Mini cut through the hustle and bustle of the Beijing auto show to unveil its upcoming Aceman model – an electric crossover destined to sit between the electrified Cooper hatchback and the Countryman SUV, both in physical size and price.
The BMW-owned brand says Aceman is the first crossover model for the premium small car segment, with typically compact (well, in modern terms anyway) Mini exterior dimensions (it measures about 4 meters long and 1.75 meters wide), but enough space for five inside.
As usual with all Mini products, punters are offered a wide range of powertrain options, starting with ‘E’ models with a 42.5kWh battery and 186bhp electric motor delivering a range of 190 miles and a reasonable sprint of 7.9 seconds from rest. up to 100 km/h.
Step up to ‘SE’ and the battery increases by 54.2 kWh, supplying power to a 221 hp electric motor and improving the sprint time by 0.8 seconds. It’s not much, but the range has been increased to 400 kilometers. Not too shabby in today’s battery climate.
There’s no confirmation as to whether Aceman will be available in the racy ‘S’ guise, but customers will at least be able to hint at its performance with the option of more aggressive bodywork and even a brutal rear spoiler via the ‘Sport’ trim level.
Things get even more interesting inside, where Mini’s latest round 9.4-inch OLED takes pride of place in the funky, fabric-covered dashboard, while the classic toggle switches are still present for that old-school touch of tactility.
Aceman is also introducing the brand’s first full-fledged voice assistant, which can be activated by saying “Hey Mini!” (or by pressing a button on the steering wheel). Like Smart and his football-juggling fox, Mini has seen fit to bring its voice assistant to life in the form of Spike the dog.
Spike is a smart guy, understands natural language and can provide “navigation, telephony, entertainment and numerous vehicle functions,” according to Mini. Apparently your four-legged virtual assistant also learns behavioral patterns, so it can, for example, roll down the window when identifying the entrance to a multi-storey parking garage, using geo-based data and its internal memory. All that, and you don’t even have to give Spike a treat.
“The MINI Aceman is perfect for navigating busy city streets, whilst retaining the versatility and functionality of a Crossover and the Go Kart feel you would expect from a Mini. I am confident that the sleek design, the performance and versatility of a five-seater crossover will make the MINI Aceman a resounding success,” said Stefanie Wurst, Head of Mini.
The Aceman will be built in China, alongside the electric Cooper, but Mini plans to move some production to the Oxford, UK, factory by 2026.
First deliveries will begin in November this year, with UK prices confirmed at £31,800 for the E and £36,300 for the SE models. In the US, Aceman is predicted to start at around $39,000 (AUS$59,720) and go up to around $50,000 (AUS$76,500).
Analysis: Minis are the perfect EVs
The Aceman will sit neatly between the larger, all-electric Countryman and the smaller Cooper EV, while a five-door and convertible version of the latter will all get the battery treatment in the very near future, meaning Mini will have an electrified option for the most part of its range.
Despite proving to be slightly larger, sturdier and generally better suited to family life, the Aceman carries only a small premium over its smaller Cooper sibling but still offers quite a usable range, even in the ‘basic’ models.
But above all, Minis make for excellent electric vehicles, because their smooth ride and relatively compact size don’t require gigantic battery packs to get them going. Plus, most owners are well versed in driving around town, rather than racking up huge miles on the highway, meaning regular charging is often unnecessary.
Of course, Mini could still be drastically undercut by some of the seriously budget-friendly competition from China, but between its illustrious history as a cool automaker and its reputation for fun and funky design (come on, it comes with a virtual pet), this Aceman model should hit a sweet spot in the range and get customer tails wagging. Sorry not sorry.