Today I left my MINI E in my driveway, keys inside, from where it will taken back to BMW headquarters for the last time.
Its hard to believe a year has passed since I first took possession of the MINI E pure electric car. After a lengthy application process, several months of waiting and a few emails to select BMW executives, I was finally told I had been chosen as a MINI E pioneer to participate in the MINI E field test. I became one of 450 people nationwide, and one of the 100 in New York chosen to lease the car.
Although by then I had already test driven the Ford Focus Electric mule, the Tesla Roadster, the Mitsubishi iMiEV, and even the Chevy Volt Cruze-mule, getting a pure elctric car as my daily driver, to live with for a year was a dream come true. I drove off from that MINI dealer’s lot in White Plains in June 2009 like a kid in a candy shop.
At first I thought I’d be very scientific and log all my trips and how much effective range I got. I did this for a few weeks, but got bored. Sorry not much data to share.
Overall, the experience has been absolutely fantastic. I absolutely love driving an electric car, no doubt about it. I love the smoothness, quick torque, and near silence. I love plugging it in each night and coming out each morning to a fully-charged battery (though I forgot a few times). Most of all I love the ever-present awareness I am driving without the use of gasoline, without imported oil, on pure homegrown US electricity.
I chose not to adorn my MINI E with the large glaring door decals, mine is the more subtle type of personality. As a result I was not once stopped by a stranger who noticed the car was electric. Of course I shared the experience with several friends and colleagues and let a bunch of people drive it (even a GM exec who shall remain nameless).
BMW asked for the study participants to engage in nine separate online tasks over the year, which would provide them data and feedback. Unfortunately I didn’t do any of them. I figured my constant daily effort on this blog and elsewhere was enough to advance the cause of electrification of the automobile, plus I just didnt have the time. Sorry BMW.
In the end I logged just about 15,000 miles of driving (14,914 to be exact). Four times the car broke down, all away from home and twice while engaged in driving, due to various power-electronic module failures, the cost of driving a non-production car.
A couple of months ago BMW offered me and others the chance to lease the car for a second year. Instead of charging $850 per month as it had in the first year, the second would only be $600. After that I could take possession of BMWs next electric car, the Active E BMW 1-series. The MINI E is really an aftermarket conversion of a standard MINI E with the rear seat removed and replaced by a 600 pound 35 kwh E-one Moli air-cooled lithium ion battery pack and an AC Propulsion drivetrain. The Active E is a little bit more of a ground up electric car with advanced driver interface and thermally managed pack. After that BMW will use all of its learning to launch its pure electric MegaCity car in 2013, that will be built using lightweight carbon fiber composites.
Along with 50% of the other lessees, sadly I had to decline this second year option. Why you might ask? Because the Volt will be out in a few short months. Although I do not live in one of the three Volt launch markets, and don’t have my name on any list except my own, I have one very good reason to believe and hope I will get possession of an early Volt. Ed Whitacre, the CEO of General Motors told me so in a surprise personal call. Yes, Im holding him to it!
I can say the MINI E performed very well as a commuter car for me, and I was able to use it for about 90% of my driving needs. Occasionally I needed to drive further than its range allowed either to go to a distant destination or multiple distant stops in one day. In those cases I drove a back-up gas car (having continuous access to one was a requirement of the program).
My daily commute is roughly 30 miles each way. I would leave each morning with a full battery and then trickle charge at 120 V in my parking spot at work. I had my parking garage management company install an outlet for me (I paid half). The home 240V/32 amp charger recharged the car from empty in about 4 hours, at 120V/8amp it takes about 33 hours.
Overall I would say my effective range was roughly 75 to 80 miles. I never once ran out of charge. My commute is 90% high speed (65mph+) highway driving which is why my range was so low. This was also quite weather-dependent. At one point when the temperatures dipped inot the 20s during the winter, range was about 50-55 miles and I found the needle below zero a couple of times (it still kept driving though).
