Skip advert
Advertisement

Mini Electric Pacesetter revealed as Formula E pace car – previews all-electric John Cooper Works

Mini’s next hot hatch to eschew petrol power for a high-powered electric motor, previewed by GP Pacesetter safety car.

The Formula E championship will have a new all-electric safety car to hand, with the official unveiling of the Mini Electric Pacesetter. While unconfirmed for production, the safety car does preview an all-electric take on a John Cooper Works that is expected to be revealed before the end of this generation Mini’s lifecycle.

Advertisement - Article continues below

For now, the Mini Electric Pacesetter combines the standard Mini Electric’s 181bhp electric motor, with a selection of bespoke chassis upgrades derived from the wide-body Mini JCW GP. This includes a take on the GP3’s distinctive CFRP wheel spats and rear wing, with a selection of new design elements borrowed from the Mini’s latest update revealed late last year. 

Mini claims the Pacesetter also weighs in at around 130kg less than the standard Mini Electric at 1280kg, derived mostly from stripping out even more interior trim and sound deadening. This reduction in weight also aids improved performance, reducing the 0-62mph time to 6.7sec, 0.6sec down on the production model.

The chassis carries across more of the GP’s chassis upgrades, including a 10mm track increase, four-piston front brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber, but swaps out the road car’s road-car dampers for a set of competition-spec three-way adjustable coilovers, setup with an even firmer ride quality than the standard GP3, if that were at all possible. 

While the Pacesetter will likely remain a one-off in its exact form, a fully-electric Mini John Cooper Works is expected to arrive by the end of 2021, joining the GP3 at the top of this generation Mini. Specific powertrain figures are yet to be confirmed, but given the current Mini Electric is only just behind that of its internal combustion engined siblings, we suspect it might just well be the fastest Mini of this generation. 

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

​Volkswagen ID.3 review: a more subtle, more expensive Cupra Born
Volkswagen ID.3 – front
Reviews

​Volkswagen ID.3 review: a more subtle, more expensive Cupra Born

The ID.3 has been updated to address some of its key weak points, but better-value rivals have caught up
26 Mar 2024
2025 Audi e-tron GT to get 1000bhp RS model
2025 Audi e-tron GT
News

2025 Audi e-tron GT to get 1000bhp RS model

The all-electric Audi e-tron GT will benefit from the upgrades its Porsche Taycan relative has just received, including a 1000bhp RS model
22 Mar 2024
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N 2024 review – the most engaging EV yet
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Reviews

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N 2024 review – the most engaging EV yet

Hyundai has used every trick in the book – and written a few new ones – to make the Ioniq 5 N fun to drive. The results are truly impressive
20 Mar 2024
Kia EV9 2024 review – a Range Rover on a budget?
Kia EV9 – front
Reviews

Kia EV9 2024 review – a Range Rover on a budget?

Need an electric seven-seater with a 300+ mile range? Right now, the answer is Kia's EV9.
20 Mar 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024
The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024