New Mini Aceman electric SUV will get futuristic looks and a range of up to 249 miles. Here’s everything you need to know...
On sale 2025 | Price from £35,000 (est)
Electric cars usually follow one of two design directions. They’re either designed to blend in with their combustion-engined siblings (in the hope of attracting buyers who want to go green but want their car to look and feel as ‘normal’ as possible), or they’re purposely a bit mad. The designers of the new Mini Aceman clearly went in the latter direction, because it looks like no Mini you’ve seen before.
For its first ever electric SUV, Mini has created a car that’s roughly the same length as the current Mini 5dr hatchback but which looks far more futuristic. In fact, with its large, circular LED headlights, rounded front end and rugged body cladding, the Aceman that’ll make it into the showroom is likely to closely resemble the concept version. You can expect the concept’s Union Flag-shaped roof rack, customisable LED rear lights and super-slim door mirrors to be lost for the production model, though.
Two versions will be sold from the outset, named E and SE. The former has a 181bhp electric motor driving the front wheels, with power coming from a 40kWh battery that officially offers up to 186 miles of range. The SE, meanwhile, has 215bhp and a 54kWh battery, which is said to increase the maximum range to 249 miles.
Those figures are competitive with those of the DS 3 E-Tense, which can officially cover up to 250 miles before needing to recharge. However, they put the Aceman behind the upcoming Smart #1; that rival will officially take you 273 miles on a full charge.
How long the Aceman will take to replenish its batteries has yet to be revealed, but it’s likely to be able to complete a 10-80% top-up in around 30 minutes if you use the fastest public charging points, usually found at motorway service stations.
Inside the Aceman, drivers will find a similar interior to that of the upcoming electric variant of the Mini Countryman SUV, with the brand’s traditional round infotainment system taking centre stage on the dashboard. Unlike in current Minis, the screen itself is circular and fills the entirety of its housing, and it runs a new Android-based infotainment system.
The infotainment system can be controlled both by voice and touch, and physical controls will remain for some functions, such as choosing between different driving modes – for instance, to maximise range or provide a sportier drive. A small digital screen above the steering wheel will display vital driving information, while a head-up display will project other useful info – including sat-nav directions – onto the windscreen.
Most of the materials used in the Aceman’s interior will either be recycled or sustainably sourced. Indeed, instead of leather, the Aceman will come with fabric or faux-leather alternatives.
Being based on bespoke underpinnings designed for electric cars, the Aceman will have a flat floor. That’s good news for space, particularly in the back, where there’ll be no hump for the middle passenger to straddle. Boot size is unconfirmed, but unlike the #1, the Aceman won’t offer additional storage under the bonnet.
Prices are expected to start at around £35,000, which means the Aceman will be priced in line with its main E-Tense and #1 rivals, which cost from £35,570 and £35,000 respectively.
Before the Aceman goes on sale in 2025, Mini’s electric car line-up will expand with the aforementioned Countryman electric SUV, as well as a new Mini hatchback in 2024.
The new hatchback will be called the Mini Cooper and it’ll be available in both three and five-door forms. Three-door versions of the Cooper will be fully electric, sharing their underpinnings with the Aceman, while the five-door model will be a modified version of today’s Mini hatchback, with power from mild hybrid petrol engines and a hot JCW version likely at some point.
Keyword: 2025 Mini Aceman electric SUV previewed