Unfortunately I now must switch to my gas-hybrid that I have been using as a back-up car full time, until I can get my hands on a Volt.
Thanks MINI E, its been a real pleasure, and thanks BMW for a great experience. BMW has acknowledged the 2-seat MINI E is not a widely applicable car and won’t be putting one into production. The Active E and Mega City EV will both have rear seats and the latter will be design-optimized for an electric drivetrain.
For a me a 100 mile range pure electric car can be used for 90% of my drives. Driving the Volt and charging at work, I will drive 95% of my miles without the use of gas, but still be able to use the car on those additional 5% of occasions.
+20
Jun 14th, 2010 (6:51 am)Great to hear GM and Whitacre did the right thing by you by promising a Volt. The free press they have gotten from your sight is worth millions to them.
Where can I leave my contact info for Mr. Whitacre?
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (6:53 am)Thanks Lyle for keeping us all informed. Your real life experience with the the Mini E validates what a lot of us have expected about EV’s. As big of an enthusiest as you are it is refreshing to get the full set of facts even when they include 4 breakdowns in a year. It’s also enlightening to get the first hand real world mpc. Didn’t realize the Mini was using an air cooled battery set up (similar to the Leaf).
+5
Jun 14th, 2010 (6:56 am)BMW wanted data? Hey, if GM wants to trade data for an early production Volt, I’ll give ‘em my 35 years of data on every gas purchase/price/mileage/location covering four successive GM cars. And promise to be as obsessive about collecting/logging/providing data on the Volt for the next ten years.
+6
Jun 14th, 2010 (6:58 am)My condolences, Lyle.
It sounds like you had great joy with this car.
This just shows that BEVs can be used by a lot of people as long as they have that ICE backup car.
I didn’t realize it took 33 hours to charge it using a standard 120 outlet.
That is scary and an insane amount of time. It makes me wonder how the cities and towns that are implementing an infrastructure, just what kind will it be. If I had this car, drove to the mall and plugged it in to a 120 outlet for a couple of hours, I wouldn’t get much a charge from that.
Good for you to hold out for the Volt. I am extremely happy you are getting one, as it is only right for GM to do that. It will most likely be a 2-3 years before I get one, so I am really looking forward to reading your stories about it.
Thank you very much for all the work you do on this site.
– Rashiid.
+3
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:02 am)Lyle, that pretty well sums it up. That 5% of driving makes it tough to have two cars where one would suffice. Of course if the one is twice as expensive that is a problem. The cost and price will come down I have faith that it will.
+6
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:02 am)Lyle, would you mind sharing how many times you forgot to plug in?
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:05 am)I hope you are right about getting a Volt, Lyle!
But Ed’s comment may just have been like “I’ll call you…”
Time will tell!
NPNS
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:13 am)What range does the Mini get in the official EPA city and hwy cycles?, LA-4?.. whats the best possible range it can get at around 20mph?
+5
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:20 am)Lyle, I was pleased when you first told us about your call from Ed Whitacre and that he had promised to make an early Volt available to you. As you (and I’m sure several others here remember) Tagamet & I started a petition to GM in March 2008 at VoltNation in NYC to ask
them to give you an early Volt. You magnanimously persuaded us to abandon the effort soon afterward, and we did. It was nice to learn you were right and that they’ll let you have a Volt —on their own volition! …And so were the many VoltNation petition signers right that you deserved a Volt from GM.
So the question remaining is, “will GM do the right thing & let you have the car FREE?!?”
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:30 am)Yes indeed, very well said.
And thanks Lyle for the informative reports from time to time, right up to the very end today.
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:33 am)IMPORTANT.. READ THIS COMMENT…
AMERICA!!
INDEPENDENCE!!
JOBS!!
ENVIRONMENT!!
CHEVY VOLT!!
BED TIME!!
