The owners of the classic British marque in das Vaterland have decided that the latest version of the MINI will be, auf Deutsch, elektrisch – that is, electric.
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According to BMW, 500 of the electric MINIs will be built before the end of this year. Due to their unique nature, the production will be split between the MINI assembly plant in Oxford, England and Munich, Germany. What this means is the entire vehicle, sans drive components and the lithium-ion battery, will be assembled in England. Once this is completed the unit will then be transferred to Munich where a special manufacturing complex will install the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission.
Switching to the coasts
Once the MINI E is unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show on November 19th and 20th, it will become available to “select private and corporate customers” as part of a pilot project in California, New York and New Jersey. Why these three states? It would seem that California is a given, since it is the largest market for BMW here in the states and home to more celebrities per square foot than any other location on the planet – select, indeed. As for New York and New Jersey, both states are within spitting distance of BMW’s Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey headquarters.
BMW also had to limit the number of locations due to the unique nature of the drivetrain and the need to set up a service base on both coasts. These locations will be staffed by BMW personnel familiar with the MINI E’s electrical components that can provide technical support at the customer’s local MINI dealer or the workshop at the service base, itself.
The MINI E’s will be offered on a one-year lease with an extension option and the lease payments (not yet disclosed) will cover all parts and service for the lease duration. When the lease is completed, the MINI E will be returned to BMW engineering for testing and evaluation.
From duplex to single
Although the exterior dimensions remain the same, the interior of the MINI E is even smaller than its gasoline counterpart. While front seat occupants will notice no difference, the entire back seat is gone – replaced by the requisite 5,088 lithium-ion storage cells grouped into 48 modules. Placing the batteries where the rear passengers would normally reside allows for better weight distribution while still leaving space for nominal storage between the usurped seating area and the rear hatch.
According to BMW, the 204 hp electric motor, located under the hood, produces 162 lb-ft of torque and will accelerate from zero to 62mph in 8.5 seconds, while top speed will be electronically limited to 95mph. To maintain agility and handling, BMW has re-tuned the suspension to account for the E’s altered weight distribution and, ahem, weight (the E tips the scales at 3230 pounds, a hefty 507 more than an automatic-equipped S).
A plug for your local utility company
Outside, there’ll be no mistaking the E for your run-of-the-mill MINI. Sporting an exclusive dark silver body and light silver roof, the E will be emblazoned with a stylized power plug on the front, back and charger port lid (a spot formerly reserved for the gas filler door). To top things off, so to speak, BMW has also placed a version of the plug on the roof large enough so as to confuse low-flying aircraft that this MINI might actually belong to the local utility company fleet.
Speaking of your local utility, BMW will also furnish those lessees fortunate enough to be chosen with a special wallbox that will be installed in the customer’s garage. Designed to provide higher amperage, the box will fully recharge the E’s batteries in less than three hours, drawing 28 kilowatt hours and giving the E a range of 150 miles (you can also plug the E into any standard power outlet).
Watt comes standard?
Each MINI E will come standard with dynamic deceleration (75% of all deceleration can be done without the brakes), stability control, electric a/c compressor, unique instrumentation and interior trim and, of course, zero emissions. Well Sparky, are you ready?
Tags: BMW, la auto show, MINI, mini e
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