We don't commonly cover news on the other BMW owned brand, the Mini, merely we couldn't pass on these latest new. Mini E, brusk for electric, was featured on our web log in July, when nosotros announced that 490 units will be leased to selected customers in California and 10 volition be used as prove cars.

The electric Minis are being built at the Mini factory in Oxford, England, without engines, gearboxes or fuel tanks, and so shipped to Munich, Germany, where they are being fitted with electric powertrains.

With the official specifications and photos released a few days ago, at present nosotros can share with you lot more details on the Mini Due east, a car that will open up the road for the rumored and shortly to be reality, BMW Project i. Power comes from a lithium-ion battery that provides a full of 38 kilowatts per-hour allowing for 150 miles on a full charge (that's less than 3 cents per mile).

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The large bombardment weighing around 573 pounds is placed in the back seat, making the Mini E a two people machine. The li-ion battery outputs 204 horsepower with a torque of 162 lb-ft. It runs from 0-threescore mph in 8.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 95 mph.

The battery tin be charged from a power outlet and for us in the U.Southward, we tin can recharge a battery that has been completely drained within a very short flow of fourth dimension using a wallbox that will transport with every MINI E. The wallbox will be installed in the customer'southward garage, enable higher amperage, and thus provide for extremely short charging times. Wallboxes fully recharge batteries later a mere two-and-a-half hours.

The rumors of a BMW all-electric automobile take been going around for months, if non years, and in the past months, many BMW executives accept confirming and re-confirming the development of a BMW electric auto, named Project i. In a June interview for Automotive News Europe, BMW'due south Executive  Herbert Höltschl confirmed that initial rumor and that BMW is set on manufacturing a zip-emission vehicle. In the same time, he explained thatProject i could  represent a solution for congested city motoring and it has likewise been tasked with coming up with innovative product techniques that reduce energy and water usage.

Mr. Höltschl too said that BMW'south car performance image volition remain intact due to an advanced engineering that will yet keep upward with the Ultimate Driving Machine slogan.

The initial deadline was set for 2012, merely recently we have been hearing of a possible BMW electric concept being revealed by 2010. This is admittedly heady news for everyone and I fully support BMW's eco initiative and honestly, I found this to be more challenging than building a regular petrol car.

The Mini Eastward will exist present at the Fifty.A Auto Bear witness and I cannot wait to run into information technology.

And 1 last thing, for those of yous interested in a test drive with the new Mini E, you lot can sign upwards here and up to 500 test drivers in the US (Southern California, New York City and New Jersey) will go the gamble to have the MINI E for a spin.