Mini’s performance brand is going electric. Mini has just confirmed it will be bringing only EV models to the Paris Motor Show, and the highlight will be the first two John Cooper Works electric performance models making their world premieres. The teasers didn’t mention which of Mini’s lineup will get the JCW treatment, but we have some pretty solid ideas.
First Two Performance Electric Minis
Earlier this year, Mini showed off photos of the new electric John Cooper Works out for testing. It was driving alongside the latest gas JCW Mini model, and both were covered in a camouflage wrap that disguised the vehicles with a clever pattern that included famous racetracks from around the world. That same prototype then made it to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it made a high-speed run up the hill climb course that is the focus of that event.
When it released those photos, Mini said that the electric JCW would “offer a new dimension of performance, combining instant torque with the refined agility that defines the JCW brand.” The company promised that its new EVs would be as exhilarating and engaging as the gas models, both on the road and on the track.
What does a new dimension of performance mean? The JCW badge has already been used on the electric Mini Cooper SE, but it’s not a real JCW. That car is little more than some trim and wheels, as it doesn’t get any changes to the suspension or extra power from the motor. So expect something much better than that.
The Mini Cooper SE makes 215 horsepower from its electric motor, so we’re expecting something much more impressive than that. The last gas-powered Mini JCW made 228 hp, and the electric model should be well up on that, too, even if it doesn’t make the 302 hp of the old JCW GP car. There have been reports of 252 hp and 235 lb-ft, but nothing official of yet.
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If this leak is accurate, the gas JCW will have something the electric alternative can’t boast.
Second Cooper Works Electric Still A Mystery
What the second car will be is less clear. Mini currently offers three electric models, including the Cooper SE, Aceman SE, and Mini Countryman SE All4. Both the Cooper and Countryman have had JCW models for their gas-powered offerings in the past, so a JCW Countryman E could make sense. But Mini’s Aceman is a brand-new four-door model that is only electric. So, while it hasn’t offered a JCW variant before, it hasn’t offered anything before. There’s no history to go by.
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The sporty EV will have more power than expected, and it won’t be ridiculously heavy.
The Aceman is slightly smaller than the Countryman (it’s a replacement for the old Clubman), so its lighter and more compact form could be a better fit for the JCW brand, especially as it starts its transition to electric. There have been rumors of this one circulating, but nothing concrete.
From the headlights and the background of the image, the teaser shows the Mini John Cooper Works E. Which means we’ll have to wait for October 14th and the Paris show to find out for sure what Mini has planned for its second John Cooper Works electric model.
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