Mini E
Encyclopedia
The Mini E is a demonstration electric car
developed by BMW
as a conversion
of its Mini Cooper
car. The MINI E was developed for field trials and deployed in several countries, including the United States, Germany, UK, France, Japan and China. The field testing of the Mini E is part of BMW Project i, which will be followed in mid 2011 by a similar trial with the BMW ActiveE, and the last phase of project is the development of the BMW i3
urban electric car, that is expected to go into mass production
between 2013 and 2015.
The first trial was launched in the U.S. in June 2009 and the Mini E was available through leasing to private users in Los Angeles
and the New York
/New Jersey
area. Another field test was launched in the UK in December 2009, where more than forty Mini E cars were handed to private users for a two consecutive six-month field trial periods. This trial program allowed the BMW Group to become the world's first major car manufacturer to deploy a fleet of more than 500 all-electric vehicles for private use.
that is mounted in the former engine bay and is rated at 204 PS and 220 N.m of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels. The Mini E employs a lithium-ion battery pack with an overall capacity of a 35 kilowatt-hours (126,000,000 J). The batteries weigh 572 pounds (259.5 kg) and replace the back seat. Top speed is electronically limited to 95 mph (42.5 m/s). The car’s range is 156 miles (251.1 km) on a single charge under optimal conditions. Estimates of normal driving conditions put ranges at 109 miles (175.4 km) city and 96 miles (154.5 km) highway.
AC Propulsion
issued a news release on November 19, 2008, stating that AC Propulsion is a supplier for Mini E. The news release states that AC Propulsion supplies a specially developed version of its proprietary tzero
, a registered trademark
, technology, including air-cooled copper-rotor induction motor
and Li ion battery on the Mini E. It is characterized by high performance, high efficiency, and fast charging.
The 240-volt 32-amp home "wall box" charging station
s for the USA trial were made by Clipper Creek, with a proprietary electrical connector to the car made by ODU.
The Mini E regenerative braking is designed to capture as much kinetic energy as possible giving the Mini E a distinct driving characteristic. Once the driver's right foot leaves the acceleration pedal, the Mini E starts full regenerative braking. The vehicle slows down significantly as if the brake pedal were pressed and the brake lights will turn on. On level surfaces Mini E stops completely and the brake lights will turn off. To slow down, one may just back off the acceleration pedal a little. Use of the brake pedal may be reserved for emergencies and quick stops.
s (cars without powertrains) to a team located in Munich, Germany, which then adds the electric running gear.
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 BMW i3
, formerly known as the Mega City Vehicle (MCV) urban electric car, which will be part of a new brand called BMW i
, which will be separately from BMW or Mini, and plans 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.
area and 200 in the New York
/New Jersey
area. The leasing price was set at (approx. ) 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 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.
. Testing in Berlin
began in June 2009, and for the second phase, a total of 70 vehicles were delivered in March 2011 to private customers and fleet users. Field testing began in Munich
in September 2010, for a leasing fee of (approx. ) per month.
, insurance, service and maintenance. In addition, one MINI E was delivered to the Government car pool in Downing Street
to be tested by ministers in an urban environment on their official business around London.
The UK trial was a partnership between BMW Group UK, Scottish and Southern Energy, the South East England Development Agency
(SEEDA), Oxford City Council
and Oxfordshire County Council
. Data collection and research was conducted by Oxford Brookes University
’s Sustainable Vehicle Engineering Centre throughout the UK project. Funding support was provided by the Technology Strategy Board
and the Department for Transport
(DFT) as part of the UK-wide program involving trials of 340 ultra-low carbon vehicles from several carmakers. The selected test area is roughly a triangle contained within the M40 motorway
between the M25 motorway
and Oxford
, the A34
south to the M3 motorway, and the M3 back to the M25.
