It’s been months since the J01 MINI Cooper EV was revealed and yet we still don’t have a complete list of technical details. Until today. And there are more than a few surprises. For one did you know that the J01 Cooper is fractionally wider than the forthcoming J05 Aceman crossover? Or that the J01 Cooper SE is almost 400 lbs heavier than the outgoing Cooper SE?

The latter isn’t so surprising given the almost double range and amount of extra batteries in the new J01 Cooper SE. But wider than the forthcoming Aceman crossover is a fascinating stat and one that underlines just how related these two cars are. More than anything these numbers give you a better idea of some of the tradeoffs and very deliberate choices made by MINI when they designed the J01.

MINI Cooper EV

As you can see below, it would see MINI went to great lengths to match many of the dimensions of the F56, down to even the front overhang. Yes that aspect of the F56 so many of us bemoaned initially is only slightly smaller in clean sheet design of the J01. That aspect is particularly interesting to us given that MINI a clean-sheet design and the opportunity to rethink the packaging with all the freedom of that a skateboard chassis allows.

ModelsJ01 Cooper EJ01 Cooper SEF56 Cooper SEJ05 Aceman SE
Power184 hp 218 hp181 hp 218 hp
Torque214 lb-ft243 lb-ft199 lb-ft243 lb-ft
Transmission1 speed1 speed1 speed1 speed
0-60 mph7.3 sec6.7 sec7.2 secTBA
Range 190 miles250 miles140 milesTBA
Length (mm/inches)3858 mm / 151.8 in3858 mm / 151.8 in3850 mm / 151.5 in4079 mm / 161 in
Width w/o Mirros (mm/inches)1756 mm / 69 in1756 mm / 69 in1727 mm / 68 in1754 mm / 69 in
Height (mm)1460 mm / 57 in1460 mm / 57 in1432 mm / 56.4 in1514 mm / 59.6 in
Wheelbase (mm)2526 mm / 99 in2526 mm / 99 in2495 mm / 98.2 in 2606 mm / 102.6 in
Curb weight (kg/lbs)1540 kg / 3395 lbs1605 kg / 3,538 lbs1440 kg / 3175 lbs1710 kg / 3,770 lbs
Weight distribution (Front/Rear)F 58% / R 42%F 57% / R 43%F 54% / R 46%TBD
Front Overhang746 mm / 29.3 in746 mm / 29.3 in757 mm / 29.8756 mm / 29.8 in
Rear Overhang586 mm / 23 in586 mm / 23 in681 mm / 26.8 in717 mm / 28.2 in
Luggage capacity (seats up/seats down210 / 800 L210 / 800 L211 / 941 L450 / 1450 L

Also interesting is the weight tradeoff we mentioned above. Everyone wants more range but the downside of that is more batteries and thus more weight. While that matters less in an EV where the weight is so close to the ground, it’s still worth noting.

We’ve also compared some of the latest exclusive Aceman technical details above giving you a picture of just how related the J01 Cooper and the J05 Aceman are. It’s safe to say that the Aceman truly is just a larger J01 Cooper with four doors. In fact the more you look at it the more you realize the Aceman isn’t a replacement for the Clubman but instead a replacement for the current F55 five door hatch.

The Small Design Differences Matter

No matter which you prefer, it’s clear to see that the J01 is simpler and more minimal in its overall design language. And the dimensions of the J01 are hidden better with this new design. The higher belt-line makes the car look more aggressive and upright as does the taller but more angular hood. The J01 does away with the surrounding trim yet they somehow look smaller because of how simply they are in comparison. They also sit slightly higher on the car and thus feel more upright.

Then there’s the clean sides which have real curve to them vs the very flat F56. The J01 introduced dimensionality we’ve never seen on a Cooper before. The result is a car that looks more athletic with being overly aggressive as so many modern cars are. And yet the sizes are nearly the same.

What do you see in this data? Let us know in the comments below.