At a time when maintenance costs of a vehicle have become more critical in the car buying decision, an EV (Electric Vehicle) is starting to tick a few right boxes with a caveat of a few negative boxes ticked as well. We spent a week driving the Mini Aceman SE, an electric SUV from the BMW owned brand.
Lets start with the design cause no matter how expensive or cheap a car is, you have to like the design first before you buy it (Tata Punch, I won't comment). The Aceman SE has a design that grows on you as at first acquaintance I found some design lines awkward (side profile) but the more we stayed with the Mini, the more we found the design quite cool. Mini parent company, BMW designers have perfected this when designing their cars. Where initially the reception to their design can be best described as lukewarm, after time, the market adores them. One car in question is the BMW 4 Series with its grille. Now Mini seems to have received that design character as the more we drove the car around, the more admiring glances, thumbs up and flashing light we received. Rarely did I come back to it in the parking lot with no one looking at it.
The front LED headlamps are "Bug Eye" with LED Daytime lights built into them. The closed grille is typical EV as there is no need for engine cooling whilst the S decal placed on the polished grille, ensures everyone knows it's the top spec model. The hexagonal shape around the grille might not be to everyone's taste though (colour coding will probably put paid to that for those that dont like it).
The side gets a rather attractive two tone finish with a polished black roof with roof rails. The soft black plastic cladding on the side, front and rear protect the car against curb scratches and dents. 19 inch wheels in black and chrome do give the Aceman S a good stance. The rear door access is a bit high when loading stuff whilst the lack of an electric tailgate was an interesting omission.
Speaking of the boot, the dual compartment floor allows easy storage of the charging equipment whilst allowing space for groceries and other stuff to carry with ease. Its not be biggest boot around but the rear folding seats do give extra carrying capacity.
The seats up front offer great comfort whilst "Mini DNA" design around the cabin is welcome. Storage spaces are efficient taking into account the small size of the Aceman. Wireless phone charging, a Heads Up Display (HUD) ensure you can use your phone safely whilst driving as all call controls are neatly projected into the HUD (no hands Ma). Ambient lighting in also integrated into the dash in a not corny kinda way whilst the general fit and finish gives a solid feel.
The round OLED, 240 mm diameter infotainment touchscreen has all the drive, entertainment and car set-up functionality. At first, it took some getting used to but after a while, you wonder how others sometimes get it so wrong. The crisp clarity of the screen is unmatched thus far whilst the Harman Kardon is a boon for those that enjoy good sound. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay worked with no hassles during the test. The "Start Key" and "gear" selector with parking brake form part of a small panel below the screen with short cuts to the settings, hazards and quick aircon buttons proving useful.
Space at the back was surprisingly ok with the large panoramic glass roof giving the cabin an airy feel.
Now we get to the part that separates this Mini from those with an engine. The Aceman S drives the front wheel courtesy of a 160kW motor with a claimed range of 406km. We managed to get 350km repeatedly during the test. A 0-100km/h time of 7.1 sec is decent as we have now moved away from the "drag strip" mentality when driving EVs. Where the Aceman SE really shines is in the handling department. It has all the "Mini" DNA meaning it loves being hassled in the twisty bits. The one area which makes it perfect is the perfect damping which allows the Aceman S to absorb road imperfection thus not killing the stability. We drove the Aceman SE back to back with the Alfa Junior Veloce and even though the Italian has more power (at 207kW), the Mini uses its 160kW better, making one question which would be faster on a mountain pass. The Aceman SE comes with a free wall box which can be installed at your home allowing one to have a "full tank" of electricity every morning. At a cost of R250 to charge (battery size of 49.2kW/h at a rate of R5 - most expensive Municipal rates) and then getting 350km daily range, maintenance is a no brainer. The countrywide challenge is the lack of charging infrastructure once out of your home charge "safe zone". This is one of the caveats limiting growth in EV sales.
The Mini Aceman SE costs R892,000.00 when new and comes with a 5 year Motorplan. Battery warranty of 8 year 150 000km gives further peace of mind. If you feel the price tag is too much, consider BMW Finance offers which allow one to own an Aceman SE and pay R11 900 per month for 4 years and after that simply swap it for a new model at no cost (fair wear and tear). Take into account the low maintenance and driving costs, its a no brainer.