The 40 Mini E electric cars have been kept in use after the trial was completed in March 2011, participating in activities to promote awareness and understanding of electric vehicles. These cars will form part of the BMW Group UK’s official vehicle fleet for the London 2012 Olympic Games
.
started on February 22, 2011. Testing also is taking place in Shenzhen
.
and lack of public charging infrastructure, as the country had only 734 public charging stations, and most of them were located in California
. Another concern reported is that the already restrictive 100 miles (160.9 km) range on a fully charged battery reduces to between 80 to 90 miles (144.8 km) during very cold weather. In the UK, an abnormally harsh winter also showed how very low temperatures diminishes power output until the battery is ‘warmed-up’ once in use. There was even one report of the range dropping below 40 miles (64.4 km) in sub-zero weather. There have also been issues with exterior charging points as winter temperatures drop dramatically.
Other complaints in the U.S. related to the lack of space in the car as the battery pack eliminates the Mini’s back seat and most of its cargo area, and the difficulties found in practice to install the charging equipment in homes, which took longer than anticipated, as just getting the installation permit in the U.S., including site visits and inspections took up to a month.
BMW
According to the BMW team of engineers responsible for the demonstration program, the following are facts and key lessons learned during the Mini E first year trial:
UC Davis study
In May 2011 the Plug‐in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle (PH&EV) Research Center at the University of California, Davis
published the results of a consumer study of the U.S. Mini E field trial. The study is based on surveys and interviews conducted with more than 120 families who leased the electric car for the period of June 2009 to June 2010. Some of the key findings of the consumer study are the following:
Oxford Brookes University
In August 2011 BMW published the results of the UK trials. The findings are based on the 40 test cars driven by 62 members of the public and 76 pool users, who together drove 258105 miles (415,378.7 km) over two six-month periods. The data was collected electronically and the research was carried out by Oxford Brookes University
. The following are some of the main findings:
EVTV.ME has published a free "how-to" series of videos documenting their conversion of a 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman to electric drive. The project uses a more powerful AC induction motor from MES-DEA and TIMS600 controller to provide 177 lbft of torque. It uses 112 readily available Sky Energy 100Ah LiFePO4 cells to provide an energy storage of 40.3 kWh and a range of 125 miles (201.2 km). Top speed of 120 mi/h. This is an open source project using parts readily available to anyone from existing suppliers and intended for those inclined to do their own conversion of an existing 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman.
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
developed by BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
as a conversion
Electric vehicle conversion
An electric vehicle conversion is the modification of a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle to electric propulsion, creating an all-electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.-Elements of a conversion:...
of its Mini Cooper
MINI (BMW)
Mini is a British automotive marque owned by BMW which specialises in small cars.Mini originated as a specific vehicle, a small car originally known as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and developed into a brand encompassing a range of...
car. The MINI E was developed for field trials and deployed in several countries, including the United States, Germany, UK, France, Japan and China. The field testing of the Mini E is part of BMW Project i, which will be followed in mid 2011 by a similar trial with the BMW ActiveE, and the last phase of project is the development of the BMW i3
BMW i3
The BMW i3, previously Mega City Vehicle , is an urban electric car under development by BMW. The i3 is part of BMW's "Project i" and is being planned as a new brand, BMW i. The BMW i3 is expected to go into mass production in 2013 with deliveries in several world markets by that year end...
urban electric car, that is expected to go into mass production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
between 2013 and 2015.
The first trial was launched in the U.S. in June 2009 and the Mini E was available through leasing to private users in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
/New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
area. Another field test was launched in the UK in December 2009, where more than forty Mini E cars were handed to private users for a two consecutive six-month field trial periods. This trial program allowed the BMW Group to become the world's first major car manufacturer to deploy a fleet of more than 500 all-electric vehicles for private use.
