Mini has delivered 23 of the 450 Mini E prototypes, which it will be leasing to customers for year for a test-project. According to the Los Angeles Times the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a new pilot program Tuesday where the sheriff will get 17 MINI E units and electric charging stations at the locations where the cars are assigned.

The sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said that the vehicles will be distributed across the department to administration officials, specialized units and other volunteers.

“It’s clean-energy, it’s cost-effective and it could prove to be a boon for the county,” Whitmore said.

Unlike the individual customers which will have to pay $850/month for their lease, the sheriff’s department will pay a $10/month processing fee. Maintenance of the vehicles and charging stations will be covered by BMW.

2009 Mini E:

- By: Omar Rana

Source: LA Times

Last month, the first Mini E was delivered Peter Trepp, a venture capitalist focusing on the green industry. Along with Trepp, up to 300 Mini E customers may be in for a big disappoint when they recharge the battery of their electric-Cooper, reports Open Road.

Apparently there is a glitch in the distribution of the high-voltage charging cable that comes with the Mini E. As a result, 300 of the 450 customers who have purchased a one-year lease may only charge their Mini E from a standard 110-volt wall-socket. According to Mini spokesman Nathalie Bauters, that will require them to keep their Mini E plugged in for 23 hours to reach a full charge.

The high-voltage cable for the 300 customers won’t be available until July. With the cable, the Mini E can reach full charge in 2.5 hours.

To ease the troubles hitting the “field trial participants,” Mini E owners won’t have to pay their $850/month lease until their high-speed cable arrives.

So far, BMW has delivered 23 of the 450 Mini E prototypes.

First Drive: 2009 MINI E:

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Open Road (via WCF)

Peter Trepp, a venture capitalist focusing on the green industry, has become the first owner/customer to get the new 2009 MINI E. BMW is leasing a total of 500 units of the electric Mini Cooper for about $850 a month.

Trepp, owner of number 111, has no idea why he was picked as the first one to receive the MINI E; however, having a blog about his electrical experience with the MINI E probably helped boost his chances a little bit.

Trepp picked up his car on Friday and drove home 30 miles without a problem in the LA traffic. He already threw a party for some 100 friends to show off his new MINI E. The 2009 MINI E will become the third car to join the Trepp household, which currently has a Toyota Prius and an Audi Q7 SUV.

You can reed about Trepp’s experience over at his Plugged-In With Peter’s MINI E blog.

First Drive: 2009 MINI E:

- By: The Daily Auto Editor

Source: USAToday

BMW announced today that its Mini division is taking a revolutionary step forward with a new "magnetic propulsion system" that will extend the range of the Mini E to "several hundred, possibly even thousands of miles, on single overnight charge of electricity."

Known as the Mini PR0401 (which coincides with its launch date of April 1st), the system "uses a series of magnets situated in the MINI E’s moving and fixed parts of each of its four wheel hubs to both pull and push the wheels in the desired direction, exploiting the magnets’ natural tendency to attract and repel."

Mini says that one challenge that remains with the PR0401 is how to control it. The speed at which the magnets attract and repel each other is instantaneous allowing for a top speed of 250 mph.

You can read more about this AMAZING breakthrough in the press release posted after the jump .

MINI TO INTRODUCE "PERPETUAL MOTION" MAGNETIC PROPULSION SYSTEM

- New magnetic system delivers world-leading fuel efficiency to MINI PR0401
- Hundreds, possibly thousands of miles range on a single electric charge
- Drive across the USA in a MINI for just a few dollars
- Propulsion / Repulsion 0401 (PR0401) system is the ultimate range extender

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 1, 2009… MINI USA looks set to take a world lead in fuel efficiency with the announcement today (April 1) of a revolutionary magnetic propulsion system that will extend the range of its MINI E to several hundred, possibly even thousands of miles, on a single overnight charge of electricity.

Drawing on the same Magnetic Tow Technology (MTT) which was announced by BMW in the UK today, MINI USA has developed its own unique Propulsion / Repulsion 0401 (PR0401) System that is just one short step away from perpetual motion in an automobile.

MINI’s PR 0401 System uses a series of magnets situated in the MINI E’s moving and fixed parts of each of its four wheel hubs to both pull and push the wheels in the desired direction, exploiting the magnets’ natural tendency to attract and repel. Not only does this system allow the MINI PR to travel extraordinary distances for just a few cents, it produces virtually no noise as the electric motor can be switched off once the car is moving.

