Video: First Look at the Electric MINI Cooper & Aceman JCW

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The MINI Cooper and Aceman JCW are here, giving us our first glimpse at performance EVs from the brand. How do they compare to their petrol-powered counterparts, and what does electric performance mean for MINI? In this video, we take a first look at the cars and begin to get some early answers.

Performance, Range and Specifications

The Cooper and Aceman JCW are nearly identical in most respects, with one key difference. More on that later. Both feature the same electric motor, delivering 190 kW (258 hp) and 350 Nm of torque (258 ft-lbs). This propels the Cooper from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.9 seconds and the Aceman in 6.4 seconds. To be honest, the Aceman feels a bit slower than we’d expect for its price and segment.

The battery pack remains the same as in the SE models, with a 54.2 kWh capacity (49.2 kWh usable). However, due to the increased performance, the range is slightly reduced. The J01 Cooper JCW achieves 231 miles (371 km), while the Aceman offers 221 miles (355 km). Charging speeds are expected to be identical to those of other J01 models.

	J01 Cooper JCW	F66 Cooper JCW
Power	252 hp	231 hp
Torque	255 lb-ft	280 lb-ft / 1,500 rpm
Top Speed	124 mph	152 mph
Transmission	Single Speed	7 speed DCT
Track	1538 mm / 61 in	1499 mm / 59 in
Length (mm/in)	3858 mm / 151.6 in	3879 mm / 152.7 in
Height (mm/in)	1460 mm / 54.4 in	1431 mm / 56.38 in
Wheelbase (mm/in)	2526 mm / 99.4 in	2495 mm / 98.23
Curb weight (kg/lbs)	1730 kg / 3814 lbs	1405 kg / 3,097 lbs

The magic of MINIs lies in their handling, and here MINI is following its usual JCW formula, making suspension revisions to the standard J01 SE rather than undertaking a full redesign, like BMW’s M cars. While specific details are scarce (MINI rarely discloses them for JCWs), we expect a stiffer, more agile driving experience.

Like their petrol counterparts, the electric JCWs come with upgraded brakes, featuring larger four-piston units up front with high-friction brake pads as standard.

Weight is the major downside for all EVs, and the new electric JCWs are no exception. According to exclusive sources, we can confirm that the curb weight of the new electric J01 MINI Cooper JCW is 3,814 lbs—a significant increase from previous MINI Cooper JCWs, which weighed around 3,000 lbs. The forthcoming petrol-powered F66 MINI Cooper JCW will have a notable 717 lb weight advantage over the J01. Despite the F66 JCW having only 231 hp, we expect it to be faster on tracks with higher top speeds due to this weight difference.

2025 J01 MINI Cooper JCW – Launch Timing And Availability 

Production of the J01 MINI Cooper and Aceman JCW will begin in January 2025, with expected availability in European, Asian, Australian, and South American showrooms by March 2025.

North America won’t initially see the Chinese-made J01 Cooper and J05 Aceman. However, that may change in 2026 when MINI plans to expand production to its Oxford, UK plant, allowing for North American exports without tariffs.

We’ll have more details on the first-ever electric MINI Cooper JCW in the coming days. In the meantime, explore the gallery below and let us know what you think.

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