History
The Mini E was unveiled at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. BMW is using its Mini brand to test the market with its electric powertrain technology but the vehicle was also developed in order to meet new California regulations that require carmakers to offer zero emission vehicles.Powertrain
The Mini E is powered by an asynchronous electric motorElectric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
that is mounted in the former engine bay and is rated at 204 PS and 220 N.m of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels. The Mini E employs a lithium-ion battery pack with an overall capacity of a 35 kilowatt-hours (126,000,000 J). The batteries weigh 572 pounds (259.5 kg) and replace the back seat. Top speed is electronically limited to 95 mph (42.5 m/s). The car’s range is 156 miles (251.1 km) on a single charge under optimal conditions. Estimates of normal driving conditions put ranges at 109 miles (175.4 km) city and 96 miles (154.5 km) highway.
AC Propulsion
AC Propulsion
AC Propulsion is a San Dimas, California, USA company founded in 1992 by Alan Cocconi that specialises in alternating current-based drivetrain systems for electric vehicles. Tom Gage is currently the company's CEO. The company produces goods such as electric vehicle drive systems and their top of...
issued a news release on November 19, 2008, stating that AC Propulsion is a supplier for Mini E. The news release states that AC Propulsion supplies a specially developed version of its proprietary tzero
AC Propulsion tzero
The tzero is a hand-made electric sports car that was produced in limited numbers by the U.S. company AC Propulsion. The tzero is based on the Piontek Sportech kit car, which consists of a fiberglass body built over a reinforced steel space frame with double wishbone independent suspension and rack...
, a registered trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
, technology, including air-cooled copper-rotor induction motor
Induction motor
An induction or asynchronous motor is a type of AC motor where power is supplied to the rotor by means of electromagnetic induction. These motors are widely used in industrial drives, particularly polyphase induction motors, because they are robust and have no brushes...
and Li ion battery on the Mini E. It is characterized by high performance, high efficiency, and fast charging.
Charging
The Mini E can be charged through 120-volt (at 12 amp) and 240-volt (at 32 or 48 amp) power sources, and correspondingly, charging times are 20 hours and 3.5 hours (fast-charge system). The user must set the correct charge rate using the instrument panel before beginning charging. Detailed instructions are in the user's manual.The 240-volt 32-amp home "wall box" charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
s for the USA trial were made by Clipper Creek, with a proprietary electrical connector to the car made by ODU.
Performance
The acceleration is via drive-by-wire technology. A software mediated delay makes the vehicle hesitate a little when the acceleration pedal is first pressed. This artificially limits the electric motor's response, preventing burnout from a standstill. After this initial delay, response goes back to normal.The Mini E regenerative braking is designed to capture as much kinetic energy as possible giving the Mini E a distinct driving characteristic. Once the driver's right foot leaves the acceleration pedal, the Mini E starts full regenerative braking. The vehicle slows down significantly as if the brake pedal were pressed and the brake lights will turn on. On level surfaces Mini E stops completely and the brake lights will turn off. To slow down, one may just back off the acceleration pedal a little. Use of the brake pedal may be reserved for emergencies and quick stops.
Production
The Mini factory located in Oxford, England, supplies vehicle gliderVehicle glider
In automobiles, a glider is a vehicle without a powertrain . It is generally a brand new car, but a second-hand car can also be used...
s (cars without powertrains) to a team located in Munich, Germany, which then adds the electric running gear.
Field trial program
The field testing of the Mini E is part of BMW Project i, which will be followed in mid 2011 by a similar trial with the BMW ActiveE all-electric vehicle which will accommodate seats for four adults and cargo. The Active E is based on the BMW 1 SeriesBMW 1 Series
The BMW 1 Series is an entry level sports car produced by the German automaker BMW since 2004. The 1 Series is unusual in its class as it features rear-wheel drive, 50:50 weight balance, a longitudinally-mounted engine and an advanced aluminum multilink suspension...
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 BMW i3
BMW i3
The BMW i3, previously Mega City Vehicle , is an urban electric car under development by BMW. The i3 is part of BMW's "Project i" and is being planned as a new brand, BMW i. The BMW i3 is expected to go into mass production in 2013 with deliveries in several world markets by that year end...