Professor Lirpa Loof, Head of Magnetic Attraction Technology at MINI USA, said: “The Mini E is already leading the way in EV performance, reliability and eco-friendliness but this amazing new system will push it onto another level. We could soon be seeing families travel across the USA from coast to coast for just a couple of bucks.”

“The only energy this system uses is a small draw on the battery to start the vehicle moving forward and then the magnets take over and their natural properties do the rest. This has to be the ultimate range extender,” he added. “Anyone who has played with magnets as a kid or travelled on a Maglev train will understand precisely how this technology works and the kind of performance we are talking about.”

Once moving, only tiny amounts of electric current are required to switch on and off the magnets, as the polarity of the fixed and moving magnets is rapidly switched from positive to negative. The magnets first attract and then quickly repel each other pushing the wheels in the desired direction – either forward or reverse.

One challenge that Professor Loof faced with the PR system was the speed of the MINI EV PR… and how to control it! The speed at which the magnets attract and repel each other is instantaneous, which means in theory the vehicle is capable of phenomenal speeds, restricted only by the time it takes to switch the magnets’ polarity and the wind resistance and drag of the MINI PR’s body. The MINI EV PR development vehicles are currently restricted to a top speed of 250 mph.

“For years, engineers have dreamed of developing perpetual motion for transport,” said Professor Loof, “And thanks to MINI PR, it looks like we are almost there.”

- By: Kap Shah

We first got behind the MINI E at the 2008 LA Auto Show. Well, now its time to hear from another car enthusiast. The host of The Tonight Show Jay Leno has just finished reviewing the MINI E and you check out his test drive in the video posted after the jump.

Refresher: Power comes from an electric-motor that gets its juice from a lithium-ion battery pack. That allows for a total of 204-hp and a peak torque of 162 lb-ft. 0 to 60 mph comes in 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 95 mph.

You can check out our full review of the MINI E by clicking here.

Click through for the video.

First Drive: 2009 MINI E:

According to Project i boss Dr. Ulrich Karnz, BMW’s Project i will develop vehicles for those that can afford premium vehicle. Project i is BMW’s strategy to develop compact electric-vehicles for big cities like London, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai. The 515 electric MINI E models currently being tested are the foundation of future Project i vehicles.

“These vehicles will be premium vehicles,” Kranz told CAR at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. “They will not be Tata Nano rivals – no way! We can and will only build premium cars.”

Kranz said that BMW has yet to decide whether the cars will wear a BMW badge or create another brand for the fuel-efficient premium vehicles. He said that the cars will initially be built in Germany but production in other markets is possible.

“They will be built by BMW in BMW factories – we wouldn’t consider outsourcing production to a third party,” Karnz said.

First Drive: MINI E:

Source: CAR

Wondering where you’re going to see some of the 500 MINI E electric-cars when they start being delivered in April? You’re best shot will be the City of New York. According to New York City Mayor Bloomberg, 10 MINI Es will be used in its Street Condition Observation Unit, known as SCOUT.

SCOUT inspectors will use the 10 MINI Es while they drive through the streets of New York in search of street conditions, such as potholes and graffiti.

Of the 500 MINI Es being deployed in the U.S. for testing, 450 will be leased to customers that applied for the chance at MINIUSA.com. BMW has also arranged a program with the city of Los Angeles to test the 2009 MINI E in conditions different from New York City.

Refresher: The 201-hp electric-motor gives the MINI E 150 miles of driving on a single charge. The MINI E goes from 0 to 60 in 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 95 mph. Read more in our First Drive of the MINI E.

Click through for the high-res image gallery.

2009 MINI E at the 2008 LA Auto Show:

First Drive: 2009 MINI E:

The new battery-powered MINI E is very important to BMW – well at least its drivetrain and lithium-ion battery pack are. According to AutoExpress, while the MINI E plays a major role in BMW’s conquest for a future zero-emissions range, it is not being considered for mass production.

Of the 500 units of the MINI E on the road, 450 will be sent back to BMW engineers after current owners complete their one-year leases. With engineering insight and customer feedback, BMW bosses will plan the perfect lineup of electric cars which will be more practical than the two-seater MINI E.