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:34 am)I absolutely love driving an electric car, no doubt about it. I love the smoothness, quick torque, and near silence. [emphasis added]
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:37 am)I’m not in a introductory market so I figure I’m going to have to wait until at least 2012 for something with a plug. Right now the carbon fiber and 160 miles of range (rumored) BMW Megacity has got me interested. With rear wheel drive and BMW handling, this could be a sporty way to flip opec and oil spills the bird. Think of it as a “Tesla light” with a rear seat and about 1/3 of the price.
/More rumors:
“BMW believes that it has developed a radical, lower-cost, mass-market-compatible means of producing carbon fiber monocoque bodywork that will dramatically reduce the Megacity’s potential weight, improving not only its range but acceleration too. The driving range is said to be around 160 miles.”
Rendering and New Information on BMW Megacity Vehicle
http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/06/06/rendering-and-new-information-on-bmw-megacity-vehicle/
+3
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:39 am)I can’t wait to hear CS mode details. I think CS mode mileage may be the biggest pleasant surprise from the Volt, especially HWY mpg.
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:40 am)Have been reading stock reports of lithium battery providers. Several state that they have contracted with American manufacturers to provide batteries for cars and trucks. News will be coming faster and faster regarding new models.
So true Lyle. That seemed like a short year of EV driving. Thanks for the feedback and daily posts of news, updates, and topics of interest. In the marathon measure of EV development. We’re probably at about the 3 mile mark.
=D-Volt
-26
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:42 am)(click to show comment)
-16
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:43 am)(click to show comment)
+3
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:47 am)35 years of data entry without missing a beat? You do deserve to be an early adopter! LOL.
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:53 am)Lyle is practicing a form a journalism on this blog. To retain his independence and ability to be objective, he should have access to an early Volt, but pay for it with the same pricing and terms available to everyone else in the marketplace. I think that would be a fair arrangement to all parties.
+9
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:53 am)About 4 times I’d say. Each time I did it prevented me from drivin the car that day.
Won’t happen with Volt or LEAF as they will send out reminder text messages if one forgets to plug them in.
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:56 am)For the low low price of 300 bucks a year with the Volt
+8
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:04 am)Perhaps sad on my part, but I would not
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:04 am)I sincerely hope you are right, but I fear the opposite.
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:11 am)‘Range anxiety’? They’ve got blue pills for that.
+4
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:14 am)Hi Lyle,
Glad to hear you’ll be getting one of the first production Volts. When you consider the fact that most car salesmen make a flat $50 / car sold at MSRP, and you have a list of 52,106 referrals, one would think you not only get a Volt but it should be free in exchange for your list. Think about this, if you opened a Volt only Chevrolet dealership, and sold a Volt to each of your list participants you would make around $2,605,300.00 on flat $50 commissions. Lyle, I’d buy my Volt from you if you guarantee me no mark-up over MSRP.
149 days and counting.
NPNS!
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:27 am)Proof, once again, that real life is stranger than fiction. Now, if only I could figure out how to read the newspaper AND separate the two.
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:41 am)“Unfortunately I now must switch to my gas-hybrid that I have been using as a back-up car full time, until I can get my hands on a Volt”.
Lyle-just curious what you’re driving now?
Have a 06′ Mercury Mariner Hybrid (wife’s bummed the brand is toast-she liked Mercury), 03′ Honda Civic Hybrid, and just for fun a 90′ Camaro IROC-Z convertible. 99000 miles, 179,000, 97,000. Reliability on the hybrids has been stellar. Only out of service time for mechanical reasons was due to a stone piercing the radiator on the Mariner. It shut down so only the radiator needed replacing.
I think GM made a smart move giving the Tiger’s pitcher a Corvette ($9 million publicity for $53,000?). Hopefully you and Ed will work something out.
Keep up the good work Lyle.
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:41 am)———————————————————————————-
I assume you missed the article about adding noise to the Volt, so the blind can hear it. Reason #1 to try to get a first generation Volt – no noisemaker.
