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Underwriters Lab holdup means some MINI Es will take all day to charge
With MINI Es finally being delivered to the 450 test drivers in New York and California, a problem has cropped up that will limit the ability of many of those people to actually use the car. When MINI USA was taking applications for leases on the new EV, among the requirements were a garage with 220V electrical service. This was necessary in order to be able to charge the 35 kWh battery in four hours. When the car is delivered, MINI sends along an electrician to install a special wall box for charging.
The problem is the non-standard charging cable. In many of the areas where the cars are being distributed, local building codes require Underwriters Laboratories approved electrical hardware. Approval is still pending from UL on the 220V charging cable so it can't yet be distributed in those areas. The cars are all being delivered this month but roughly 300 of the recipients will have to charge from 110V wall sockets until they get UL-approved cables. That means a full charge will take about 23 hours. MINI USA spokeswoman Nathalie Bauters told USA Today that the company expects to have UL approval for the cable and have them all distributed by the end of July.
Gallery: Quick Drive: MINI E
[Source: USA Today Open Road]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Avinash machado 10:08AM (6/07/2009)
Hopefully all this problems regarding cables will be solved by the time the Volt is launched.
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Mike Z71 10:25AM (6/07/2009)
+1
Korben Dallas 10:40AM (6/07/2009)
It is like expecting USA to turn from 19th century country it is today into a 21st century country by the end of June. Sorry, not gonna happen.
James 11:56AM (6/07/2009)
.."to charge from 110V wall sockets until they get UL-approved cables. That means a full charge will take about 23 hours.."
A full charge in...23 hours!
Shocking!!
mjcrowe 2:04PM (6/07/2009)
I dont get it. Why do people not read the article they want to comment on.
To put it in a nutshell. In about four weeks time the issues described will no longer be issues at all.
Underwriters Lab will hold things up for a few weeks. Thats it!
khaosmatrix 10:38AM (6/07/2009)
Premium price for a mini that is heavier and due to the battery, and it no longer has four seats but now two seats. If one of the American car companies tried this trick they would be burned at the stack for it.
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GBC 10:47AM (6/07/2009)
You have to remember this is purely a prototype. A testbed of sorts. This is by no means a production vehicle, but an innovative way to test the capabilities of the electric MINI. Also, I think it's a hell of a marketing strategy.
letstakeawalk 12:00PM (6/07/2009)
Give BMW some slack - this Mini is is their EV-1.
Snark 1:40PM (6/07/2009)
Dead wrong. This - along with other cars like it, such as the FCX Clarity and EV1 - is nothing but a public beta test. When BMW or MINI produce a public-consumption, mass market EV or RE-EV, it will have four doors and a better integrated battery and a host of other improvements that will be made in response to this first attempt.
mike 9:27AM (6/08/2009)
you mean the Chevy Volt?
Korben Dallas 11:12AM (6/07/2009)
Spam!!!
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VW GTi 11:18AM (6/07/2009)
Just like when you finally receive that new electronic gadget, and then realize that it needs to charge all day.
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Sea Urchin 11:29AM (6/07/2009)
Good video, but not nearly as good as my all time favorite Youtube video, Burnout Europe Vs. Iraq
Tu tu tu tu, na na na na na
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Mike 11:58AM (6/07/2009)
wow, a full 23 hours on 110. Well, being from one of the largest electricity producing states, we even get notices asking for us to cut down on electrical usage as it requires the dams to open wider and flow more water through to keep up with demand.
EV, a way to avoid the problem by solving one and causing another.
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RyanK 3:50PM (6/07/2009)
EV wouldn't be a problem if people would get their heads out of the sand regarding nuclear power.
Mike 7:24PM (6/07/2009)
And a few miles from one of the largest electric producing dams is the U.S.A's largest nuclear cleanup. Time for people to pull their heads out of the sand regarding the problems that even nuclear causes. Again, resolves one problem, causes another.
gearhead18 1:56AM (6/08/2009)
Look up vehicle-to-grid EVs. They could potentially help the power situation
Kevin White 7:55AM (6/08/2009)
I'm glad I went ahead and got the 220V circuit installed in my garage with my new construction house.
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ccurti 12:38PM (6/07/2009)
Just get a 110v/220v transformer, this is not a big deal.
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paul34 2:41PM (6/07/2009)
... no. I don't think you understand how electricity works, especially at the home wiring level.