“As the rear seats and cargo carrying space are lost [because of the battery pack], the MINI is not a candidate for mass production,” said a BMW spokesman. He said that the drivetrain is likely to appear on the 5-Series or 7-Series. The new electric-system will also find its way under the hood of the 3-Series and the X1 and X3 SUVs.

Check out our review of the 2009 MINI E.

2009 MINI E – Live at the 2008 LA Auto Show:

2009 MINI E – First Drive:

By: Omar Rana – Editor in Chief.

At the 2008 LA Auto Show, BMW let me have a shot at driving its latest creation – the 2009 MINI Cooper E. I had the chance to spend a half hour with the battery-powered MINI E in downtown LA before I had to return it to BMW. But before I get into the details of my test drive I have to say; driving an electric-car is a totally different experience than driving a car with a normal gasoline engine.

Power comes from a lithium-ion battery pack that feeds power to an electric motor that turns the front wheels pumping out 204-hp with a maximum torque of 162 lb-ft. MINI says that 0 to 60 mph comes in 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 95 mph but driving in downtown LA traffic, I wasn’t able to test out those figures.

Click through to read more and check out the high-res image gallery of the 2009 MINI E test drive.

As I got into the 149th unit of the MINI E (you can tell which of the 500 units you’re driving by the plaque on the side of the car) I felt as if I was sitting in a regular MINI Cooper besides the exterior and interior colors and graphics that scream “I’m not just any Cooper” (not to mention there are no exhaust pipes in the back since this is a zero-emissions vehicle). But everything changed once I slid the key into the ignition and hit the start button. The MINI E is completely and awkwardly silent besides the buzzing/humming noise from the electric-motor during acceleration. You just slide the key in, push start, wait for a little sound that tells you the car is ready to drive, put it in ‘D’, hit the accelerator, and off you go.

There are no gear-changes since there is no engine – and since there is no engine there is no noise. Now some of you may say why would you want to drive a car that requires hardly any involvement from the driver? But there is a big difference here. The 2009 MINI E is fairly zippy. While I didn’t get a chance to do a 0 to 60 mph run or a top speed test – BMW’s claim of an 8.5 second run from rest to 60 is definitely believable. The only difference you’ll notice from its gasoline sibling is that it feels a little heavy due to the 600 pound lithium-ion battery sitting in the back, which not to mention makes the MINI E a two-seater vehicle (total weight is 3,230 pounds compared to a regular MINI Cooper which weight 2,634).

Sit inside the MINI E and you’re welcomed by the same familiar interior of a MINI Cooper. However, the ginormous speedometer in the middle of dashboard features a tiny power-flow gauge replacing the normal placement of the fuel-gauge. The power-flow gauge turns counter clockwise indicating the amount of power going out when you accelerate. The gauge behind the steering wheels has now become a battery level indicator which scared me a little as the percentage-level kept declining during my drive. I took over the MINI E with a 43% charge and I have to admit it’s a bit eerie watching the battery-level percentage decline. It causes you to be a little more worrisome than watching your fuel gauge go from ‘F’ to ‘E’ since when driving a gasoline powered car you just pull into a gas station; but when driving an electric-car, you have to run and find a wall socket to plug it in.

Overall, driving the MINI E was one of the most interesting and unique driving experiences I’ve ever had. The future is coming and it’s coming fast. BMW is leasing 500 units of the MINI E in California, New York and New Jersey for a whopping $850 a month. After a one-year lease, drivers will have to turn over their MINI E to BMW engineers who will examine and run further tests on the electric-car. Of course all this is a part of the process of one day putting the MINI E into mass production and after driving the electric-Cooper I must say that BMW is on the right path. 

First Drive: 2009 MINI E:

Photos Copyright © 2008 Omar Rana for eGMCarTech.

While GM has their Volt, Toyota has the Prius and Honda has their Insight and FCX Clarity, BMW readies 500 Mini E electric cars for private use. We’re here at the LA Auto Show bringing you live coverage of its world premiere.

Now for the details: the Mini E can do 156 miles on a full-charge of its lithium ion batteries, which is more than twice what GM’s EV1 was capable of. With a 0-60 time of under 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 95 mph, the Mini E should do just about anything a normal driver would require. With an even weight distribution, BMW says that the 3,230lb Mini E will retain the agility and handling of the current Mini. It won’t retain the back seats though, that area is reserved for the batteries.

