Mini, the popular British car manufacturer, has unveiled a preview of its latest concept car. The EV, dubbed the Concept Aceman, was revealed yesterday in Dusseldorf. It will be the company’s second fully-electric car after 2020’s Mini Cooper SE. Although, unlike 2020’s EV, this one was designed from the start to be fully electric. Mini didn’t just yank out the internal combustion engine (ICE) and stick in an electric motor and a couple of Duracells.
The future according to Mini
This might be Mini’s second fully-electric EV but it’s the company’s first electric crossover model. Mini says it will fall somewhere between the Cooper and Countryman in terms of size. The brand also said that this concept isn’t exactly what buyers will get when the vehicle rolls out in 2024, although it’s probably close enough.
As with most EVs, the Aceman’s exterior features plenty of LEDs. The closed-off grille is home to matrix LED units that can be animated, because why not? If you’re familiar with the brand, you’ll notice that the headlight design has changed from the iconic round lamps to something more angular. This could prove divisive for long-time fans.
Changes continue inside the cabin. Firstly, it’s mostly made from eco-friendly materials. The dash looks a little like a soundbar, which, Mini says, was the intention. Then there’s the circular OLED display for the infotainment system.
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The Aceman will run a new version of Mini OS. This time, it’s based on the Android Open Source Project. It will supposedly feature new “experience modes” that will suggest stuff to see, places to go and things to do, depending on your preferences. This sounds like an annoyance more than anything else, unless Mini implements it properly. We’re not sure how you would do that. Hopefully, Mini does.
But does it go vroom?
In terms of the drivey bits, Mini hasn’t given any numbers for the Aceman. But according to a Wired report, it will closely resemble next year’s Mini Cooper. That will come in two flavours, a Cooper E and SE. The former is said to have 135kW of power with a range of around 300km while the latter will have slightly more power at 160kW and a slightly greater range at 400km. It’s a good guess, then, that the Aceman’s spec will be similar, if not the same.
The rest of the juicy bits are still unknown. There could be some level of autonomous driving and all-wheel drive. But Mini is keeping quiet on that (and the price) for now. We’ll have to wait for 24 August at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany for further info.
