Before the last The BMW i3 to roll off the production line in Leipzig, Germany is barely even cold, sister brand Mini is launching what looks to be the BMW Group’s new entry-level EVs. The company starts with this, the Mini Aceman, which also reveals a new design direction for the brand.
Not only is the Aceman the first all-electric crossover model from the brand, it’s also the first Mini to be built on a dedicated electric architecture. That means it’s not compromised by having to try and shoehorn electric motors and copious wiring into spaces originally designed to house combustion machinery. That makes it completely different from the 2020s Mini electric (called the Cooper SE in the US), which was built on an adapted form of the internal combustion engine model. This new electrical architecture, as well as the car itself, is not being manufactured in Germany or the UK, but in China by Great Wall Engine for Mini, another first for the brand.
Mini says this Aceman concept car unveiled today in Düsseldorf, a crossover SUV, is 80 percent faithful to the final production design that will hit the road in 2024. The car will sit between the brand’s Cooper and Countryman models, though at just over 13 feet long and just under 6.5 feet wide, it’s practically the same size as the current Countryman (which strongly suggests that the Countryman will get bigger in an upcoming facelift). Interestingly, the Aceman’s rugged, boxy aesthetic makes the car appear larger than it actually is when you see it in person.
Mini, which sold 302,000 cars worldwide in 2021, expects half of its sales in 2027 to be electric cars, and it plans to introduce its last ever combustion model in 2025.
The Aceman’s “two-box” design with short overhangs gives the car more room for passengers and luggage without giving it an overly large footprint – despite being a four-door with a decent boot (but no frunk) and room for five . Glass fitted flush with the body panels improves aerodynamics, while the dated chrome trim has been wisely ditched in favor of a more minimalist look. Wide frames on the lower body, thick wheel arches, larger wheels and a customized roof rack round off the concept’s crossover feel.
As with many other electric cars, the Aceman’s central grille is closed off, as cooling is not required for the electric motors. Instead, here Mini has added matrix LED units integrated into the upper section that can be animated for seemingly no other reason than that it is physically possible and can be used to “welcome the occupants.” In truth, the lightweight design is one of the striking departures for the car, as Mini has ditched its iconic round lamps for a more contoured shape that follows the body lines.