Today might be all about the new Cooper 3-Door and Countryman but MINI is also announcing a new entry in its lineup. Previewed by a concept in July 2022, the Aceman will be unveiled as a production model in April 2024. Unlike the two cars premiering today with combustion engines and electric powertrains, the new crossover is going to be sold strictly as an EV.
Positioned below the electric Countryman, the new Aceman is described by the BMW Group as being a “crossover in the premium small car segment.” Much like the electric 3-Door hatchback, it’s going to be manufactured exclusively in China by Spotlight Automotive. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s a 50:50 joint venture established in 2019 by the BMW Group and Great Wall Motor. Assembly of these two EVs will take place at a new factory located in Zhangjiagang, a city in the Jiangsu Province.
When MINI teased the small electric crossover as a camouflaged prototype earlier this year, it also announced plans to sell the Aceman in E and SE flavors. The base model will have 181 horsepower (135 kilowatts) and a 40-kWh battery good for 186 miles (300 kilometers) of range in the WLTP cycle. The more expensive variant is getting 215 horsepower (160 kilowatts) and a bigger 54-kWh pack for 249 miles (400 kilometers) of range.
The Aceman will basically be a five-door, slightly raised version of the Cooper hatchback, which will continue strictly with three doors for the EV model. Of course, the crossover is going to be bigger, at 4075 millimeters (160.4 inches) long and 1495 mm (59 in) tall while carrying a wheelbase of 2605 mm (102.5 in). It won’t overlap with the new Countryman since that model has blossomed into a fully fledged compact car nearly as big as the BMW X1 / iX1.
The Aceman will be MINI’s first EV-only production car and is going to pave the way for the brand’s ambitions to go purely electric by the end of the decade.
Source: BMW Group
