A Smaller, Electric Mini Countryman
There’s a new member of the Mini family set to arrive in dealer showrooms soon. The new Mini Aceman is a new small crossover which will occupy the space between the compact three-door Mini Cooper and the larger, five-door Mini Countryman. With four doors and a large, versatile tailgate, it’s a five-passenger vehicle with a spacious interior. But, since it was designed from the ground up as an electric vehicle, it has the compact exterior package and nimble, dynamic handling that Mini customers want and expect.
The new Aceman will show off the latest version of Mini’s new, pared-back design language, which focuses on simple, iconic shapes unadorned by unnecessary trim – the cars are simple to look at, simpler to build, and easier to recycle. There’s also a brand-new interior finished in sustainable materials and with a highly digital experience; unlike previous Mini models, there’s no leather and no chrome inside.
Mini Aceman: Space and Versatility
Like all Mini models, the Aceman will prioritize excellent use of space, providing more room than you’d expect on a very compact footprint. The use of a dedicated EV platform means that the compact electric motors take up very little space, with the battery packaged under the floor, while the interior offers impressive comfort and versatility. The two-box design has very short overhangs, with the wheels right at the corners for a great stance and improved legroom front and rear.
To maximize space and simplify production and recycling, the Aceman’s interior, previewed by the 2022 concept car of the same name, is dominated by a simplified, unobtrusive design that has been reduced to its bare essentials. Most of the important controls are clustered around a central round digital screen, with a pod of physical switches for the gear selector, parking brake, drive modes, and audio volume underneath. Digital technology has allowed Mini to reduce the number of design elements without significantly compromising ease of use, and make the interior easier to build.
The central location of the driving controls creates extra free space between the driver and passenger seats, opening up space for a flexible center console that can extend into the rear seating area. Within the console, storage compartments, a wireless charging pad, cupholders, and other modules can be easily repositioned based on driver and passenger tastes.
Throughout the interior, surfaces are wide open and gently curved, and the dashboard is flat and minimalistic – kind of like a sound bar – providing a feeling of generous space. Above, an available panoramic glass roof brings in a lot of natural light. The seats, door panels, and all other surfaces are leather- and chrome-free. Instead, innovative textiles and composite materials are more sustainable to produce and are easier to recycle.
Mini Aceman EV: All-New Digital Interface
Like the new electric Mini Cooper and electric Mini Countryman, the Mini Aceman will feature an all-new circular OLED display as a gateway to all of its digital features. There’s a completely new graphic layout, to which users can add and re-configure widgets; Mini says that its new software, built on Android Open Source Project technology, allows for a great deal of flexibility and the expansion of digital features in the vehicle over time.
Interestingly, the digital experience through the screen and speakers changes depending on what drive mode you’ve selected – indeed, Mini calls them “experience modes,” which combine specific displays and colors with different sounds and drivetrain settings. You can choose from sporty, efficient, or an individually-customizable mode which can incorporate your own images or video.
Driving the Mini Aceman in Extreme Conditions
In advance of launching the Aceman to the world later this year, Mini has been testing it extensively in extreme conditions, including in very high temperatures and sandy desert roads, as well as above the Arctic Circle. Final testing of the new EV crossover is underway in the desert, where extreme heat can be even more detrimental to battery performance than extreme cold.
At temperatures of over 100 degrees, the Mini Aceman’s 54.2-kWh battery is pushed to its limit. We’d expect an EPA-estimated range similar to the new electric Mini Cooper, at around 200 miles – more than enough for urban use – as well as good fast-charging capability. The new electric Mini Cooper will have a choice of “base” 184-hp and 218-hp “S” versions, which we expect to translate over to the Aceman when it launches. Expect a starting MSRP of around $40,000.