+6
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:49 am)A big thank you to the most influential and coolest electric car guy in America! And thanks for sticking with the Volt as your choice among all the rivals. I hope most of us make the same choice.
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:50 am)If that report doesn’t ‘spark’ GM management to build the all-electric ‘Spark’, I don’t know what will. Better yet, let’s hear plans on the ‘Cruze AE’ !
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:51 am)From the story … I have one very good reason to believe and hope I will get possession of an early Volt. Ed Whitacre, the CEO of General Motors told me so in a surprise personal call. Yes, Im holding him to it!
Congratulations Lyle! If anyone deserves an early Volt it is you! There are many who believe, including me, that the Volt might never have become a reality if it had not been for this website and your efforts.
Also from the story … Unfortunately I now must switch to my gas-hybrid that I have been using as a back-up car, until I can get my hands on a Volt.
While I would love to drive a BEV, we are now retired and have to rely upon a single vehicle. The Volt is the only way to go for me. Unfortunately, it will likely be 2-3 years before I can get my hands on a Volt.
Jun 14th, 2010 (9:16 am)Carcus3,
Thx for the link.
We were discussing the sensitivity of AER to wt on the forum. Turns out that for every 10% in vehicle wt picks you up another 6.5% in range (based on the HWY cycle) so this carbon fiber this carbon fiber mfg technology is very interesting!!
PS here’s a link to the thread:
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?p=39948#post39948
post #11
Jun 14th, 2010 (9:26 am)Lyle,
Very good input.
It will weigh in considerably for me since my driving cycle is similar to yours and I am at the top of the list for a Leaf in Phoenix.
GSB
Jun 14th, 2010 (9:36 am)Lyle, you don’t strike me as an “anxious” guy, but you don’t allude to experiencing much range anxiety or “white knuckling” it home as a friend with a Tesla has mentioned to me. Maybe you are just a good trip planner and never got into that position.
I was a little surprised. The Leaf has gotten nailed a lot about the inevitable range anxiety people will experience and that will hurt its chances at success. Now I am not so sure. I am also not so sure however that everyone can afford a back up car in addition to a pure electric.
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (9:48 am)That may be YOUR range anxiety …… but not ours ;+]
+5
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:02 am)Lyle
I have been reading this blog for almost as long as you have been posting.
The richness of information pro – con about the VOLT has provided me and all of the rest of the readers with a good of idea of what to expect in a few months.
Lately we have been getting a boat load of FUD ( Fear Uncertainty and Doubt ) from newer sources. One might take what they say more seriously if they could back up their claims.
This leads me to believe GM’s VOLT will be a significant addition to the electric car world.
Thanks for all of your time and talents and I hope you will keep things going after your, and eventually our, VOLTS are delivered.
That way the FUD spread by others will turn to dust.
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:21 am)Good general description of the day to day experience. Interesting that the range isn’t much less than the Leaf claims. If the range is about 75-80 miles and you’re topping off at the office after 30 miles, I’d say the range anxiety issue is still there. A 100 mile car doesn’t look like it would offer sufficient relief. Now here’s an obvious EV fan with a commute within range. The car still only manages 90% of the transportation needs.
Put a volt in the same environment and it’s a 100% duty cycle car with no need for backup. If you forgot to plug it in, you just call yourself an idiot then get in and drive. You don’t end up looking for another ride. Less cost for insurance, registration, in some places property tax, etc.
Helps gives one perspective.
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:26 am)Interesting results on the simulation.
Weight reduction looks to be one of the “low hanging fruits” on the efficiency tree. That fruit is hanging lower for the big 3 than for the imports.
Ford is doing a good job with weight reduction on many of their models. I’m sure GM will have to do the same as the new CAFE standards are implemented.
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:30 am)#14
“From your lops to God’s ear.” +1
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:38 am)If they take this crap off…
No Power Windows
No Power Adjust Seats
No Power Side view mirrors
No Power Sunroof (Actually No Sunroof at all!!)
