Riding high on EVs, Mini adds sizzling electric John Cooper Works Mini hatch and Aceman SUV to its Australian line-up

The John Cooper name adorned Jack Brabham’s 1950s F1 title-winning racers, 1960s Monte Carlo Rally-dominating Minis and now – for 2025 – a brace of EVs.

The three-door all-electric Mini Cooper John Cooper Works (JCW) has hit Aussie showrooms, alongside the brand’s EV-only Aceman small SUV with JCW fettling.

Both models gain performance hikes, quicker acceleration, chassis enhancement and lots and lots of black and red sporty JCW bits inside and out. The JCW Cooper EV is the quickest front-drive product Mini sells.

This hot hatchback is priced from $63,990, and the small SUV Aceman version from $65,990 (both prices before on-roads), and are on-sale now.

Mini Australia launched the two hottest versions of its EVs at Queensland’s RACQ Mobility Centre this week, giving motoring journalists the chance to sling these JCW EVs around a test track and soggy slalom course.

Look out for our review of the vehicles next week when we’re allowed to tell you about them.

They’re significant cars for the brand, as electrification becomes increasingly important to Mini in Australia.

Like its big brother BMW, EVs make up a substantial chunk of the brand’s local sales. In the year-to-date, Mini has sold 1817 new vehicles, with 36 per cent being pure electric models.

The British/German brand said this was its best start to the year ever in Australia; sales are up a mighty 72 per cent overall compared to 2024.

“It’s important for us to have that power of choice for the customers to choose between petrol and electric,” said Mini Australia GM Alex Brockhoff. “Now that (choice) is going to be the case for the Mini JCW range as well.

“Mini is really about the go-kart feeling, and when you look at John Cooper Works, the sub-brand of Mini, this is really where it’s about the pinnacle go-kart feeling.”

Marketed very much as premium small vehicles, prices of these JCW EVs pitch them against quality opposition.

Circa $60k offerings include the Tesla Model 3 AWD, Tesla Model Y RWD, BYD Seal Premium, Volvo EX30, Hyundai Kona Electric, Polestar 2 and Cupra Born. Most of these crack the 100km/h sprint faster than the Cooper E and Aceman, if that’s your thing.

Both electric JCWs use a single e-motor sending 190kW and 350Nm through the front wheels: an improvement over the Mini Electric SE‘s 160kW/330Nm.

The three-door JCW Mini hatch cracks 100km/h in 5.9 seconds and JCW Aceman in 6.4 seconds, with both scoring a top speed of 200km/h.

A cool feature is a bright red steering wheel “Boost” button, just by your left thumb, which immediately shifts into Go Kart Mode, rather than fussing through menus on the screen.

Both employ the same 54.2kWh battery, providing a WLTP-rated range of 371km for the JCW Hatch and up to 355km the JCW Aceman.

MINI JCW Electric’s funky cabin with OLED circular screen, Go-Kart mode and canvas dash.

Both score a bespoke sportier suspension tune and ride on grippier rubber specifically developed for fast EVs. These coat JCW 18-inch alloy wheels on the Hatch and larger JCW 19s for the Aceman.

Unlike petrol Mini JCW models, the electrics don’t feature adaptive suspension, rather just a firmer spring and damper setup than the standard EVs.

Performance brakes with red and white JCW calipers increase braking power, while aesthetics include a sportier front bumper, black side skirts, new rear bumper with black accents, rear spoiler, chequered flag JCW badging and different daytime-running lights over garden variety Mini EVs.

Specification highlights for Aussie Mini JCWs include a panoramic glass roof, surround view camera, Harman/Kardon audio, augmented reality navigation, heated, power and memory front seats and adaptive cruise control.

Inside are JCW-branded sport seats coated in half synthetic leather and fabric with red stitching.

The dash is wrapped in knitted black and red fabric in a fancy chequered pattern, while a lovely touch is a canvas strap at the base of the steering wheel.

Look out for our first review of the electric JCWs next week.

Iain Curry

A motoring writer and photographer for two decades, Iain started in print magazines in London as editor of Performance BMW and features writer for BMW Car, GT Porsche and 4Drive magazines. His love of motor sport and high performance petrol cars was rudely interrupted in 2011 when he was one of the first journalists to drive BMW's 1 Series ActiveE EV, and has been testing hybrids, PHEVs and EVs for Australian newspapers ever since. Based near Noosa in Queensland, his weekly newspaper articles cover new vehicle reviews and consumer advice, while his photography is regularly seen on the pages of glossy magazines.