Video Summary
The Mini Aceman sits above the Cooper and below the Countryman, replacing the old Clubman model. It is closest in size to the five-door Cooper. The Cooper is petrol engine only, but the Aceman is electric. There are two grades: E, which will only be around until stocks are exhausted, and SE.The Aceman E carries a $51,990 price tag, which includes a sunroof, adaptive cruise control, augmented reality navigation, head-up display, heated front seats, a decent stereo, 19-inch alloy wheels, and full connectivity. The SE, at $60,990, brings a different wheel design, sportier front seats with electric adjustment, a stereo upgrade, different upholstery, and tinted glass. It also features a more powerful electric motor and a larger battery pack for more performance and range.
The Mini's trump card is its retro feel-good vibe, harking back to the original Mini car. The echoes of past design include the overall roof design, upright pillars, and the bullnose style at the front. Inside, the large central information binnacle is now an OLED screen, and the switchgear gives off a faint whiff of the original Mini's row of toggle switches. Much of the interior trim is made from recycled plastic and polyesters. There is no chrome and no leather. The wheels are made from 70% recycled aluminum.
The base model Aceman gets a 135kW, 290Nm electric motor, while the SE gets 160kW and 330Nm.
The motor is mounted down low and drives the front wheels directly. The batteries are under the boot, a standard EV convention.
The E has an official consumption number of 14 kWh per 100km, giving a theoretical range of 310km. The SE claims 14.4kWh, and its larger battery gives it a calculated range of 406km. On an 11kW DC charger, a full charge will take the E 4 hours 15 minutes and the SE 5.5 hours. Fast chargers will take the charge from 10% to 80% in 28 minutes and 31 minutes, respectively. A CCS type 2 cable is used. Driving the Mini is good fun with go-kart-like handling to a degree.
Plentiful driver assistance programs come standard, including autonomous emergency braking, cornering brake control, blind spot warning, rear collision protection, lane keeping assistant, rear cross-traffic warning, attentiveness assistant, and a tire pressure monitoring system. European NCAP testing gave it five stars for safety. There is a five-year, unlimited-kilometer warranty, and eight years/100,000 km battery cover. Fixed-price servicing costs $1371 for the first four years. It feels very long from the inside, feels more like you are in the middle instead of up near the front.
There is some road noise present. What makes this car stand out is when neighbors see the first time, they would like it.