No Power Door Locks
No Power Trunk lock
No Radio (Remember that fiasco? – Get an iPod)
No Heated Seats
No GPS (My Phone has one and it WORKs!)
No OnStar!!! Yuk, Phoey!
They might cut the weight down by maybe 150lbs.
Less weight is better. Less crap means less crap to break down later.
KISS!!!
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:42 am)#29
Bring it on! +1
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:43 am)#28
Second the motion! +1
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:46 am)I’ll take both!!!!!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!
/back to my coffee but No Kahlua today though
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:46 am)#39
Amen. +1
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:57 am)If the real world range is 80 miles on a usable 30 kwh capacity, then it gets 2.7 miles per kwh on average. Now it seems to weigh about as much as a Volt or Leaf, i.e. 3300 lbs, so what other factors must be used to explain why the Volt and the Leaf are expected to get 50% better mileage in EV mode? Drag would seem to be a player because Lyle did a lot of high speed (50 and up) driving. Could the drive train efficiency, efficiency of converting the electrical energy in the battery into mechanical energy at the wheels explain a portion? Perhaps but I do not recall anything specific.
+4
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:57 am)Yes Yes Yes! You have hit every point about owning an EV and why they’re good for America. Even with a 50 mile (on a bad day) range and a lack of infrastructure at your place of employment, you made it work.
Isn’t that great leaving the garage each morning with a full load of “fuel”? Better yet it was USA made fuel. Not that expensive black stuff that indirectly funds terrorism.
As for breakdowns every car experiences those. The $850 lease was just to weed out anybody who wasn’t serious. The Mini isn’t my first choice for a car. I need some practicality in terms of some cargo space, my first choice was the eBox by AC Propulsion.
“What the detractors and critics of electric vehicles
have been saying for years, is true. The electric
vehicle is not for everybody, given the limited range
it can only meet the needs of 90% of the population.”
Ed Begley Jr.
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:04 am)Hey, checkitout…
“Pre-production Volt caught with its plug-in
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/06/14/pre-production-volt-caught-with-its-plug-in/
Looks like another color of the Volt. I don’t think it’s the Veridian green color or whatever it’s called.
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:08 am)You can play with this calculator to see how weight and the drag co-efficient affects MPG (translate to range). 6.5% seems a little high to me but it’s definitely in the ballpark.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/tool-aero-rolling-resistance.php
FWIW lightweight steel is cheaper than carbon fiber at higher production levels and it wouldn’t require changes to the production tooling. If companies started using it across lines the price premium over standard steel would probably be quite modest.
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:08 am)… and have you any “family friendly” quotes to offer about what you said when you walked out to the garage in the morning, and realized what had happened?
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:09 am)Lyle, it’s always nice to hear about your first hand experience with an EV over an extended period of time. Thanks!
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:17 am)#46 – CaptJackSparrow
I worry about people who plug in their cars in public accessable spaces. Can you image the pranksters that will go around unplugging the vehicles? Should have a way to lock the plug so it can not be removed by just anyone passing by.
Wake up one morning to find out your car is not fully charged because someone unplugged your car. I see that happening..
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:33 am)Are you getting the car gratis, or at MSRP?
No one deserves a free Volt more than you, Lyle. Thanks for all you’ve done!
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:35 am)Lyle: Your Mini was 3200 lbs. LEAF is 3500 lbs. The Mini E packed a 35 kWh Li-ion battery assembly. LEAF’s 24kWh capacity. Clearly LEAF sacrifices performance for cost. Meaning LEAF will be hard pressed to match the general performance of your Mini E. The good news is VOLT outperforms both (except for Mini E’s 0-60 mph in 8.5 secs.) (VOLT and LEAF are pretty close in weight.)
Notable: I came across an RFP for Alameda County (N. Calif.) for electric-charging stations SAE compliant.
…”The County manages a fleet of approximately 1093 vehicles and is looking to prepare the charging station infrastructure for new electric vehicles which are scheduled to be produced near the end of 2010….” (RFP No. 900734)
Its a start.
