MINI ACEMAN

We compare our fleet’s two base-spec urban EVs

- MURRAY SCULLION

You never thought you would read the terms 'Mini', 'SUV', 'electric' and 'good value' in the same sentence, but here we are. The realisation that my Mini might actually be a bit of a bargain came after spending some time in our new Citroën ë-C3. It is, after all, a very close rival to the Aceman E.

Okay, so BMW-era Mini has been all about sporty handling and puppyish fun while Stellantis-era Citroën has focused on comfort and simplicity, but both of these cars are small electric SUVs with sub-200-mile ranges aimed at young people: jacked-up versions of established superminis with strong heritage and legions of fans.

Reassuringly, despite those similarities, the ë-C3 and Aceman are very different cars. There are people online who decry that “all electrical cars are the same” (they like to use 'electrical' as an unfunny faux naivety), but they are actually pretty different to drive.