The MINI John Cooper Works E Prototype will be the first-ever electric MINI JCW model. Blending iconic style with electric power, the MINI JCW E marks a bold new chapter for MINI. It will be unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in four days from July 11-14, 2024.
In commemorating MINI’s historic victory of the Mini Cooper S at the 1964 Rallye Monte Carlo 60 years ago, the prototype features a distinctive camouflage designed by the MINI Design Team, including the same “37” race number on its hood. This number serves as a homage to MINI’s rich motorsport tradition.
This hatchback will offer a glimpse of the future of high-performance electric vehicles, showcasing their iconic design and engineering prowess. The MINI JCW E Prototype is said featured an “advanced electric powertrain”, which suggests that it will pack more power than the 218 hp and 330 Nm Mini Cooper SE.
In an interview with Autocar, MINI and Compact Class BMW Product Line Senior Vice President, Stefan Floeck stated that the JCW E would be engineered to offer similar performance to its ICE counterpart. He also implied that the MINI JCW E Prototype would remain front-wheel-drive with a single motor. Although he said that the Cooper EV platform could accept dual-motor powertrains, it hadn’t yet been confirmed which powertrain the hot hatch would use.
For reference, the Mini Cooper SE is equipped with a single electric motor, powering the front axle delivering 218 hp and 330 Nm of torque that translates to a century sprint in 6.7 seconds. The motor is juiced by a 54.2 kWh battery pack, afforded by a brand new electric platform co-developed with China’s GWM (via the Spotlight Automotive joint venture company), which has essentially doubled the model’s driving range to now 402 km (WLTP).
Further technical details are expected to be revealed at the event, which comes after the premier of a prototype petrol-engined Cooper JCW in the recent Nürburgring 24-Hour race, also wearing the same camouflage.
