Preview: Mini to enter electric hot hatch market with John Cooper Works E
Mini’s John Cooper Works performance division is set to enter the electric era with its first battery-powered hot hatch model.
The new John Cooper Works E PROtotype will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place from July 11 to 14.
The pre-production car, which previews a showroom model that’s due to be unveiled later this year, will make its way up the iconic Goodwood hill next week.
“Marking a significant milestone as the first-ever electric Mini John Cooper Works, the model features an advanced electric powertrain with innovative design, while embodying Mini's commitment to innovation and electromobility,” the company said.
“Due to celebrate its world premiere later this year, the Mini John Cooper Works E represents a bold move in Mini's evolution, combining the brand's rich heritage with cutting-edge technology.”
The BMW-owned British brand said the future John Cooper Works (JCW) line-up would include both petrol and all-electric models.
Mini has not yet released any performance specifications for its electric JCW hatch, but its product boss Stefan Floeck has previously told Autocar that it would offer similar performance to the petrol-powered version.
For the record, the outgoing Mini JCW hatch was powered by a 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine that produced 170kW and the vehicle sprinted from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds. These figures are likely to improve with the new JCW petrol model, which is likely to make its debut in the coming year.
The most powerful electric Mini thus far, the Cooper SE, produces 160kW and 330Nm, while its 54.2 kWh battery offers a claimed range of just over 400km.
Interestingly, the petrol and electric versions of the new-generation Mini hatchback are built on different platforms, with the latter forming part of a joint-venture with Chinese partner GWM.