, formerly known as the Mega City Vehicle (MCV) urban electric car, which will be part of a new brand called BMW i
BMW i
BMW i is a sub-brand of BMW which has been created to commercialize low emission vehicles.In February 2011 BMW announced that the new sub-brand for the commercialization of the vehicles produced under Project i will be called BMW i...
, which will be separately from BMW or Mini, and plans to go into mass production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
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.
U.S. program
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 AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area and 200 in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
/New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
area. The leasing price was set at (approx. ) 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 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.
Germany
A total of 100 trial vehicles were assigned to GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Testing in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
began in June 2009, and for the second phase, a total of 70 vehicles were delivered in March 2011 to private customers and fleet users. Field testing began in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in September 2010, for a leasing fee of (approx. ) per month.
United Kingdom
Testing in the U.K. took place between December 2009 and March 2011 with 40 Mini E cars handed to private users for a two consecutive six-month field trial periods. The leasing price was set at (around ) per month, which includes VATVat
Vat or VAT may refer to:* A type of container such as a barrel, storage tank, or tub, often constructed of welded sheet stainless steel, and used for holding, storing, and processing liquids such as milk, wine, and beer...
, insurance, service and maintenance. In addition, one MINI E was delivered to the Government car pool in Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
to be tested by ministers in an urban environment on their official business around London.
The UK trial was a partnership between BMW Group UK, Scottish and Southern Energy, the South East England Development Agency
South East England Development Agency
SEEDA, more officially the South East England Development Agency, is one of a number of regional development agencies in England. It was set up as a non-departmental public body in 1999 to promote the region and to enable a number of more difficult regeneration projects which otherwise might not...
(SEEDA), Oxford City Council
Oxford City Council
The Oxford City Council provides local government for the city of Oxford in England.- Overview :Between the 2004 local elections, and 2010 the council was in minority administration, first by councillors from the Labour Party, with the Liberal Democrats being the official opposition...
and Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
. Data collection and research was conducted by Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
’s Sustainable Vehicle Engineering Centre throughout the UK project. Funding support was provided by the Technology Strategy Board
Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is a UK public body operating at arm's length from the Government reporting to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills .- History :...
and the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
(DFT) as part of the UK-wide program involving trials of 340 ultra-low carbon vehicles from several carmakers. The selected test area is roughly a triangle contained within the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
between the M25 motorway
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, the A34
A34 road
The A34 is a major road in England. It runs from the A6042 in Salford to Winchester in Hampshire. It forms a large part of the major trunk route from Southampton, via Oxford, to Birmingham, The Potteries and Manchester...
south to the M3 motorway, and the M3 back to the M25.
The 40 Mini E electric cars have been kept in use after the trial was completed in March 2011, participating in activities to promote awareness and understanding of electric vehicles. These cars will form part of the BMW Group UK’s official vehicle fleet for the London 2012 Olympic Games
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
.
China
Field testing in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
started on February 22, 2011. Testing also is taking place in Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
.
Field test results
The main concerns reported by some of the users participating in the U.S. during the first year trial were range anxietyRange anxiety
Range anxiety is the fear that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination and would thus strand the vehicle's occupants.The term, which is primarily used in reference to electric vehicles, is considered to be one of the major barriers to large scale adoption of electric vehicles...
and lack of public charging infrastructure, as the country had only 734 public charging stations, and most of them were located in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Another concern reported is that the already restrictive 100 miles (160.9 km) range on a fully charged battery reduces to between 80 to 90 miles (144.8 km) during very cold weather. In the UK, an abnormally harsh winter also showed how very low temperatures diminishes power output until the battery is ‘warmed-up’ once in use. There was even one report of the range dropping below 40 miles (64.4 km) in sub-zero weather. There have also been issues with exterior charging points as winter temperatures drop dramatically.
