Mini E driver hits 1,000 recharges; racks up 54,000 miles

When BMW launched the Mini E lease program, some potential drivers were disappointed that they would only get to pilot the electrified hatch for 12 months. Later, at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, Mini USA announced an extension of the lease program, allowing current Mini E drivers to retain their battery-powered rides for awhile longer.

One Mini E lessee by the name of Tom Moloughney has really taken advantage of his time with the car. He racked up an astonishing 54,000 miles in 22 months (20,000 of those in the first eight months). BMW has even confirmed that Moloughney's battery-powered Mini has at least 20,000 more miles on its odometer than any of the other 612 electric prototypes produced. To date, Moloughney's Mini E has been charged more than 1,000 times and its battery pack is showing no signs of degradation. In its first year of use, Moloughney's Mini E average 88.4 miles per charge. Surprisingly, that's only 1.2 miles more than its second-year average of 87.2 miles per charge. Check out Plugin Cars for more on Moloughney's Mini E experience and read these posts (1, 2) for more of Moloughney's advice to EV drivers.

[Source: Plugin Cars]