BMW is the first premium manufacturer to offers an electric vehicle for personal use - the Mini E. The Mini E will be offered in 500 units, powered by a 150 kW/204 hp electric motor that gets its energy from a lithium-ion battery. The Mini E is front-wheel-drive and is based on the Mini Cooper. With this powertrain the Mini E has a range of 240 km or 150 miles.
The Mini E is a pilot project that will involve private and corporate customers located in California, New York and New Jersey. The Mini E will have its premiere at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show starting November 19.
The Mini E develops 220 Nm of torque and is able to get from 0 to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds and has a limited top speed of 152 km/h or 95 mph.
At the beginning, the Mini E will be offered as a two-seater, but the series version will probably have four seats.
The battery of the Mini E has a 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) capacity and transfers its energy to the engine at 380 Volts. The battery is composed of 5,088 battery cells, which are grouped in 48 modules, which in turn, are grouped in three elements inside the Mini E.
For a full re-charge the Mini E requires 28 kilowatt-hours, which means you can drive for 5.4 miles on a single kilowatt-hour of electricity. The Mini E is also capable of storing the energy from the braking which offers a 20% increase in range.
The 1,465 kilogram (3,230 lbs) Mini E has received a re-tuned chassis and DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) system to ensure a safe handling at any time.
The braking system of the Mini E is a newly developed electric vacuum pump.
Visually, the Mini E comes with a Dark Silver metallic body paint with a Pure Silver roof, a uniform coating and unique serial numbers beside the side indicators and a specially designed logo in yellow.
The interior of the Mini E comes with a re-designed dash board that includes a charging indicator behind the wheel.
The Mini E will be produced in Oxford and Munich and the production will be limited at first at 500 units.
The Mini E price has not been announced yet.
