New Mini Aceman completes testing before April reveal

The Mini Aceman has completed its last round of testing before its unveiling at the Auto China show in April.

Pushed to the limit, prototypes of this electric crossover were put through their paces on dusty desert roads in ambient temperatures nearing 50ºC. Before this, the vehicles were subjected to the icy rigours of the Arctic Circle. 

These extreme climate conditions put to test the effectiveness, reliability and thermal management of the Aceman's powertrain, which sees a floor-mounted 54.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack powering a single high-torque electric motor bolted onto the front axle. 

Engineered to bridge the gap between the Mini Cooper and Countryman, the Aceman is 4,075mm long, 1,754mm wide and 1,495mm tall. Available exclusively as a five-door, it is expected to offer a reasonable amount of practicality as well as seating for five adults.

Though the test units are heavily camouflaged, it appears they carry through many of the exterior styling features seen on the 2022 concept car. These include the dramatically contoured headlamp clusters, sizeable alloy wheels (up to 20-inches in diameter) and Union Jack-patterned tail light clusters. The UK's iconic national flag motif is also expected to make an appearance on the crossover's optional (and functional) roof rack. 

The Mini Aceman's interior is said to be minimalistic, with only a single large OLED display mounted in the middle of the dashboard. This is used to screen driving information (drive modes, speed, distance, temperature and so on) and control the car's next-generation infotainment system that will offer a high degree of personalisation as well as connectivity.

Mini is also using a high percentage of sustainable materials in the cabin's construction. This means zero chrome and — vegans rejoice — not a stitch of leather.

The new Mini Aceman will make its world premiere at Auto China on April 24.