What is it?

The launch of the Aceman completes the complete-reinvention of the BMW-owned MINI range that has been underway over the past year, with a focus on electric vehicles.

The Aceman is the only all-new model in the now simplified line-up, and the premise for its creation could not be simpler, as product manager Chris Fryer explained at the launch event. With the Countryman SUV now being even bigger in its latest incarnation, a gap exists between it and the traditional Cooper for a new model.

So what we have is a car that fits neatly in the gap, with the major focus on rear-seat space, accessed by a pair of rear doors, which one can have on the petrol-engined Cooper but not the electric one. “The Aceman is for those who love the MINI but who need more space,” Fryer said, adding that the newcomer is still a small car, just over four metres in length and easy to both park and manoeuvre.

Having that extra space costs around £1800 compared to the equivalent Cooper, Aceman prices starting at £31,800 on the road. Other supermini-style EVs are cheaper, but they don’t have the kudos that goes with a MINI.

The car is designed to give out an SUV vibe, with an upright front-end framed by angular headlights, plenty of cladding on the body and round the wheels and standard-fit roof rails. But in many respects it is a MINI Cooper, but larger – or a Countryman, but smaller…

This is particularly obvious inside the car, with a front-seat environment that could easily have been lifted wholesale from either of the Aceman’s siblings. It’s all based around the enormous circular OLED screen in the centre of the facia, both it and the switch bar underneath paying some homage to the classic Mini of the 1960s.

As described on our previous test of the Cooper Electric the number of physical cockpit buttons has been significantly reduced over previous MINI generations, with almost all functions controlled by the OLED screen. The most vital settings are permanently available at the base of the screen while the options include a range of ‘Experiences’ which one can dial through by means of a switch and choose such aspects as the interior ambience and even the noise the car makes.

The Cooper connection continues to the powertrains, that replicate those of the smaller car. The Aceman E employs a 38.5 kWh battery with a motor putting out 184hp and 290 Nm of torque, giving the car a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds and a WLTP-certified range of up to 192 miles.

By far the majority of buyers, 70%, are expected to go for the Aceman SE, costing from £36,300. This ramps the battery up to 49.2 kWh which with a motor rated at 218hp and 330Nm cuts the 0-62mph time to 7.1 seconds while extending the potential range to 251 miles.

What will be offered on the Aceman and not the other new MINI variants, at least for now, is the first JCW – John Cooper Works – package to be applied to an electric MINI. Priced at £40,800 it uses the same battery pack but adds a number of performance enhancements, including a 258hp/350Nm motor. This will see the Aceman JCW through 62mph in 6.4 seconds while also offering a range not far shy of the SE at 243 miles.

The Aceman’s battery can be charged by means of 11 kW AC or DC units, the latter at up to 75 kW on the Aceman E and up to 95 kW on the SE and JCW. This makes a recharge from 10 to 80 per cent possible in under 30 minutes.

Again the Aceman replicates the Cooper’s three simplified trim levels, dubbed Classic, Exclusive and Sport and boasting individual takes on exterior and interior detailing and equipment. A longer standard equipment list includes such niceties as navigation and parking assist, while there are a trio of (again Cooper-esque) options packs dubbed Level 1 to 3.

Depending on how much one wants to spend such desirables as a glass ‘sky roof’, massaging seats, remote parking assistants and a high-end Harman Kardon audio system can be added. The SE comes with Level 1 as standard, comprising a head-up display, wireless charging and heated front seats.

Buyers specifying options packs should beware, however – our test example of the SE was festooned with £5,300 of options, pushing it well into plus-£40,000 expensive car supplement territory for its annual VED licence…

What do we think of it?

At the launch event Business Motoring tried out the Aceman SE, which as mentioned is set to be by far the most popular variant and could prove to be the most sensible option for fleet drivers if they keep below that VED deadline.

In many ways regular viewers of these pages could save time by simply refreshing their memories of the Cooper Electric test back in June, as the Aceman reflects its smaller sibling in so many areas. But the big difference is a crucial one – climb into the back seats of the Aceman and one will find the kind of space one expects in a typical supermini, and which has long been a criticism of MINI models. It’s not by any means generous, but it is much more adequate compared to a Cooper, combined with a reasonable 300-litre boot.

The interior is well finished, the knitted texture surfacing around the dash attractive as well as apparently being sustainable. The central screen is certainly dominant and mastering its various functions does take some getting used to, whether using the touchscreen or the voice assistant.

The Aceman may be larger than the Cooper but it does not feel like it on the road. All of the fun aspects that are considered a MINI must, such as the precise handling and direct feel through the steering, are present together with the instant response and potency that comes with a reasonably-sized electric motor – swift overtaking being a particular pleasure.

Ride comfort is not bad, a little firm over bumps perhaps, but generally the car behaves itself very well even when not driven enthusiastically, which is all too easy to do in an electric MINI.

In summary, the Aceman does everything that endears the MINI Cooper to so many owners. But now one can carry adults in relative comfort for some distance in the back of a car wearing a MINI badge without going down the route of the gargantuan Countryman – as such it’s likely to be a popular choice with both fleet and private buyers.

Business Motoring First Drives are the initial test of a new vehicle, of usually between 50 and 100 miles. Business Motoring Full Reviews are usually conducted over a full week, completing several hundred miles.