The Mini Cooper range will have more electric models in the years to come. Our spies believe this is the first look at the high-performance John Cooper Works variant of the EV.
Compared to the official teasers of the upcoming electric Mini (below), the car in these spy shots has a different front fascia with a vertical upright in the center. The headlights are the same shape, but these photos show the development vehicle with stacked horizontal running lights.
There are no styling differences between the vehicles in profile. The new Mini has a boxy silhouette reminiscent of the revived Mini that arrived in 2000. This one rides on wheels with five U-shaped spokes and machined faces.
Gallery: Mini Cooper John Cooper Works EV Spy Photos
The JCW has a revised rear bumper with tall reflectors on the outer corners. A simulated diffuser runs along the bottom rather than smoother styling on the standard model.
Recent spy shots give us a good look at the upcoming Mini EV's cabin. There's a circular display on the center of the dashboard. The speedometer is on the top, and infotainment duties are on the bottom. It doesn't appear that there are any gauges behind the steering wheel.
In May 2023, Mini confirmed technical details about the upcoming 2024 Cooper Electric three-door hatchback. The entry-level version has a front-mounted electric motor making 181 horsepower and a 40.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack. This setup offers an estimated range of 186 miles in Europe.
The Cooper SE turns up the front-mounted motor's output to 215 hp and increases the battery capacity to 54.2 kWh. The estimated range in Europe would increase to 249 miles.
To be worthy of the John Cooper Works moniker, we expect this model to have more power than the SE.
The new Cooper EVs ride on a dedicated electric vehicle platform called Spotlight. BMW co-developed it with China's Great Wall Motor.
The first Cooper EVs will arrive in 2024. We don't expect the John Cooper Works variant to arrive at the same time as the others. Mini is also working on the Aceman and Countryman electric crossovers.
