Whoops! The hot John Cooper Works (JCW) version of Mini’s new electric hatchback has been spotted wearing no camouflage at all.
Instagram user parkedinmuc spied Mini’s next performance model parked out in the open in Munich, Germany.
While the new electric Mini Cooper has already been revealed and is due here in the third quarter of 2024, the company hasn’t provided timing for the JCW flagship.
It’s expected to follow later, with a 2025 launch reportedly planned.
The spied model retains the mostly blocked-off grille area of the Cooper EV, albeit with some lower openings to cool various components.
However, while the grille area on the regular Cooper EV is body-coloured, on the JCW version it’s blacked-out, lending a more aggressive appearance.
Racing stripe decals are found on the bonnet, while there’s JCW badging on the grille.
There are more aggressively styled bumpers front and rear with gloss black elements, while there are also gloss black side skirts.
The JCW body kit is topped off with a large rear spoiler.
The flagship Mini Cooper EV variant will reportedly be powered by a single electric motor producing 186kW of power with a 54kWh battery pack.
There are reportedly no plans for a dual-motor all-wheel drive variant.
The Cooper EV JCW will compete against similarly-sized electric hot hatches such as the Abarth 500e and the upcoming Alpine A290.
The electric Mini Cooper range will be built by Great Wall Motor in China, and will be underpinned by a new electric car platform dubbed Spotlight EV.
Mini recently confirmed it will also produce EVs in its Oxford plant in the UK.
The unrelated combustion-powered Mini Cooper will continue to be built in Oxford in the UK. An updated version of the car currently on sale is also expected to launch in 2024.
The Cooper EV reportedly has a wider track, shorter front overhang, larger wheels and longer wheelbase than the current three-door Mini Hatch, though it will remain 3.8m long. It’s unclear however, if track width has increased in the JCW over the regular Cooper EV.
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Mini Cooper EV
The entry-level E variant will offer a 40kWh battery pack and a 135kW electric motor, whereas the SE will receive a larger 54kWh unit and a 160kW electric motor, with range of up to 386km.
The interior is expected to remain largely the same as the Cooper EV, albeit with likely updates to trim combinations.
The Cooper EV debuted a centrally mounted 9.4-inch circular OLED touchscreen infotainment system that shows things like the current speed, driving range, selected gear, and maps, among other information.
A head-up display replaces the digital instrument cluster in front of the driver.
Mini has developed a “soundtrack” for the next-generation performance EV that will vary based on the drive mode, but Mini head Stefanie Wurst told Autocar it won’t use a Hans Zimmer-composed soundtrack as in recent BMW-branded EVs.
The last new Mini model with an internal-combustion engine will be released in 2025, and Mini says 50 per cent of its sales will be all-electric by 2027. Come 2030, every single Mini will be electric.