This Mini electric SUV has a Pokémon Mode that lets Pikachu take over the interior

The yearly Gamescom show in Cologne, Germany is a mecca for gamers around the globe, and for good reason – it’s the industry’s largest event, after all. But automotive enthusiasts have a good reason to attend the ongoing 2022 edition, as Mini has signed on to be the main sponsor.

As such, the company will hold the first public appearance of its Concept Aceman, which was revealed last month. But that’s not all – Mini has also partnered up with Pokémon to create a special mode for its electric SUV concept.

The collaboration sees the Poké Ball and the series mascot, the equally electric Pikachu, dominating the interior with the press of the Experience Mode switch. Animations will appear on the circular OLED central display as well as the projections on the dashboard and door cards.

Mini also appears to have added a new projector module in the Aceman’s blanked-off grille, presumably allowing gamers to connect their Nintendo Switches and play Pokémon Arceus outdoors; you can even remove the dashboard and use the integrated speakers as a sound bar of sorts. Puddle light projection incorporating the “Mini x Pokémon” branding can be found on the outside.

At Gamescom, the car will be presented in a scale model-like box as part of an “action pack”, featuring prominent Pikachu imagery and even a second set of wheels with Poké Ball centre caps. A Mini Art Toy, which incorporates the X and O pattern found on the show car’s seats, will also be shown at the event.

Measuring 4.05 metres long, the Aceman is around the same size as the five-door Mini hatch but has a taller ride height typical of a crossover. It features typical Mini design cues like the large octagonal grille (blanked off here of course, as is usual for an EV), round-ish headlights, and a wheel-at-each-corner stance.

These are mixed with new details like the boxy wheel arches, flush door handles and a roof rack with the Union Jack motif (also found in the taillights and dashboard support structure). The car also dispenses with chrome detailing and leather trimming that used to define Mini interiors, as part of the company’s move towards sustainability.

The Concept Aceman is more than just an avenue to showcase Mini’s Pokémon partnership – it’s actually a preview of the company’s new electric SUV that will sit under the Countryman, set to debut in 2024. Unlike the regular petrol models, which will continue to be built in Oxford, the car will be produced by Great Wall Motor (GWM) in China alongside the next-generation Cooper SE electric hatch.