Other complaints in the U.S. related to the lack of space in the car as the battery pack eliminates the Mini’s back seat and most of its cargo area, and the difficulties found in practice to install the charging equipment in homes, which took longer than anticipated, as just getting the installation permit in the U.S., including site visits and inspections took up to a month.
BMW
According to the BMW team of engineers responsible for the demonstration program, the following are facts and key lessons learned during the Mini E first year trial:
- Most of the Mini E applicants were well-educated and well-off males over 35, with an affinity for new technology, willing to experience a new and clean technology, and for them the lower vehicle running costs were not very important.
- Most drivers used the Mini E as a second vehicle and for the daily commute.
- Longest trip in a Mini E to date was 158 kilometres (98.2 mi)
- In the Berlin trial, the average Mini E remained stationary for over five hours in 80 percent of the cases while being charged and most of the customers only charged their vehicles only two or three times a week. U.S. participants were more likely to charge up every night.
- Before the test, drivers said they expected range and charging time limitations to be a problem, however, during the actual trials these issues were only felt to be limitations in very few specific cases.
- In the Berlin test, BMW decided to compare how people drive an electric car to how they drive a more traditional model. For this purpose they identified willing applicants who had either a BMW 116iBMW 1 SeriesThe BMW 1 Series is an entry level sports car produced by the German automaker BMW since 2004. The 1 Series is unusual in its class as it features rear-wheel drive, 50:50 weight balance, a longitudinally-mounted engine and an advanced aluminum multilink suspension...
or a Mini Cooper and put data loggers in those vehicles. The results showed that vehicle usage of the Mini E only differs marginally from that of comparable Mini Cooper and BMW 116i trips.
UC Davis study
In May 2011 the Plug‐in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle (PH&EV) Research Center at the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
published the results of a consumer study of the U.S. Mini E field trial. The study is based on surveys and interviews conducted with more than 120 families who leased the electric car for the period of June 2009 to June 2010. Some of the key findings of the consumer study are the following:
- 95% of the respondents drove fewer than 80 miles (128.7 km) a day; and 71% drove fewer than 40 miles (64.4 km).
- The study shows that households adapted their driving around the capabilities of the electric car, and respondents said the MINI E met 90% of their daily driving needs.
- Many drivers found that having limited cargo space and only two seats was more restrictive than the limited range.
- Cold weather had a significant impact on drivers in the New York and New Jersey areas, which suffered a particularly harsh winter during the study period. These drivers discovered an unacceptable drop in the vehicles' range when using the heater.
- In California, though infrequent, hot weather during August 2009 resulted in range loss and battery thermal management problems that required attention from BMW.
- Most drivers reported initial difficulties in mastering the MINI E aggressive regenerative braking system which is integrated into the accelerator pedal. However, all drivers said that once they learned to like the system, they discovered that they could travel more smoothly, and learned to control almost all acceleration and braking events with one pedal. They also discovered, thanks to the display panel information, that they recovered energy proportional to their expertise with the single pedal.
- 99% of respondents found home charging easy to use.
- 71% of respondents said they were more likely now to purchase an electric vehicle than they were a year ago, and only 9% said they are less likely.
- 88% of respondents said they are interested in buying a battery electric vehicleBattery electric vehicleA battery electric vehicle, or BEV, is a type of electric vehicle that uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs. BEVs use electric motors and motor controllers instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines for propulsion.A battery-only electric vehicle or...
or plug-in hybrid electric vehiclePlug-in hybrid electric vehicleA plug-in hybrid electric vehicle , plug-in hybrid vehicle , or plug-in hybrid is a hybrid vehicle which utilizes rechargeable batteries, or another energy storage device, that can be restored to full charge by connecting a plug to an external electric power source...
in the next five years.
