In a nutshell:
- MINI reveals it’s developing a range of electric John Cooper Works models.
- First-look pics reveal radical new styling complete with huge rear spoiler.
- Petrol engines won’t be phased out just yet - as MINI recognises how much people love them.
- But MINI says it wants to build on the success of the already-released standard MINI Electric hatch.
Strap yourself in and prepare for the ultimate pocket rocket - because MINI has confirmed its working on an electric version of its lightning-quick John Cooper Works hot hatch.
Let’s be honest - it’s not as if the current petrol John Cooper Works MINI is slow.
A 2.0 litre mill produces 231 hp and will see the luxury go-kart sprint from 0-62mph in just 6.3 seconds.
The John Cooper Works cars are even more powerful in larger Clubman and Countryman form, where the engine has been tuned to chuck out 306 hp.
But now MINI tells us there’s a brand new all-electric, zero-emission batch of John Cooper Works models in the pipeline.
And if the explosive acceleration of other electric cars on the market is anything to go by, the green meanie MINI should be absolutely rapid.
Bernd Körber, Head of the MINI brand, said: “John Cooper Works models with conventional combustion engines will still continue to have an important role to play, to make sure we’re addressing the wishes and needs of performance enthusiasts all around the world."
“With this new focus on electric performance, we’re also creating the opportunity to sharpen the distinctive profile of the John Cooper Works brand more than ever before.”
So far we know very little about how the electric John Cooper Works range will pan out because MINI is currently keeping schtum.
But the sneak peek pics reveal a redesigned front end with sharper, more aggressive lines, a rear splitter, new flared wheel arches and a garish spoiler that wouldn’t look out of place on a poster fixed to a teenager’s bedroom wall.
Meanwhile we can look to an existing MINI to predict what performance might look.
The MINI Electric was launched back in 2019 and thanks to a 93.2 AH battery it produces 184 hp.
Range on the MINI Electric is listed as between 140 and 145 miles, while 0-62mph is dispatched in just 7.3 seconds. That’s very similar to a BMW i3 - one of the MINI’s sister cars under the wider BMW ownership umbrella.
Yet that figure is easy to improve upon. The more powerful i3 - the i3s - has a larger battery and takes just 6.9 seconds to reach 62mph.
So it’ll be interesting to see how MINI can eke out more power from its electric platform while also protecting range.
MINI’s Bernd Körber adsd: “With the MINI Electric, we’ve shown how well brand-typical driving enjoyment and electric mobility can be combined.
“Now it’s time to translate the passion for performance of the John Cooper Works brand to electromobility. That’s why we’re working to develop concepts for electric John Cooper Works models.”
We’ll share more details of the electric John Cooper Works models as and when they arrive.
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