2025 Mini Cooper and Aceman JCW electric hot hatchbacks revealed

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Mini has unveiled its most powerful electric cars yet, the John Cooper Works versions of its latest Cooper hatch and Aceman city SUV.

Mini’s John Cooper Works high-performance sub-brand has gone electric with flagship versions of the battery-powered 2025 Mini Cooper city hatch and 2025 Mini Aceman hatch-styled SUV.

The first electric cars from Mini’s high-performance division are siblings under the skin, built in China on the same platform co-developed with GWM.

Petrol power will remain part of the Mini JCW line-up in the new-generation Countryman SUV – which is larger than the electric Aceman – as well as the latest Cooper hatch and convertible, which are heavy updates of their decade-old predecessors.

Australian showroom arrival timing is yet to be confirmed, though given production for Europe is planned to commence next month, the first cars may launch locally next year.

The cars are officially known as the Mini John Cooper Works Electric for the hatch, and Mini John Cooper Works Aceman for the SUV – even though both models are electric, not just the hatchback.

Powering the electric JCWs is a 190kW/350Nm motor on the front axle, good for a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.9 seconds in the hatch, and 6.4 seconds in the Aceman, towards top speeds of 200km/h.

They share a 54.2kWh (gross capacity) battery rated for WLTP driving ranges of up to 371km in the hatch, and up to 355km in the Aceman.

For comparison, the regular Cooper SE uses a 160kW/300Nm motor and 54.2kWh battery for a 6.7-second 0-100km/h and 402km WLTP range, with the Aceman SE claiming a slower 7.1sec yet longer-range 406km WLTP from the same motor and battery.

The JCW siblings gain revised suspension tuning, Hankook Ion Evo R sports electric-car tyres, and performance brakes with red and white JCW-branded calipers.

A ‘boost paddle’ behind the steering wheel activates an “additional 20kW of electric power … for overtaking manoeuvres and performance-boosting acceleration,” but it is not stated if this is included in the quoted 190kW output, or in addition to it.

Most of the sporty styling elements on the JCW performance siblings are shared with the ‘JCW Trim’ styling packs available on regular Cooper Electric and Aceman models.

These include sportier front and rear bumpers with black accents, horizontal stripes in the daytime-running lights, a rear spoiler, and chequered-flag JCW badges.

Exclusive to the performance versions are red accents on the front-bumper air curtains, unique 18-inch and 19-inch wheels on the Cooper and Aceman respectively, and on the Cooper, a black flag-patterned panel on the tailgate.

Buyers can order solid red contrast or red/black multi-tone gradient roof panels, as well as body stripes.

Inside, there are JCW sports seats with black synthetic leather-look and multi-coloured knitted fabric upholstery – plus red contrast stitching – as well as black and red knitted fabric on the dashboard.

The 2025 Mini Cooper JCW and Aceman JCW are expected to reach showrooms next year.

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