The Mini E can fully recharge its battery in 2.5 hours using a special ‘wallbox’ that comes with the car. Want one? Well you better be in New York, New Jersey or California with a lockable garage. BMW offers the Mini E with 1-year leases with prices starting at $850 per month.

2009 MINI E - Live from 2008 LA Auto Show:

Press Release:

The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of some 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the battery technology will have a range of more than 250 kilometers, or 156 miles. The MINI E will initially be made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The company is looking into expanding the MINI E pilot to include Europe. The MINI E will celebrate its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20.

The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Newton meters, delivering seamless acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km/h (95 mph). Featuring a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the brand’s hallmark agility and outstanding handling.

By introducing the MINI E, the BMW Group is underscoring the resolve with which it works towards reducing energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. The BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic conditions will make it possible to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. Evaluating these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be factored into the engineering of mass-produced vehicles. The BMW Group aims to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium term as part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in big-city conurbations within the scope of “project i” has a similar thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train.

The energy storage unit: cutting-edge lithium-ion technology engineered specifically for use in the MINI.

Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery. When in use in the zero-emissions MINI, the battery unit combines high output with ample storage capacity and a small footprint with power ratios that are unrivalled in this field of application so far. The lithium-ion storage unit will have a maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) and transmit energy to the electric motor as direct current at a nominal 380 volts. The rechargeable battery is made up of 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules. These modules are packaged into three battery elements that are compactly arranged inside the MINI E.
The energy storage unit’s basic components are based on the technological principle that has proven itself in practice in power supplies for mobile phones and portable computers. The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be plugged into all standard power outlets. Its charge time is strongly dependent on the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through the grid. In the USA, users can recharge a battery that has been completely drained within a very short period of time using a wallbox that will ship with every MINI E. The wallbox will be installed in the customer’s garage, enable higher amperage, and thus provide for extremely short charging times. Wallboxes fully recharge batteries after a mere two-and-a-half hours.

Driven by electricity: reliably, affordably and free of emissions.

A full recharge draws a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours of electricity from the grid. Based on the car’s range, a kilowatt hour translates into 5.4 miles. Besides the benefit of zero-emissions driving, the MINI E thus offers significant economic advantages over a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine as well.

The heavy-duty battery delivers its power to an electric motor, which transforms it into thrilling agility. Mounted transversely under the MINI E’s bonnet, the drive train unleashes its full thrust from a dead standstill. This provides for the car’s fascinating launch capability. The MINI E’s intense driving experience is augmented by its dynamic deceleration potential, which is also directly coupled to the accelerator pedal. As soon as the driver releases the gas pedal, the electric motor acts as a generator. This results in braking force, and the power recovered from the kinetic energy is fed back to the battery. This interaction ensures extremely comfortable drives – especially at medium speed with constant, but marginal, variation. In city traffic, some 75 percent of all deceleration can be done without the brakes. Making substantial use of this energy recuperation feature extends the car’s range by up to 20 percent.

Signature MINI agility in a new guise.

Weighing in at 1,465 kilograms (3,230 lbs), the MINI E has an even weight distribution. Minor modifications made to the suspension ensure safe handling at all times. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system has been adapted to this model’s specific wheel loads.
The MINI E’s brake system comes with a newly developed electric underpressure pump. Its Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPS) is the same as the one used in mass-produced MINIs. Both brake and steering assistance react to driving conditions and are thus extremely efficient. Even the air conditioning’s electrical compressor only operates if desired or necessary.

Design: unmistakably MINI, undoubtedly new.

At first glance, the MINI E is obviously an iteration of the brand. But its design, which is the blueprint for the zero-emissions two-seater, has been complemented by a number of visual cues that point to its revolutionary drive concept. All of the units produced for the pilot project will have the same paintwork and bear a serial number next to their side turn signal lights.
The MINI E’s coachwork sports an exclusive combination of metallic Dark Silver on all panels but the roof, which is clad in Pure Silver. What distinguishes the zero-emissions MINI is a specially designed logo in Interchange Yellow, depicting a stylized power plug in the shape of an “E” set against the silver backdrop. It has been applied to the roof, in smaller dimensions to the front and back, to the charger port lid, the dashboard trim, and – combined with the MINI logo – to the door jamb, in slightly modified form. The color of the roof edges, mirror housings, interior style cues and seat seams will match the logo’s yellow tone as well.

