and charges at 11 kW. That means different charging times and different advice. For every version side by side, see the page with all Mini EV chargers.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Mini Cooper SE Countryman need a three-phase charger?
No. The car charges at 3.7 kW on a single phase, which is what a normal household supply delivers. An 11 kW three-phase charger works perfectly well, but it will not charge this plug-in hybrid any faster. The only gain is being ready for a next, fully electric car.
Do I need an EV charger with a MID meter?
Only if you want a certified record of your home charging. A MID meter shows exactly how many kWh went into the car. That helps if you track those costs yourself, and it is what you need to pass them on to someone else. At 3.7 kW it is not a deciding factor. In our range these chargers start at three-phase models, and this Mini cannot use that extra power.
Should I have the EV charger installed?
We always recommend having the connection made by a qualified electrician. That keeps the work safe and properly documented. We arrange installation in the Netherlands, Flemish Belgium and Germany. Shipping runs worldwide, but the installation service covers those three countries only.