Camping doesn’t require a large vehicle.
Mini may not be the automaker that you would expect to venture into the camping market, but it has done so. Two of the brand’s models are offered rooftop tents: the Mini Countryman All4 plug in hybrid and the all electric Mini Cooper SE. Although the tents don’t provide much space, they enable two people to escape into the wilderness without having to tow a trailer or use tents.
Once the safety catches have been released, the tents attach to the roof rails of the cars and are easy to remove. Gas-actuated springs lift the structure up automatically. A fold-out ladder of eight rungs makes it easy to egress and ingress. Rooftop tents can sleep two people and have roll-up windows for ventilation. In the summer, mosquito nets are included. Mini claims that the Cooper SE, an all-electric model, can be fitted with roof rails. Mini Original Accessories sells the tents.
The models have ample storage space to make your weekend even more enjoyable. The Cooper SE has 211 liters (7.45 cubes), which can be expanded to 731 Liters (25.8 cubes). The Countryman is larger and offers more space with 405 liters (13.3 cubic feet), which can be expanded to 1,275 Liters (45.0 cubic foot). Both offer luxury outdoor living but not everyone requires a fully-equipped kitchen, bathroom, and dinette to enjoy the wilderness.
Mini’s most efficient cars can also fit these rooftop tents. The all-electric Cooper SE is powered by 184 horsepower (135kilowatts) and can travel 62 mph (100 km/hr) in just 7.3 seconds. Although the Countryman is not powered solely by electricity, it can run up to 59 km (36 miles) with pure-electric driving using 220 horsepower (162 kW) from its plug-in hybrid system. On a single charge, the Cooper SE can travel 203 to 234 km (126 to 145 mi) These range figures were calculated using the flexible WLTP test cycle.