Moreover, the central gauge and the battery level indicator behind the wheel of the MINI E, which replaces the MINI’s rev counter, feature yellow lettering against a dark grey background. The battery level is displayed in percentage figures. The central gauge includes an LED display indicating power consumption in red and power recuperation in green.
MINI E customers will be part of a pioneering mission.

A 500-unit, limited-production MINI E series will be manufactured through the end of 2008. The project will thus attain an order of magnitude that clearly exceeds the size of currently comparable test series. Putting the MINI E on the road on a daily basis will be a pioneering feat to which both the drivers and engineers of the first zero-emissions MINI will contribute as a team.

MINI E customers will join forces with BMW Group experts to assist in the project’s scientific evaluation. MINI E engineers accord high importance to staying in touch with the drivers on a regular basis, as this will help them analyze driver behavior besides vehicle characteristics in order to gain the most accurate and realistic picture of the demands placed on a vehicle with a purely electrical drive in the select usage areas.

Special charging station and full service for every MINI E.

The cars will change hands based on a one-year lease with an extension option. Monthly lease installments will cover any required technical service including all necessary maintenance and the replacement of wearing parts. At the end of the lease, all of the automobiles belonging to the project will be returned to the BMW Group’s engineering fleet where they will be subjected to comparative tests.

The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be charged using a wallbox provided to MINI customers. Only lockable garages or similar buildings will qualify as homebases and power stations for the MINI E.

Maintenance by qualified specialists.

The electric drive’s high-voltage technology requires that maintenance work be done by qualified personnel using special tools that are not included in MINI service partners’ standard toolboxes. In light of this, a service base will be set up on both coasts, staffed by service engineers that are specially trained to perform maintenance and repair work on the MINI E’s electrical components. In the event of drive malfunction, these experts will provide professional support at the customer’s local MINI dealer or the service base’s specially equipped workshop. Technical inspections will take place after 3,000 miles (just under 5,000 kilometers) and at least after six months.

Production in Oxford and Munich.

The MINI E has already gone through the major phases of product development for mass-produced vehicles and passed numerous crash tests on the way. Aspects investigated besides passenger protection were the impact of collision forces on the lithium-ion battery and finding a non-hazardous location for it in the car. The MINI E’s energy storage unit emerged completely unscathed from all of the crash tests mandated by US standards, which are especially high.

Production of the approximately 500 cars will take place at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2008. MINI’s UK plant will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery, with the brand’s series models rolling off its assembly lines concurrently. The units will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing complex situated on BMW plant premises where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.

As we reported earlier this week, over 9,500 people signed up for more info on the 2009 MINI E. Nonetheless, Mini has clearly stated that it will only be producing 500 units to lease in California, New York and New Jersey area.

At that time, a BMW spokeswoman confirmed that the MINI E will be available for a one-year lease for more than $500. Well, we can now confirm that the one-year lease price will be $850 per month. MINI confirmed the pricing today according to Luxvelocity. The lease includes all maintenance and replacement of parts.

Power for the new 2009 MINI E comes from a lithium-ion battery that provides 150 miles on a full charge. The fully-electric Mini is capable of 204-hp with a maximum torque of 162 lb-ft. 0 to 60 mph comes in at 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 95 mph. The MINI E comes with a wallbox that allows for a quick full charge in two and half hours.

Click through for the high-res image gallery.

2009 MINI E:

Source: Luxvelocity (via Jalopnik)

In the two weeks that MiniUSA.com displayed the new MINI E,9,500 people signed up for more information on how to get one. However Mini will only be looking for 500 individuals to lease its new electric-car in California, New York and New Jersey.

According to Trudy Hardy, Mini USA’s manager of marketing communications, Mini will be very low key when it comes to marketing MINI E. With 9,500 people already interested in having a MINI E, Mini doesn’t want to turn away too many people he told Automotive News.

Starting mid-November, Mini will take formal applications for the MINI E – the BMW owned automaker has yet to say whether the car will reach mass production. The lease for the MINI E will last one full year and will be more than $500 according to a BMW spokeswoman. The lease will include all maintenance and replacement of parts.

We’re just thinking that if 9,500 people are showing interest in the MINI E – that should be enough for Mini to put it into mass production.

