Mini Launches First John Cooper Works EVs

Not only has Mini renewed its entire lineup in recent months but the Oxford-based marque has also tweaked its trim levels. There's now a John Cooper Works flavor without any performance gains, so much like parent company BMW has the M Sport Package. But that creates confusion because these are offered alongside full-fat JCW models.

Following the Countryman JCW with a gas engine, Mini is now launching its first-ever performance models with zero emissions. The John Cooper Works Electric and John Cooper Works Aceman are cut from the same cloth. The former is a three-door hatchback while the latter is a more practical five-door crossover. The EVs sit on the same platform and pack a greater punch along with additional hardware changes.

The electric duo is front-wheel-drive-only by sharing a single motor rated at 255 hp and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of instant. The JCW adds an extra 40 hp (30 kW) and 20 Nm (15 lb-ft) over the Cooper Hardtop and Aceman in the SE specification. Mini quotes a 0 to 62 mph of 5.9 seconds for the hatchback and 6.4 seconds for the subcompact crossover. It means the hatch in true JCW guise shaves off 0.8 seconds while the five-door model is 0.7 seconds quicker than before.

To spice things up, Mini has added a boost function that temporarily lifts output by 27 hp (20 kW). That should come in handy while overtaking or when you want to maximize the electric motor’s potential during acceleration. The electric JCW models also receive upgraded brakes for superior stopping power and standard "high-grip" tires.

Mini’s decision to launch a JCW trim level makes it hard to figure out which car is the real deal and which one is the impersonator. We do know that the true performance models have different wheels. The hatch has 18-inch alloys while the crossover gets a bigger 19-inch set. Both have more JCW logos and extra red accents, but overall, they look almost the same as the lesser versions carrying the same name. Aside from the usual JCW logo, the three-door model gets a checkered flag motif on the tailgate but the Aceman does not.

It's business as usual inside where the legitimate JCW models carry over the red and black theme. The ambient lighting in the roof sets them apart from the regular Cooper 3-Door and Aceman in JCW trim. As with all the other Minis, the seats are wrapped in synthetic leather. The front ones have a multi-colored knitted fabric and red contrasting stitching.

Neither the Cooper JCW nor the Aceman JCW is coming to the United States. Well, at least not for now. The two EVs are exclusively built in China but that’s about to change. From 2026, Mini will assemble both cars at home in Oxford. Chances are at least one of the two will make it to North America once production starts in the UK.

Technically, the electric hatchback and crossover are not manufactured directly by Mini or BMW. The cars are built by Spotlight Automotive. If the name doesn't ring a bell, it's a 50:50 joint venture between the BMW Group and Great Wall Motor in China. The EVs are put together at a new factory that can produce up to 160,000 vehicles per year at the site in Jiangsu Province.

Beginning today, Mini is showing off the electric JCW models at the 2024 Paris Motor Show. John Cooper Works models with gas engines beyond the Countryman are still planned. The three-door hot hatch will be followed by a sporty derivative of the recently unveiled Convertible.