The new MINI Aceman is designed to fit between the existing MINI Cooper-sized model and the Countryman, as a compact family offering. And MINI has competitors such as Volvo in its sights, along with cars like the Renault Megane e-Tech.
The Aceman will be cheaper than the Volvo EX30 but more expensive than the Megane when it arrives here next November.
It has an innovative design, with a lookalike grille (electric cars do not need them), two-box shape, chunky wheel arches, angular LED headlights and skid plates. Being an electric car, it also has the advantage of a pretty generous interior space - it is designed as a five-seater, with an emphasis on compact exterior dimensions. The boot has a 300-litre capacity, which is not all that large but the rear seats can be folded.
There are two versions for the Irish market - an E and an SE.
The entry-level E will have a rather modest 42.5 kWh battery and MINI is claiming a range of up to 308 kilometres. The SE will have a 54.2 kWh battery and has a claimed range of up to 405 kilometres. These ranges should not, however, be considered entirely accurate in real-world conditions and MINI hasn’t been known for highly-efficient ranges so far.
The E price will be a relatively competitive €39,065 - almost €5,000 cheaper than the current Volvo EX30 price - and the SE will come in at €44,595.
The interior is dominated by a 24 cm circular digital screen for infotainment display. In a clever innovation you can have your favourite image as a screen saver - something you are likely to see other manufacturers adopt in new models. There is also a voice-activated control system for various functions.
