Filed under: Coupes, Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Hatchbacks, BMW, MINI
BMW plans 500 Electric MINIs for California
BMW's MINI brand already produces some of the most efficient vehicles for sale in the US, and sources say the pint-sized cars will soon go emissions free, at least in California. BMW is planning to lease 490 Minis in California, with an additional 10 vehicles planned for show car duty. The emissions-free MINIs will be silver with a yellow roof, which should stand out nicely in the land of fruits and nuts.
There are no details at this point pertaining to EV range or date of availability, but BMW claims it will make an announcement regarding electric vehicles later in the year. With all the talk of game-changing vehicles coming in the near future, we're getting the feeling that the upcoming auto show season could be one of the more memorable on record.
[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Keat 10:38AM (7/09/2008)
"...in the land of fruits and nuts."
hahaha
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Richard S. 10:52AM (7/09/2008)
LOL...not many people will understand the context of fruits and nuts.....:)
Regarding the MINI, how difficult would be to remove the engine, install an electric motor, controller, and NiMH batteries? Even if the range is just 35 miles on battery alone, given that GM is taunting that the Volt's (supposedly) 40 mile range should be sufficient for most commutes. Such a vehicle is not for everyone, but I am sure it is enough for mant. Bring it on.....
why not the LS2LS7? 10:57AM (7/09/2008)
Richard S.:
A car that goes 60 miles would be sufficient for most people most of the time. But as the EV1 showed, people aren't willing to buy a car that's sufficient for them most of the time. And perhaps they're right. If you have a car that's good for 95% of your days, what do you do the other 18 days of the year?
axiom 2:26PM (7/09/2008)
"A car that goes 60 miles would be sufficient for most people most of the time. But as the EV1 showed, people aren't willing to buy a car that's sufficient for them most of the time."
Many errors in your post. You couldn't buy the EV1, it was leased, in very limited production, out a few select dealers, in California only, with a range of 90miles, not 60.
If offered today with the same range and the original cheap-lead acid batteries, it could be this century's T-model. Somebody else will do what GM won't.
HotRodzNKustoms 9:14PM (7/09/2008)
nuts indeed
Allaman 10:48AM (7/09/2008)
How about just send us the Mini D
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why not the LS2LS7? 10:59AM (7/09/2008)
I guess this is a good as a PR stunt. 500 cars isn't going to make a huge difference, and leasing the cars implies they have the same problem the EV1 did, which is that you can't actually afford to sell the car at a reasonable price, so you lease out instead.
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Jared 11:00AM (7/09/2008)
Agreed. 500 cars is simply green-washing.
jcar302 11:09AM (7/09/2008)
I view it as a step forward, kinda like with big plasma and lcd tvs, they started out at $15,000 (for the consumer), and now you can pick one up under a grand.
You have to start somewhere.
As technology,manufacturing techniques and competition evolve, cars like this will get cheaper and cheaper.
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:44AM (7/09/2008)
Plasma TVs used tons of new technologies. And the companies had to learn how to make these cost effectively. So the prices came way down.
Electric cars use electric motors, of which billions have been produced, and batteries, of which almost a billion are sold in cell phones alone each year.
The costs of the materials in an electric car aren't going to drop as fast as a Plasma TV, because it's full of already mature technologies, just in a slightly different form.
I'd love to see EV prices drop quickly and ranges go up quickly, but I think the only big differences we'll see is the actual cost of manufacturing go down as bigger, more efficient companies get involved. A Tango cost $100K six months ago and isn't a very good car. A Tesla cost $100K right now and is a lot better. The next step will probably be similar, it may not be the big change people hope, but hopefully it'll be a step in the right direction.
Mark 11:15AM (7/09/2008)
Is that all, I wonder how many volts gm will sell.
With Volkswagen going to start selling 1 litre engines source (www.carbloguk.co.uk) I guess high gas prices are starting to have an affect on manufacturers.
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axiom 2:45PM (7/09/2008)
The Volt will only sell 10,000 cars the first year. The updated prius will have 100,000 that same year.
What does this mean? When the Volt does go on sale, the impossible waiting list and cost will disappoint and anger the vast majority of those who waited 2+ years for it, and they will flock to the Pruis.
CarbonBlack 9:12PM (7/09/2008)
I still find it amazing that US gas prices going up $1-$2 has been able to cause such a shift in automobiles. I am not entirely sure what that fact means?
bill 11:31AM (7/09/2008)
So when is California going to be held accountable for the carbon footprint caused by wild fires? These clowns go all wobbly about vehicle emissions while their state continues to burn. All they need to do is make lightning strikes illegal, and the problem of pollution caused by fires is solved.
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RITmusic2k 12:09PM (7/09/2008)
Yeah but lightning storms are caused by global warming, duh...
Chris 8:51PM (7/10/2008)
A forest fire is carbon neutral Bill, at least in the medium term. Where do you think the carbon in the trees came from? They absorbed it from the atmosphere and re-released it when they burned. More trees will grow to replace them and will re-absorb that carbon. Burning fossil fuels is only carbon neutral on a time frame of hundreds of millions of years, and maybe not even then since oil isn't really being created anymore.
O\\\'Bama 9:46AM (7/11/2008)
Chris, you are just too serious for me. Of course forest fires are carbon neutral. As for oil not being created anymore, I have my doubts since it has been determined that oil fields previously thought to be pumped dry are re-filling themselves. It is an amazing world that we live in except for having to deal with liberals.
Nick Strayer 12:31PM (7/09/2008)
italian job anyone? they talked about in the bonus features how they had the only electric minis in the world. so i cant imagine it would be that hard to make an electrified mini, i mean if a film crew built one that could drive even for just one mile on a charge, than im sure the mighty bmw could multiply that by quite alot, im going for ~80 mile range.
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why not the LS2LS7? 1:27PM (7/09/2008)
A company has offered conversions for months. They have had a lot of trouble selling them due to the high price.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/22/how-much-demand-is-there-for-a-60k-electric-mini-not-much/
gsolman6 1:49PM (7/09/2008)
All the negativity on the blog is really irritating. A lot of the crap posted on this thread isn't even related to the Mini. I'm off to the forums on miata.net - at least they have some constructive criticisms.
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