After the Mini E’s debut at the upcoming Los Angeles auto show, 500 Mini Es will be distributed to customers in California, New York, and New Jersey early next year as part of a pilot project to road-test the car. Select private and corporate customers will lease the cars for one year with the possibility of an extension, during which the Mini Es will be inspected every 3000 miles or six months. BMW will also stay in regular communication with the drivers to keep track of vehicle performance. All repairs will be covered by the lease and performed by special technicians at bases set up in the states where the cars will be leased. If necessary, the technicians will travel to other Mini dealerships if a car can’t make it back to a base.
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Powering the Mini E is a lithium-ion battery that contains 5088 cells grouped into 48 modules which can store 35 kW-hrs of electricity and transmit up to 380 volts to the electric motor under maximum acceleration. The 201-hp electric motor is coupled to a single-speed gearbox driving the front wheels with 162 lb-ft of torque. While considerably more powerful than a Cooper S, the Mini E is saddled with 3230 lb to pull, up from a manufacturer-estimated 2500 to 2900 lb in a 2009 gas-powered Mini. The extra weight prevents the Mini E from beating the Mini S in terms of performance, but it matches the nonturbocharged model, scooting from 0 to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds according to Mini, though its top speed is electronically limited to 95 mph. While not as quick to 60 as a Mini S, the Mini E will likely feel quick off the line thanks to the electric motor’s instantaneous torque.
BMW says the Mini E can be charged from any standard electrical socket, but the company is requiring all participants to have a lockable garage where a wallbox can be installed. The wallbox will increase the amperage from your household circuit and feed it to the Mini, allowing for much faster charging times. Charge times will depend on how much power is available in your wall, but BMW says the wallbox can charge a completely drained Mini E to full power in as little as two-and-a-half hours. A full charge will give the Mini E a range of 150 miles or more while pulling only 28 kW-hrs of electricity from your wall, according to BMW. The cost to charge your electric Mini will depend on your local electricity rates, but charging an electric car typically costs less than filling a tank of gas.
All 500 Mini Es will feature the special yellow-on-dark-gray paint job you see here. The car wears several E logos that resemble an electrical plug, and each car will have a serial number on the front fender. E logos will appear on the roof, front, back and on the charger port, which is in the same place as the gas-powered Mini’s fuel door. Inside, the E gets special gauges tailored for its electric powertrain. Replacing the tachometer behind the steering wheel is a large gauge showing the percentage of battery power remaining, along with a multifunction display that shows, among other things, the odometer and the distance remaining on the current charge. The speedometer is sited in a large gauge in the center stack as in other Minis and displays power consumption in red LEDs and power regeneration in green LEDs. The interior features the same yellow-on-dark-gray color scheme as the exterior with yellow trim accents on the dash and doors, yellow-on-gray gauges and yellow stitching in the seats.
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