MINI Pacesetter Races Subway Ahead of Formula E Safety Car Debut

The MINI Electric Pacesetter, the first of its kind to be inspired by John Cooper Works, is the new safety car for the FIA Formula E World Championship race series. Bruno Correia, the official driver of the FIA Formula E safety car since 2014, will sit behind the wheel.

The safety vehicle, which is 130 kg (264 lbs) lighter than the standard MINI Electric, also comes with 184 hp and 280 Nm torque. In intermediate acceleration, which is even more important for a safety car, the MINI Electric Pacesetter achieves 80 to 120 kph (50 to 74 mph) in only 4.3 seconds.

In preparation for its debut on the track, the electric car has been the protagonist of an original initiative that took place over in Italy: a race against one of the best performing electric city vehicles, namely a subway train - you can watch it in the video below.

It was an exciting confrontation between the two electric vehicles. The video, featured on MINI’s social channels, reveals a tight race from start to finish when the MINI Electric Pacetter crosses the finish line just a few milliseconds behind the metro train.

The participants in the „electric city race battle” were Charlie Cooper, a member of the founding family of John Cooper Works and grandson of John Cooper, and Bruno Correia, who stood alongside the driver of the subway train.

So get, ready, as on the weekend of April 10th and 11th, we'll experience for the first time ever an electric MINI Cooper with John Cooper Works’ signature on the track, as it makes an official appearance on the track.