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Mini Aceman emerges in first teasers as world reveal looms closer
The replacement for the Clubman estate will be a dedicated EV positioned between the Cooper Hatch and Countryman SUV.
Aceman will become Mini’s second crossover/SUV and replacement for the Clubman. Image: BMW
Showcased as a concept two years ago, Mini has released first teaser images and select details of the new Aceman ahead of its world debut later this.
Clubman out, Aceman in
The brand’s second SUV after the Countryman, the Aceman will take-up station below its sibling and in effect, replace the Clubman parent company BMW announced last year won’t be renewed for another generation due to slowing sales and focus on SUVs.
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Depicted in the mentioned images undergoing final hot weather testing in the United States, the Aceman will ride the dedicated electric vehicle platform shared with the electric Cooper Hatch, and reportedly have its assembly take place in China and not in the United Kingdom as per BMW’s partnership with Great Wall Motors (GWM).
So far known
Measuring 4 075 mm long, 1 754 mm wide and 1 496 mm tall, the Aceman is noticeably shorter, narrower and more compact than the Countryman, but unsurprisingly, more substantial than the Cooper hatch, whose dimensions were not disclosed at its world debut last year.
Confirmed to provide seating for five in an interior Mini says conforms to its principles of being spacious from the start, the Aceman’s cabin is, however, expected to be similar in look and design to that of the Hatch, though subtle differences could well be applied in terms of colour and materials choices.
On the power front, only a single drive module has so far been confirmed; the 54.2-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that develops 160kW/330Nm in the Cooper SE.
While likely to deliver the same in the Aceman, the added weight as a result of its design will likely result in a slower acceleration time, as well as reduced range compared to the Cooper SE’s 6.7 seconds and 402 km.
More soon
The third EV after the Cooper SE and Countryman as per Mini becoming an entirely electric brand by 2030, the Aceman is likely to be disclosed in greater detail over coming months as an official date of reveal remains unknown.
As such, expect more, including a possible South African market future, to emerge within the coming weeks and months.
