Electric Mini Cooper
BMW is getting on the electric-car bandwagon
with what may be the most stylish
alternative-fuel vehicle to date. The Mini
Cooper E plug-in is available in a limited
rollout of 500 cars in New York, New Jersey,
and California. This is the German
manufacturer's first foray into the
alternative fuel world, competing directly
with the Honda FCX, Chevy Volt, Tesla
Roadster, and Toyota Prius plug-in.
 
The MINI E features a 204-hp. motor
propelling the car from zero to 62 mph in
8.5 seconds, with a top speed of 95 mph. The
car has a range of 150 miles on a charge.
The cars are not identical to their
gas-powered counterparts because they have
to haul a lithium-ion battery pack, which
takes up so much room that the Mini E is
forced to ditch the backseat. This extra
gear also bumps the Mini E's weight to 3,230
pounds, up from a Mini Cooper's 2,568
pounds. The car will also come with a
special charging adapter installed at an
owner's home that recharges the Mini E in 2
1/2 hours. It also can plug into a standard
wall socket, but will take longer to
recharge.
The electric Mini Coopers is leased to
customers for one year with an option for an
extension, the Munich-based automaker said
in a statement. Potential customers can
visit Minispace to get the latest news from
BMW and sign up the test series. If the the
MINI E is eventually sold, it would meet the
same standards as the Chevy Volt for a
maximum tax credit of $7,500.
Field Testing the Electric Mini
The field testing of the Mini E is part of BMW's "Project i", which will be
followed in mid 2011 by a similar trial with the BMW Active E all-electric
vehicle which will accommodate seats for four adults and cargo. The Active E
is based on the BMW 1 Series Coupe and will be built based on the lessons
learned from the Mini E field testing. The last phase of "Project i" is the
development of the Mega City Vehicle (MCV) urban electric car, a new brand
that will be sold separately from BMW or Mini, and is expected to go into
mass production between 2013 and 2015. The field testing of the Active E
will include fewer than 1000 cars and will be conducted in Los Angeles and
New York, but BMW is also considering expansion to other areas.
In the U.S. a total of 9,500 people signed up to lease the MINI E for the
450 cars available. In June 2009, Mini started the program by leasing 250
units in Los Angeles area and 200 in the New York/New Jersey area. The
leasing price was set at US$850 (approx. €600) a month for one year and
included collision coverage, maintenance costs, and home installation of the
charging station. Residents of New Jersey did not pay sales tax on their
lease due to the existing state exemption for battery electric vehicles.
In May 2010 BMW announced that leasing could be renewed for another year at
a lower price of US$600 a month. This renewal was offered to all individuals
who currently have a Mini E but fleet customers are excluded, and according
to BMW half of all current lessees agreed to the extension.
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