I've always had a huge roadblock when it comes to electric cars. No, I'm not talking about range anxiety -- it's the lack of an EV that's as fun to drive as it is affordable. Teslas are great, but they definitely aren't cheap. A Nissan Leaf won't really break the bank, but it's not exactly a blast to drive. Thankfully, Mini's new electric Cooper SE checks both of these boxes.

 PRICING:
One of the best things about the Mini Cooper SE is its price: $30,750, including $850 for destination, and that's before any federal, state or local incentives. That's for the base Signature trim, of course; the Iconic model you see here starts at $37,750, though it's the only way to get the cool Power Spoke (not Corona Spoke) wheels.

 The Mini Cooper SE is only available in two-door Hardtop guise, in Signature, Signature Plus and Iconic trims. Sure, the Mini SE only gets 110 miles of range from its 32.6-kWh battery, which is far behind competitors like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Bolt, but the trade-offs are a low price and great on-road manners.

 The Mini can behave like a staid EV, quietly streaming down the highway or battling midcity traffic with ease. There's enough regenerative braking power for one-pedal driving, and there's an eDrive screen in the available 8.8-inch central infotainment system that displays options for Green, Green Plus or Mid settings that control the power delivery and climate control usage. If I want maximum range then I have to be prepared to go without air conditioning. The Green settings can even calculate efficiency and can warn me when I hit my desired threshold. Driving at 70 mph on the highway translates to 94% efficiency, but I'm OK with dropping to 92%, so my speed warning is set at 75 mph. It's a neat little feature. 

 When it's time to have a little fun, the Mini won't accelerate like a Tesla. In fact, it takes the SE about 7 seconds to reach 60 mph. That's a little quicker than a standard Mini Cooper Hardtop, but slower than the Cooper S. Yes, the Mini SE makes 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, but it's also lugging around 300 pounds more than the standard car.

 However, as soon as I hit a corner, I forget all about off-the-line performance. Once this little guy starts rolling it's unstoppable. The stiff, nicely controlled suspension is up for anything, and Mini's famous go-kart handling is in full effect. This is the sort of pizzazz that compact EVs have been missing. The fun factor easily makes up for anything else.

 It's the packaging that really helps here. The SE's center of gravity is 1.2 inches lower than the Cooper S Hardtop, even though its ride height is raised a bit to make room for the battery. Further, the SE is less nose-heavy than the S, so it offers more balanced handling characteristics.

 I love that the SE gets actual high-performance tires. Sure, they might be all-seasons, but the Goodyear Eagle F1s are by far the most aggressive tire available on a small electric hatchback. In Sport mode the regenerative braking is less aggressive, but when I really need to slow down, the mechanical brakes are a bit squishy.