Mini Goes Full Electric JCW: Because "Slow" and "Mini" Just Don't Belong Together!
Image Credit: BMW Group.
Mini finally realized that slapping a JCW badge on an electric car with the same oomph as the standard version just wasn't going to cut it. They've heard our cries, felt our collective eye-rolls, and bless their cotton socks; they've given us the John Cooper Works Electric and Aceman EVs that actually deserve the name!
Before you get your knickers in a twist, yes, there were already JCW trims for the electric Minis. But let's be honest, they were about as sporty as a pair of orthopedic shoes. This time, however, Mini has cranked things up to eleven, injecting a healthy dose of "zoom-zoom" into these little electric bundles of joy.
Under the frunk, you'll find a single electric motor that pumps out a respectable 255 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. That's a bump of 40 horsepower and 22 lb-ft compared to the previous JCW trims, which should be enough to put a wild grin on your face. And if that's not enough to get your heart racing, there's a boost paddle on the steering wheel that unleashes an extra 27 horsepower. That's enough to leave pretty much anyone in the dust at the stoplight!
Speaking of speed, the JCW Electric can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 5.9 seconds, while the slightly taller JCW Aceman takes 6.4 seconds. Not exactly Tesla-slaying figures, but then again, we're talking about Minis here. These cars are meant to be chucked around corners, not blasted down drag strips. And with a top speed electronically limited to 124 mph, you'll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the go-kart handling that Mini is famous for.
As you rightly expect, all this performance comes at a cost. Literally. The JCW Electric and Aceman are fitted with the same 54.2 kWh battery pack as their less powerful siblings, but the extra power means you'll be visiting the charging station more often. The hatchback has a WLTP range of 231 miles, while the crossover manages 221 miles. Not exactly ideal for cross-country road trips, and I'd go as far as calling those numbers optimistic. These cars will tease you at every opportunity to plant that right foot firmly to the floor - and that is known to have a rather bad effect on the range.
Both JCW EVs are dressed to impress, with a sporty body kit that includes aggressive front and rear bumpers, side skirts, rear wings, and diffusers. You also get exclusive aero-optimized wheels (18-inch for the hatchback and 19-inch for the crossover) wrapped in high-grip tires. And to make sure you can stop on a dime, Mini has thrown in some beefy brakes with Chili Red calipers.
Inside, the JCW treatment continues with a black and red pattern on the knitted dashboard, an illuminated panoramic roof, and synthetic leather upholstery on the seats with knitted fabric inserts. It's a stylish and sporty cabin that's sure to make you feel like you're behind the wheel of something special.
Here's an interesting bit: these JCW EVs will be manufactured in China. Yup, the same China that gave us Alibaba and Xiaomi. Now, I'm not saying that Chinese manufacturing is bad, but it's certainly not something I'd expect from a brand like Mini. Thankfully, Mini has promised that production will move to Oxford, UK, in 2026. So, if you're a die-hard Mini fan who wants a JCW EV made in the good ol' Blighty, you'll have to wait a few years.
In the meantime, Mini has also confirmed that there will be a JCW version of the ICE-powered Mini Cooper hatchback, set to be unveiled this fall. So, if you're not quite ready to embrace the electric revolution, you can still get your JCW fix with a good old-fashioned gasoline engine.
So, yeah, that's about it. Mini has finally given us the JCW EVs we've been waiting for. They're fast, they're stylish, and they're sure to put a smile on your face. Yes, the purists will argue that neither their size nor their price has anything to do with the word "Mini," but here we are - call it inflation. Everything is bigger these days; the only thing that seems to be shrinking rapidly is my bank account balance.
