The MINI Aceman – New Details & Photos Answer Your Questions

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The MINI Aceman has arrived in Europe, with sales for MINI’s small electric crossover already underway. While there’s been plenty of excitement surrounding the Aceman, many of our readers still have questions. How does it fit into the lineup? Will it be available worldwide? Is it electric-only? To help answer these questions (and more), we’ve gathered the latest information on the Aceman, along with new real-world photos that give us answers.

How Does the Aceman Fit In the MINI Lineup & How Big Is It?

The Aceman is a compact crossover that, on paper, seems poised to replace the Clubman in MINI’s lineup. However, it’s quite different in both size and design, as it’s smaller and has a crossover profile. Think of it as a model filling the gap left when the Countryman grew from the original R60 model to the larger F60 and U25 versions.

Models	J05 Aceman	R60 Countryman (’10-’16)	F60 Countryman (’17-’23)	U25 Countryman (’24-’32)
Length	4079 mm / 161 in	4097 mm / 161.3 in	4298 mm / 169.2 in	4429 mm / 174.37 in
Height	1514 mm / 59.6 in	1562 mm / 61.5 in	1557 mm / 61.3 in	1613 mm / 63.5 in
Wheelbase	2526 mm / 99.44 in	2596 mm / 102.2 in	2670 mm / 105.1 in	2670 mm / 105.11 in

For instance, consider the Aceman’s length. In photos, it can be deceptive due to its tall beltline and large wheels, but the actual length is greater than it initially appears. The MINI Aceman measures 4079 mm (161 inches) in length, which is a full 14 inches shorter than the new U25 Countryman, which measures 4444 mm (175 inches).

The new MINI Aceman

The original R60 Countryman

The comparison becomes even more interesting when we look at the original 2010 R60 Countryman, which was 4119 mm (162.2 inches) long. This makes the original Countryman slightly larger than the new Aceman. In terms of height and wheelbase, the Aceman is also fractionally smaller. However, while the R60 had a larger footprint, things look a bit different inside.

Will The MINI Aceman Be Sold in North and South America?

MINI is launching the Aceman predominantly in Asia, Australia and Europe. However that’s just the start. MINI plans to expand production of both the J01 Cooper and J05 Aceman to its Oxford, UK plant which will help MINI open more markets by avoiding Chinese tariffs in some countries. More specifically we believe this shift will open the door to production for North and South American markets. If this happens, we might see the Aceman in America by 2026.

Is the Aceman Electric Only?

As for drivetrain options, the answer is simple: the Aceman will be electric-only. It was designed on MINI’s new skateboard chassis, which also underpins the J01 Cooper and J05 Aceman. This platform is inherently incompatible with internal combustion engines.

Will the Aceman Be Available with ALL4 (All Wheel Drive)?

The upcoming MINI Aceman Crossover will also not offer all-wheel drive, even as an option. This decision is straightforward: the J05 Aceman sits on a lengthened version of the J01 electric MINI Cooper’s skateboard chassis, designed to support a single electric motor and a flat battery pack between the wheels.

MINI likely made this choice for two reasons. First, it differentiates the Aceman from the Countryman in terms of price and features, positioning the smaller model as a more affordable option. Second, keeping the Aceman front-wheel-drive helps maintain a lower price, even for high-spec versions. This aligns with MINI’s goal for the Aceman to be an entry point into the brand for those who need more space than the new electric Cooper offers, effectively taking the place of the four-door Cooper in the electric lineup rather than replacing the larger Clubman.

What’s The MINI Aceman’s Range vs Countryman SE

As you can see below the battery size differs greatly between the Aceman and the Countryman. With more space to use, MINI was able to squeeze a larger battery pack into the new Countryman. This also helps to compensate for the larger size and weight of the Countryman. So how does this affect range? Let’s take a look.

	J05 Aceman E	J05 Aceman SE	U25 Countryman E	U25 Countryman SE
Battery Size	42.5 kWh	54.2 kWh	66.5 kWh	66.5 kWh
Usable Battery Capacity	38.5 kWh	49.2 kWh	64.7 kWh	64.7 kWh
WLTP Range	310 km / 193 miles	407 km / 253 miles	462 km / 287 miles	430 km / 267 miles

Also interesting the Countryman E and SE share the same battery while the Aceman E and SE do not. This has a direct impact on range which you can see above.

How Fast is the MINI Aceman?

Now let’s look at outright performance. We don’t have a lot of data yet but what we do have points to a decisive win for the Countryman SE in terms of quickness. But with most electric vehicles speed is an enemy to range thus all these cars are limited to rather low figures. 

	J05 Aceman E	J05 Aceman SE	U25 Countryman E	U25 Countryman SE
0-62 mph	7.9 seconds	7.1 seconds	8.6 seconds	5.6 seconds
Top Speed	160 km/h / 99 mph	170 km/h / 106 mph	169 km/h / 105 mph	180 km/h / 112 mph

Now what’s faster around a track might be a very different story. With its 800 lbs weight advantage and the right track, the Aceman SE might just nip the Countryman SE. But that’s just conjecture at this point and clear for another day.

Why Does the MINI Aceman Look Different than the Cooper?

The design of the MINI Aceman draws from the brand’s heritage while pushing it in a fresh direction. Inspired by the original MINI, the Aceman is compact and minimalistic with a modern aesthetic. Up front, the grille is reimagined as a sleek, closed panel, complete with LED accents and a new illuminated MINI logo—a futuristic twist that makes the Aceman instantly recognizable. The round LED headlights echo MINI’s classic look but add sharp edges, giving the Aceman a more aggressive appearance. This extends to the large wheel arches, introducing new design elements for MINI.

The Aceman’s cabin offers a streamlined, minimalist interior very much in line with the rest of the new MINI family. The dashboard is dominated by a large, circular OLED display, which combines both infotainment and driver information into a single, intuitive interface, marking MINI’s first use of BMW’s latest software platform. The Aceman also retains MINI’s signature toggle switches, now given a digital twist with customizable functions.

However, there have been critiques of this new interior regarding the use of hard plastics and the lack of physical controls, particularly for heating and cooling. Another point of contention is the move to 100% synthetic leather (called Vescin) intended to reduce the carbon footprint of manufacturing. While Vescin represents a significant upgrade from MINI’s previous leatherette and even leather (excluding the Lounge Leather option), some are still not convinced. Lastly, there is limited personalization of the interior; for example, the JCW version has no interior customization options.

Overall, the MINI Aceman is poised to be a critical vehicle for MINI. Its size and electric powertrain place it in a fast-growing category in many markets. Will it be successful? Much will depend on how quickly MINI can expand production to the UK to avoid tariffs. However, the Aceman’s look, size, and positioning appear promising.

MINI Aceman Photo Gallery

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