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The MINI Aceman is both classic MINI and a new approach
MINI has released the first images and videos of their new Aceman concept EV and it marks a significant shift in design while retaining typical “mini-ness.” The vehicle may also be a departure from MINI’s first EV offering in terms of affordability.
As a note, I am a proud MINI owner. I drive a 2011 MINI Countryman S All4 and despite its flaws, I love what I can only describe as its “mini-ness,” and I’m not talking about the vehicle’s relatively small stature. “Mini-ness” is that intangible feeling that makes you think, “Why did they make this [insert part name] this way? And more concerningly, why do I like it?!” I am proud to say that from the initial images of the concept MINI Aceman, mini-ness is alive and well.
If released, the Aceman would be the brand’s second EV offering after the Cooper SE; however, though this hasn’t been confirmed, it would be likely that this would be the brand’s first purpose-built EV (perhaps built off the BMW iX platform) instead of an EV inside of the skeleton of an ICE mini. But this is only the start of the mystery surrounding the vehicle, as MINI was quite tight-lipped in what they shared about the vehicle, essentially only addressing the vehicle’s design and how it was “the beginning of a new MINI design era.”
While this vehicle is only a concept at this point, it does (according to mini) hint at future design. The MINI notably ditches leather and chrome and aims for a simple yet angular design. The exterior of the vehicle is quite exciting with a bright light blue body, a green hood, and red accents. The vehicle looks to be the size of the Countryman, if not a little bigger, but this may be the visual effect of the massive 20-inch wheels. The angularity of the exterior is exemplified in the hexagonal headlights/typical union jack taillights, as well as the hood that has (atypical for MINI) strong creases leading to the back of the vehicle. Nonetheless, the more general curviness of MINI design language remains in a couple of areas; the side and side profile.
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- Front of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Top view of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Side profile of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Rear quarter of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Rear of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
The sharp design language continues to the interior, and this is where pinnacle mini-ness is found. What the brand calls “MINImalism” involves removing nearly everything from the front dash; limited and basic climate controls, no visible window switches, no steering column-mounted tachometer, and nothing but the center screen. And while this may sound similar to Tesla’s interior design language, I would argue that the lack of window switches and the circular center screen help achieve the mini-ness feeling.
The fun coloring also continues within the cabin of the Aceman, but that wasn’t weird enough for MINI designers, they had to throw random geometric shapes on the seats and within the texture of the door panels/interior door handles. Once again; why did they design it this way? and why do I like it?!?!
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- Front dash of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Front seats of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
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- Rear seats of Mini Aceman Concept. Credit: Mini
While the strange MINI character is still very alive in the Aceman concept, many are worried that the thing that defined the Cooper SE may be gone from future MINI EVs; affordability. The Cooper SE was one of the cheapest EVs you could buy in the US, and despite its fairly disappointing specs, it grew its own community of people who were simply looking for a shorter-range fun EV. MINI will likely release more details about the vehicle when it is shown in person at the 2022 Gamescon in Cologne later this year, and be sure, the price will be on the tongue of every journalist who is hopeful for an EV future for MINI.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
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News
Tesla Semi factory looks almost complete during Thanksgiving weekend
Based on recent drone videos, the Tesla Semi factory looks practically ready to start operations.
It appears that the Tesla Semi factory near Giga Nevada is already hard at work preparing for the initial production of the Class 8 all-electric truck. This was, at least, hinted at in a recent drone flyover of the facility from a longtime watcher.
The Tesla Semi factory after Thanksgiving
Drone operator and Tesla Semi advocate @HinrichsZane recently shared some footage he captured of the upcoming facility during the Thanksgiving weekend. Based on his video, it appears that Tesla gave its employees in the area the weekend off. One thing is evident from the video, however, and that is the fact that the Tesla Semi factory looks practically ready to start operations.
The Tesla Semi watcher did point out that the electric vehicle maker is still busy bringing in production equipment into the facility itself. Once these are installed, it would not be surprising if initial production of the Tesla Semi begins.
A new Tesla Semi
The upcoming completion of the Tesla Semi factory near Gigafactory Nevada seems all but inevitable in the coming months. What would be especially interesting, however, would be the vehicles that would be produced on the site. During Elon Musk’s presentation at the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, a glimpse of the production Tesla Semi was shown, and it looks quite a bit different than the Class 8 all-electric truck’s classic appearance.
