John Challen reports on our new Mini JCW Electric long-termer.

Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Electric

OTR price: £34,905  BiK: 3%   Claimed range: 226-251 miles  On fleet range: 213 miles  On fleet efficiency: 3.6mpkWh

The transition to electric vehicles has meant a plethora of new models enter the market, but the number of those that could be classed as truly fun to drive is relatively small.

It’s a part of the market that Mini believes it can fill with the electrified John Cooper Works variant of its Cooper three-door. The headline figures are 258hp, 350Nm of torque and a zero to 62mph time of 5.9 seconds, which sound pretty tempting. Complementing that, the steering is sharp and direct, as you would expect from a Mini and ours looks the part with its Nanuq White (a £550 option) – with Chilli Red bonnet strips – exterior colour scheme.

However, other elements might not be so palatable to drivers who will be using the Mini as a daily driver. Due to the JCW treatment, the ride is very much on the firm side – to the point where you almost welcome freshly laid tarmac for a bit of respite. Meanwhile, the JCW is technically a four-seater, but good luck getting anyone (including small children) into the spaces behind the driver and front passenger.

Add in the available miles from the 49.2kWh battery – despite the favourable time of year, a full charge is only yielding 213 miles, which is short of the WLTP claimed figure – and some eyebrows might be raised at the suitability of the Mini as a fleet addition.

However, all of those factors don’t completely deter from the fact that the JCW puts a smile on your face. Longer journeys might be a bit of a test of stamina, but more fun can definitely be had in this car than, say, your average C-SUV.

John Challen