Oxford Brookes University
In August 2011 BMW published the results of the UK trials. The findings are based on the 40 test cars driven by 62 members of the public and 76 pool users, who together drove 258105 miles (415,378.7 km) over two six-month periods. The data was collected electronically and the research was carried out by Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University
Oxford Brookes University is a new university in Oxford, England. It was named to honour the school's founding principal, John Brookes. It has been ranked as the best new university by the Sunday Times University Guide 10 years in a row...
. The following are some of the main findings:
- The Mini Es logged a daily journey distance of 29.7 miles (47.8 km), slightly more than the 26.5 miles (42.6 km) recorded by the control cars, a mix of Mini Coopers and BMW 116i models. The UK average daily distance driven for private cars overall is less than 25 miles (40.2 km).
- The average cost to charge over 6 months was , representing less than 2 pence per mile.
- Drivers did not charge their Mini E every night. The average was 2.9 times a week. Most charged at home, with 82% using their wall-mounted charging box 90% of the time.
- Four out of five people reported that 80% of their trips could be done exclusively in the Mini E, and this increased to 90% saying that with the addition of rear seats and a bigger boot, all their trips could have been done in the Mini E.
- 84% of the drivers said that the severe low temperatures during both phases of the field trial affected the distance that could be driven between charges, but despite that, four out of five participants told the researchers they thought the Mini E was suitable for winter use.
- When asked for suggestions to deal with the potential danger from the low noise at low speeds, more than half (56%) said that instead of an artificial noise, the driver should pay more attention. However just over a quarter (28%) said they’d like to have a warning noise below 12.5 miles per hour (5.6 m/s).
- The trial found that one week was all that was needed for customers to adapt to the characteristics and peculiarities of driving an EV, such as charging, range, regenerative braking and low noise.
- For fleet users who swapped out of their regular car reported that the Mini E was fine for 70% of journeys made during the working day, while the pool car success rate was even better with between 80-90% of regular trips achievable
Range record
As part of the 21st Century Automotive Challenge held at Penn State University on May 23, 2010, the Mini E #466 achieved the longest trip in such electric car to date, achieving 147.3 miles (237.1 km). The Mini E went on to win the competition in efficiency. The competition traversed three mountain ranges in the rain.Alternative electric Mini
Nevada’s Hybrid Technologies has started production of its electric-powered BMW Mini Cooper all-lithium model. The new electric Mini uses Hybrid Tech’s own proprietary advanced lithium management and battery-balancing system. Top speed is only around 80 mph (35.8 m/s) but driving at a slower speed preserves battery-life and means owners will be able to travel up to 120 miles (193.1 km) on a single charge.EVTV.ME has published a free "how-to" series of videos documenting their conversion of a 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman to electric drive. The project uses a more powerful AC induction motor from MES-DEA and TIMS600 controller to provide 177 lbft of torque. It uses 112 readily available Sky Energy 100Ah LiFePO4 cells to provide an energy storage of 40.3 kWh and a range of 125 miles (201.2 km). Top speed of 120 mi/h. This is an open source project using parts readily available to anyone from existing suppliers and intended for those inclined to do their own conversion of an existing 2009 Mini Cooper Clubman.
See also
- BMW ActiveE
- BMW i3BMW i3The BMW i3, previously Mega City Vehicle , is an urban electric car under development by BMW. The i3 is part of BMW's "Project i" and is being planned as a new brand, BMW i. The BMW i3 is expected to go into mass production in 2013 with deliveries in several world markets by that year end...
- Government incentives for plug-in electric vehiclesGovernment incentives for plug-in electric vehiclesGovernment incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established by several national and local governments around the world as a financial incentive for consumers to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle....
- List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles
- List of production battery electric vehicles
- Plug-in electric vehiclePlug-in electric vehicleA plug-in electric vehicle is any motor vehicle that can be recharged from any external source of electricity, such as wall sockets, and the electricity stored in the rechargeable battery packs drives or contributes to drive the wheels...
External links
- U.S. Mini E official website
- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=62748014223Mini E test program comments on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
] - UC Davis MINI E Consumer Study (2011) (available for download)