2009 MINI E:

Late last Friday, MINI dropped the details on its new 2009 MINI E, an all-electric MINI Cooper that will make its debut at the 2008 LA Auto Show next month. After reading that it gets a top speed of 95 mph and a range of 150 miles on electric alone, you’re so excited you want to get in one and bring it home right now and you’re probably wondering how you do that.

Simple. You have to head over to MINI Space and sign up to go through the application process. MINI isn’t announcing and pricing details as of yet. But we do know that only 500 units of the MINI E will be made available for a one-year lease in SoCal, New York and New Jersey.

The monthly lease installments will cover any technical service required or replacing wearing parts. At the end of the lease, which has extension options, the MINI E will be returned to BMW for additional testing.

Head over to MINI Space to sign up.

2009 MINI E:

Updated with official press release.

We’ve heard about it and we’ve seen spy shots of it and now here it is - the 2009 MINI E. Mini is producing 500 units of the electric-Cooper that will be available to companies and individuals in California, New York and New Jersey early next year. We’ll also get to see it at the LA Auto Show in November so stay tuned for live images.

Power comes from a lithium-ion battery that provides a total of 38 kilowatts per-hour allowing for 150 miles on a full charge (that’s less than 3 cents per mile). The 573 pound battery sits in the back seat so the MINI E has room for only two (total weight is 3,230 pounds compared to a regular MINI Cooper which weight 2,634). The battery can be charged from any outlet but the MINI E does come with a wallbox that allows for a quick full charge in two and half hours.

The lithium-ion battery pack feeds power to an electric motor that turns the front wheels pumping out 204-hp with a maximum torque of 162 lb-ft. 0 to 60 mph comes in 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 95 mph.

How will you be able to tell the MINI E apart from the other MINIs? The limited 500 units will have a dark silver body with a light silver roof with yellow logos and trims. You’ll have a total of five E logos in the shape of a power-plug so it’ll be hard to miss that you’re doing your part for the environment.

Click through for more high-res photos.

2009 MINI E:

Press Release:

A NEW EXPERIENCE – DRIVING PLEASURE WITHOUT EMISSIONS: THE MINI E

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – October 18, 2008… The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of some 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the battery technology will have a range of more than 240 kilometers, or 150 miles. The MINI E will initially be made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The possibility of offering the MINI E in Europe as well is currently being considered. The MINI E will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20, 2008.

The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Newton meters, delivering seamless acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km/h (95 mph). Featuring a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the brand’s hallmark agility and outstanding handling.

By introducing the MINI E, the BMW Group is underscoring the resolve with which it works towards reducing energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. The BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic conditions will make it possible to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. Evaluating these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be factored into the engineering of mass-produced vehicles.

The BMW Group aims to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium term as part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in big-city conurbations within the scope of “project i” has a similar thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train.

The energy storage unit: cutting-edge lithium-ion technology engineered specifically for use in the MINI.

Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery. When in use in the zero-emissions MINI, the battery unit combines high output with ample storage capacity and a small footprint with power ratios that are unrivalled in this field of application so far. The lithium-ion storage unit will have a maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) and transmit energy to the electric motor as direct current at a nominal 380 volts. The rechargeable battery is made up of 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules. These modules are packaged into three battery elements that are compactly arranged inside the MINI E.

The energy storage unit’s basic components are based on the technological principle that has proven itself in practice in power supplies for mobile phones and portable computers. The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be plugged into all standard power outlets. Its charge time is strongly dependent on the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through the grid. In the USA, users can recharge a battery that has been completely drained within a very short period of time using a wallbox that will ship with every MINI E. The wallbox will be installed in the customer’s garage, enable higher amperage, and thus provide for extremely short charging times. Wallboxes fully recharge batteries after a mere two-and-a-half hours.

Driven by electricity: reliably, affordably and free of emissions.

A full recharge draws a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours of electricity from the grid. Based on the car’s range, a kilowatt hour translates into 5.4 miles. Besides the benefit of zero-emissions driving, the MINI E thus offers significant economic advantages over a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine as well.

The heavy-duty battery delivers its power to an electric motor, which transforms it into thrilling agility. Mounted transversely under the MINI E’s bonnet, the drive train unleashes its full thrust from a dead standstill. This provides for the car’s fascinating launch capability. The MINI E’s intense driving experience is augmented by its dynamic deceleration potential, which is also directly coupled to the accelerator pedal. As soon as the driver releases the gas pedal, the electric motor acts as a generator. This results in braking force, and the power recovered from the kinetic energy is fed back to the battery. This interaction ensures extremely comfortable drives – especially at medium speed with constant, but marginal, variation. In city traffic, some 75 percent of all deceleration can be done without the brakes. Making substantial use of this energy recuperation feature extends the car’s range by up to 20 percent.

