The electric MINI E revealed!

BMW Group

Ahead of next month's Los Angeles International Auto Show, we now have our first official look at the MINI E, the all-electric MINI Cooper that will arrive in the driveways of 500 specially-selected drivers for pilot testing. (If you live in California, New York, or New Jersey you can register for a shot at this at the MINI Space website.)

A 204-horsepower-equivalent electric motor will motivate the 2-seater, whose afterthought of a back seat is now completely gone. The lithium-ion battery pack gobbles up that newly-vacated area inside the cabin.

Despite a portly 3,200 pound curb weight, the MINI E will reportedly make the run from 0-62 mph in 8.5 seconds. (For sake of comparison, a regular Cooper makes 118 horsepower, weighs in at a little over 2,500 pounds and does 0-60 in around 9 seconds.) Operating range for the E is reportedly 150 miles, and the car can be recharged by plugging into a household outlet. Charging times vary depending on voltage, but BMW is doing this right and will ship a special quick-charger with each car. This device can be wall-mounted in the driver's garage. Plug into it, and a full charge is achieved in just 2.5 hours. Very cool, and very, very convenient.

Visually, the E looks pretty much like any other MINI Cooper, except for that giant yellow electrical plug painted on the roof. Hey, you know you want people knowing you're one of the chosen, anyway, right?

Alex Nunez is associate editor of Autoblog.com. His blog posts are provided by LifeWire, a part of The New York Times Company.