Mini John Cooper Works Electric unveiled: the EV hot hatch you’ve been waiting for?
October 14, 2024 by Tom Wiltshire
Car changing is a big deal
Mini’s electric Cooper gets the JCW treatment, with 258hp, chassis upgrades and a visual makeover – and it’s less than £40,000
- Mini Cooper Electric JCW displayed at Paris motor show
- Hot hatchback version of Cooper Electric hatch
- 258hp, 251-mile range, 0-62mph in 5.9s
- Costs less than £40,000
- Unveiled alongside similarly high-performance Mini Aceman SUV
- First deliveries in April 2025
The MG4 XPower, Volkswagen ID3 GTX, Abarth 500e – all have tried to nail the small electric hot hatchback brief, without much success. Now, it’s Mini’s turn. The new Mini John Cooper Works is the sportiest version of the Mini Cooper Electric hatch, courtesy of the firm’s JCW performance department.
Previous petrol Mini JCWs have been impressive creations, so what has the British brand done to reimagine this performance for the electric age? Read on to find out.
Mini John Cooper Works Electric: design
The Cooper Electric and Aceman already available in a ‘Sport’ trim, which is emblazoned with JCW badging and looks suitably aggressive. For this true performance model, Mini’s turned up the volume just a little and added a few new touches to mark this out from the regular Sport models.
You get an aggressive bodykit with black side skirts, aeroblades on the C-pillar and a chunky rear spoiler. There’s also gloss black trim, and red vertical reflectors at all four corners. A chequered flag pattern surrounding the rear number plate is a nice touch, and new 18-inch alloy wheels hide red brake callipers with JCW logos. As standard, you get a red roof and mirror caps, though you can have a funky red-to-black gradient effect if you prefer.
The interior is virtually identical to the Sport model, which is no bad thing – you get a super-cool circular infotainment display sat on a minimalist dashboard with very few physical switches. The sports seats are upholstered in artificial leather with woven fabric at the shoulders, and that same woven effect runs across the width of the dash and the door cards. Marking it out as a JCW are a couple more red accents, particularly on the steering wheel, and new ambient lighting in the headlining.
The Aceman’s makeover is virtually identical, but it features 19-inch alloy wheels instead of the Cooper’s 18s.
Mini John Cooper Works Electric: performance and 0-62
The Mini JCW Electric isn’t the most powerful EV on sale. With 258hp it’s comfortably outgunned by the MG4 XPower, VW ID3 GTX and even more sensible models such as the Single Motor Volvo EX30.
It’s a nice boost over the standard Cooper SE, though, which gets 218hp, and means that you can get from 0-62mph in a pretty nippy 5.9s. In the larger, heavier Aceman, that figure is 6.4s. In both models, the full performance of that 258hp isn’t unlocked until you press a new rocker switch on the steering wheel, which gives you an additional 27hp.
The hatchback’s figure is actually identical to the VW ID3 GTX (though the Performance model is quicker) but is easily outstripped by the MG4 XPower’s 3.8s time.
Driving a Mini is more about fun than outright pace, though. The standard Cooper Electric is quite a laugh to punt about the corners, and Mini says it’s added specific JCW suspension as well as high-performance tyres to enhance the brand’s trademark ‘go-kart’ handling.
Mini John Cooper Works Electric: price, range, and release date
The John Cooper Works Electric gets the larger of the two batteries fitted to the standard Cooper Electric. It has 54.2kWh of capacity, and interestingly the official range is slightly higher than the standard Cooper, at 251 miles vs 249 miles.
In the real world, we’d expect the extra performance of the JCW model to manifest in a slightly shorter range, but you should still be able to eke out around 200 miles with a light right foot.
The Aceman uses the same battery but again, its heavier weight and bigger body mean official range is lower at 243 miles. Both cars can charge at up to 95kW from a suitably powerful public charger, giving a 10-80% top-up in less than 30 minutes.
The Mini John Cooper Works Electric and the Mini John Cooper Works Aceman will go on sale in October 2025, with first deliveries reaching customers in April 2025. The Cooper costs from £38,420 – a little more than an MG4 XPower, but much less than a VW ID3 GTX. The JCW Aceman costs from £40,220.
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