As could be seen in the graphic from the CEO’s presentation, the updated Tesla Semi will feature slim lightbar headlights similar to the new Tesla Model Y, Cybertruck, and the Cybercab. Tesla also teased a number of aerodynamic improvements that increased the truck’s efficiency to 1.7 kWh per mile. Extended camera units, seemingly for FSD, could also be seen in the graphic.
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Tesla scores major hire as Apple scientist moves to Optimus team
Chen, who advanced from individual contributor to technical lead during his time at Apple, noted that he was blown away by Tesla’s efforts and synergy.
Former Apple research scientist Yilun Chen has left the tech giant to join Tesla’s Optimus AI team. Chen, who advanced from individual contributor to technical lead during his time at Apple, noted that he was blown away by Tesla’s efforts and synergy.
Apple veteran closes a major chapter
In a farewell note, Yilun Chen reflected on his tenure at Apple as a period defined by rapid growth and exposure to notable internal projects, some of which remain unreleased. His roles spanned engineering, research, early product incubation, and hands-on prototyping, allowing him to build expertise across both mature and emerging teams.
Chen credited mentors, colleagues, and cross-functional collaborators for shaping his trajectory, calling the experience unforgettable and emphasizing how each team taught him different lessons about scaling technology, guiding product vision, and navigating fast-moving research environments. “Each role has offered me invaluable unique lessons… My deepest gratitude goes to my colleagues, mentors and friends,” he wrote.
Tesla’s Optimus lab secured the hire
Chen said the move to Tesla was driven by the momentum surrounding Optimus, a humanoid robot powered by LLM-driven reasoning and Physical AI. After visiting Tesla’s Optimus lab, he admitted that he was “totally blown away by the scale and sophistication of the Optimus lab and deep dedication of people when I got to visit the office.”
His first week at Tesla, he noted, involved spontaneous deep-tech discussions, a flat team structure, rapid prototyping cycles, and what he called a “crazy ideas with super-fast iterations” culture. Chen emphasized that the team’s ambition, as well as its belief that humanoid robots are now within reach, creates an energy level that feels aimed at changing the world.
-->“You can feel the energy to change the world here,” he wrote in a post on social media.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk gives nod to SpaceX’s massive, previously impossible feat
It was the booster’s 30th flight, a scenario that seemed impossible before SpaceX became a dominant force in spaceflight.
Elon Musk gave a nod to one of SpaceX’s most underrated feats today. Following the successful launch of the Transporter-15 mission, SpaceX seamlessly landed another Falcon 9 booster on a droneship in the middle of the ocean.
It was the booster’s 30th flight, a scenario that seemed impossible before SpaceX became a dominant force in spaceflight.
Elon Musk celebrates a veteran Falcon 9 booster’s feat
SpaceX completed another major milestone for its Smallsat Rideshare program on Friday, successfully launching and deploying 140 spacecraft aboard a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The mission, known as Transporter-15, lifted off two days later than planned after a scrub attributed to a ground systems issue, according to SpaceFlight Now. SpaceX confirmed that all payloads designed to separate from the rocket were deployed as planned.
The Falcon 9 used for this flight was booster B1071, one of SpaceX’s most heavily flown rockets. With its 30th mission completed, it becomes the second booster in SpaceX’s fleet to reach that milestone. B1071’s manifest includes five National Reconnaissance Office missions, NASA’s SWOT satellite, and several previous rideshare deployments, among others. Elon Musk celebrated the milestone on X, writing “30 flights of the same rocket!” in his post.
Skeptics once dismissed reusability as unfeasible
While rocket landings are routine for SpaceX today, that was not always the case. Industry veterans previously questioned whether reusable rockets could ever achieve meaningful cost savings or operational reliability, often citing the Space Shuttle’s partial reusability as evidence of failure.
-->In 2016, Orbital ATK’s Ben Goldberg argued during a panel that even if rockets could be reusable, they do not make a lot of sense. He took issue with Elon Musk’s claims at the time, Ars Technica reported, particularly when the SpaceX founder stated that fuel costs account for just a fraction of launch costs.
Goldberg noted that at most, studies showed only a 30% cost reduction for low-Earth orbit missions by using a reusable rocket. “You’re not going to get 100-fold. These numbers aren’t going to change by an order of magnitude. They’re just not. That’s the state of where we are today,” he said.
Former NASA official Dan Dumbacher, who oversaw the Space Launch System, expressed similar doubts in 2014, implying that if NASA couldn’t make full reusability viable, private firms like SpaceX faced steep odds.
Tesla Semi factory looks almost complete during Thanksgiving weekend
Tesla scores major hire as Apple scientist moves to Optimus team
