MINI is setting the pace with Formula E car
MINI is to show the sporty potential of electric power with a special model that will be the new safety car for this year’s Formula E race series.
The MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by John Cooper Works is based on the zeroemission electric MINI released last year.
It will make its debut in Rome a week tomorrow, where it will be seen at the second event of the 2021 Formula E season.
With radical styling and lightweight design, the Pacesetter has a 0-62mph acceleration time of 6.7 seconds – more than half a second quicker than the standard MINI Electric.
It uses the same powertrain as the MINI Electric, which produces 135kW – or 184hp in old money, but has more mid-range torque that enables it to sprint to 75mph in 4.3 seconds compared with the 4.6 seconds of the standard car.
Bernd Korber, head of MINI, said: “We have already shown how well driving fun and electric mobility go together with the MINI Electric.
“However, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW goes at least a step further and blends the performance character of the John Cooper Works brand with electric mobility.”
And although the Pacesetter is designed solely for its race track role, Korber dropped a strong hint a production variant may be in the wings.
He said: “It reveals a direction we could take with the electrification of the JCW brand. For me, the message is clear: electrification and John Cooper Works are a good fit.”