MINI Goes Electric | Green Energy News

October 18, 2008 – Vol.13 No.30

MINI GOES ELECTRIC:
BMW TO TEST BATTERY-POWERED "MINI E" IN THE U.S.

It seems like electric cars are suddenly the rage. BMW Group is the latest to jump in.

The company has announced it will build 500 or so MINI Es for real world, real people testing in a few US states. The company plans to make the electric MINI’s available for lease to select fleets and private owners in California, New York and New Jersey. Leases will be for one year with an extension option. Cars will change hands when the lease expires and drivers are willing to let go of the keys. BMW will take the cars back to the shop at the end of the pilot project for a detailed evaluation.

The MINI E is a stock 2-door MINI with the back seat pulled out with three battery packs stuffed in its place. The lithium-ion modules will have a combined maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) at 380 volts. There are a total of 5,088 cells grouped into the 48 modules.

Those batteries add some weight even though the gas engine is removed. The MINI E tips the scales at 3230 lbs (1,465 kilograms) nearly 700 lbs (318 kilograms) more than a petrol powered MINI.

Under the hood, of the now 2-seat MINI, is a 204 hp (150 kW) electric motor that will, with 162 ft-lbs of torque (220 Nm), accelerate the car to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 95 mph (152 km/h). The MINI E will have a range of more than 150 miles or 240 kilometers.

Lease holders need to have a secure garage to store the company’s precious cars. BMW will provide a charging station - a wall box - with each car that will allow recharging of the car’s battery in 2.5 hours from fully drained. The car has regenerative braking to feed the lost energy of braking back into the car’s batteries. The company says that some 75 percent of all deceleration can be on regeneration alone, without hitting the car’s brakes. The regenerative braking extends the car’s range by up to 20 percent.

The cars are in production now in Oxford, England and Munich, Germany.

BMW is considering offering the MINI E in Europe. The car will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20, 2008.

Links:

BMW Group North America
http://www.bmwgroupna.com

MINI USA
http://www.miniusa.com

Los Angeles Auto Show
http://www.laautoshow.com