Signature MINI agility in a new guise.

Weighing in at 1,465 kilograms (3.230 lbs), the MINI E has an even weight distribution. Minor modifications made to the suspension ensure safe handling at all times. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system has been adapted to this model’s specific wheel loads.

The MINI E’s brake system comes with a newly developed electric underpressure pump. Its Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPS) is the same as the one used in mass-produced MINIs. Both brake and steering assistance react to driving conditions and are thus extremely efficient. Even the air conditioning’s electrical compressor only operates if desired or necessary.

Design: unmistakably MINI, undoubtedly new.

At first glance, the MINI E is obviously an iteration of the brand. But its design, which is the blueprint for the zero-emissions two-seater, has been complemented by a number of visual cues that point to its revolutionary drive concept. All of the units produced for the pilot project will have the same paintwork and bear a serial number on their front fenders.

The MINI E’s coachwork sports an exclusive combination of metallic Dark Silver on all panels but the roof, which is clad in Pure Silver. What distinguishes the zero-emissions MINI is a specially designed logo in Interchange Yellow, depicting a stylized power plug in the shape of an “E” set against the silver backdrop. It has been applied to the roof, in smaller dimensions to the front and back, to the charger port lid, the dashboard trim, and – combined with the MINI logo – to the door jamb, in slightly modified form. The color of the roof edges, mirror housings, interior style cues and seat seams will match the logo’s yellow tone as well.

Moreover, the central gauge and the battery level indicator behind the wheel of the MINI E, which replaces the MINI’s rev counter, feature yellow lettering against a dark grey background. The battery level is displayed in percentage figures. The central gauge includes an LED display indicating power consumption in red and power recuperation in green.

MINI E customers will be part of a pioneering mission.

A 500-unit, limited-production MINI E series will be manufactured through the end of 2008. The project will thus attain an order of magnitude that clearly exceeds the size of currently comparable test series. Putting the MINI E on the road on a daily basis will be a pioneering feat to which both the drivers and engineers of the first zero-emissions MINI will contribute as a team.

MINI E customers will join forces with BMW Group experts to assist in the project’s scientific evaluation. MINI E engineers accord high importance to staying in touch with the drivers on a regular basis, as this will help them analyze driver behavior besides vehicle characteristics in order to gain the most accurate and realistic picture of the demands placed on a vehicle with a purely electrical drive in the select usage areas.

Special charging station and full service for every MINI E.

The cars will change hands based on a one-year lease with an extension option. Monthly lease installments will cover any required technical service including all necessary maintenance and the replacement of wearing parts. At the end of the lease, all of the automobiles belonging to the project will be returned to the BMW Group’s engineering fleet where they will be subjected to comparative tests.

The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be charged using a wallbox provided to MINI customers. Only lockable garages or similar buildings will qualify as homebases and power stations for the MINI E.

Maintenance by qualified specialists.

The electric drive’s high-voltage technology requires that maintenance work be done by qualified personnel using special tools that are not included in MINI service partners’ standard toolboxes. In light of this, a service base will be set up on both coasts, staffed by service engineers that are specially trained to perform maintenance and repair work on the MINI E’s electrical components. In the event of drive malfunction, these experts will provide professional support at the customer’s local MINI dealer or the service base’s specially equipped workshop. Technical inspections will take place after 3,000 miles (just under 5,000 kilometers) and at least after six months.

Production in Oxford and Munich.

The MINI E has already gone through the major phases of product development for mass-produced vehicles and passed numerous crash tests on the way. Aspects investigated besides passenger protection were the impact of collision forces on the lithium-ion battery and finding a non-hazardous location for it in the car. The MINI E’s energy storage unit emerged completely unscathed from all of the crash tests mandated by US standards, which are especially high.

Production of the approximately 500 cars will take place at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2008. MINI’s UK plant will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery, with the brand’s series models rolling off its assembly lines concurrently. The units will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing complex situated on BMW plant premises where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.

Source: CARandDRIVER (originally broke the story)