It’s ‘game on’ with a new design and lots of clever tech. Nothing yet about the performance or range.

ACEMAN is out: Mini has today unveiled the concept of a new electric model, likely to land here in 2024 that stands out for being the first to built in China and also a model that debuts a fresh– yet still identifiably brand-pure - design language.

Revealed today in Dusseldorf, Germany, Aceman is the first of BMW Group's new entry-level electric vehicles; it’s also the first all-electric crossover model from the brand and also the first Mini to be built on a dedicated electric architecture. No technical speaks have so far been shared; Mini wants fans to simply immerse in the new look.

Known as Charismatic Simplicity, and emphatically cartoonish cool – hence why the car will make its public debut soon at Gamescom 2022, a video-game convention in Cologne, Germany - the design most obviously dispenses with most of the chrome furnishings that have, up until now, been a hallmark of the brand's design. What you see here is a more minimalistic route.

All this occurs as Mini, which sold 302,000 cars worldwide last year, makes a greater push towards electrification, having previously said that half its models would be electric by 2027. It plans to introduce its last-ever internal combustion model in 2025.

It has also said new models of the small-car segment developed for e-mobility will be produced in China. Production will be located at the newly constructed automobile plant in the east of that country, with Great Wall Motor as the local partner.

As well as this Aceman, there'll be new generations of the Mini Hatch (smaller than the current model) and Countryman (bigger than present and with a pure-electric option) both also employing the new design language. The latter shares its platform with the new BMW X1.

Mini says Aceman is 80 percent true to the final production design. At just under four metres long and just under two metres wide, it is practically the same size as the current Countryman ming revamp). Comment is that the rugged, boxy aesthetic makes the car appear bigger than it actually is.

I n its presentation today, Mini said the Aceman's “two-box” design with short overhangs gives more space for passengers and luggage without giving it an overly large footprint—despite being a four-door with a reasonable boot and seating for five.

Glass flush-fitted with the body panels improves aerodynamics. Wide surrounds on the lower body, chunky wheel arches, larger wheels, and custom roof rack round out the concept's crossover feel.

As is common for an EV, the central grille is closed off, as the cooling is not required for the electric motors. Mini has added matrix LED units integrated into the upper section that can be animated, it says, “welcome occupants.”

The front and rear lights are also matrix LED units, which means that, on the concept at least, this allows for the lighting pattern to be switched to other designs if needed or just desired.

The interior makes strong use of eco materials. Surfaces in this instance are covered in knitted recycled textiles; the dark green velvet velour steering wheel is obviously striking. The dashboard has apparently been styled like a soundbar, extending across the width of the leather-free interior. Check out the new circular OLED display as the central screen.

The user interface in the production vehicle will be based on a new version of the Mini OS, built on Android Open Source Project software. Intention is to use this to drive “experience modes” such as “Pop-Up,” which suggests landmarks and destinations based on what you set the car to prioritise – it suggests “adventures,” restaurants, or places that are “trending.”