+11
Jun 14th, 2010 (11:51 am)Nicely said Lyle. I too am one of the MINI-E drivers and am driving #250 in New Jersey. Unlike Lyle I have elected to keep the car for another year. I don’t have an “inside line” for a Volt and I really have no idea when the Volt or the Leaf will be offered for sale in New Jersey. Plus, with the low production numbers planned for the Volt, who knows when I can actually buy one. I suspect the second year with the MINI-E will be long over before I have real options to purchase anyway.
I have absolutely loved my experience driving an electric car. I put over 33,000 miles on it this year, the most of any of the 612 cars they made (there were a handful of others that exceeded 20k though). I drive a lot and wasn’t sure the car could keep up with my high mileage needs but it did without any problem. I am a very organized person, and that was helpful in allowing me to plan my daily usage and charging requirements. I will say this though, I never really waited for the car to charge as others might think. It was always charging when I was doing something that didn’t require it’s use, like sleeping or working. I installed a 220v charger where I work so I could plug in when I arrived at work and in an hour or so the car was fully charged again.
Like Lyle had planned to do, I recorded every trip between charges for the entire year. I averaged about 108 miles per charge in temps about 60 degrees and about 82 in temps below 60 with my best single charge trip being 128 miles and the worst in 10 degree weather driving all highway at 68 miles.
This experience has proved to me that I can live with a 100 mile BEV and I plan on there being one in my garage from now on. The Volt will serve me well as a second car for longer trips and as a daily driver for my wife. Maybe I’ll have both the EREV Volt and the BEV Volt parked side by side in the garage in a year or so. I wish more of you guys here had the opportunity to drive electric like Lyle and I have, it’s really a great experience. The good news is that your time will come soon….
If you click on my name it will take you to my blog about the MINI-E
Best wishes,
Tom
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:04 pm)Aw mannnn, that’s gonna be drunken party prank for me. WATCHOUT!!!
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:04 pm)Here is a very nice article about a local EV show that was held Saturday at Schoolcraft College by the Michigan Electric Auto Association: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/michigan/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1662578/Michigan.News/Electric.Cars.Begin.New.Battle.Against.Gasoline-Powered.Vehicles
Yes, there was a Volt there, and yes it was giving rides, and no I messed up and waited too long and it was gone before I even got to touch it. It was a newly made one from Hamtramck based on a conversation with a guy who did some work at the Hamtramck plant. And, yes, it seems that Gen I Volts are quite a bit more expensive and maybe more desirable (but that is a subjective thing). Evidently they are only making 4 per day currently.
+3
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:04 pm)If true, that would be huge, at least if it’s inexpensive. Almost as big as breakthrough batteries. Only a couple breakthroughs still needed, to complete the loop: a cheap, high-efficiency solar cell, and high-temp superconductivity. Then we can produce, transmit and use the power cleanly, efficiently and cheaply–’in-house’. Dogs hugging cats. Cubs high-fiving Sox. Sheiks, well, all alone. Again.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:07 pm)These guys rushing electric vehicles to market ( nissan and others) will not be able to match the Volt. GM is right by taking their time on perfecting this game changing automobile. That being said, I am happy with the industries efforts. Electric cars are definitely the future.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:17 pm)Hey Tom, what did you average in range? Lyle sez he got around 75-80 but on highway speeds.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:21 pm)Just curious if you were ever able to get a good miles/kwh measurement on your mini. and…
PS the click on your name does not work.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:22 pm)Very well said.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:29 pm)With a mixture of about 50% highway(60-65mph) and 50% city my average is about 108MPC. However like I said that is in temps above 60 degrees. Every 10 degree drop below 60 would cut about 5 miles per charge. The worst range I experienced was late January/early February. It was in the low teens every day and snow on the ground. I had the heater on full blast all the time and was driving on the highway a lot. I was getting only about 70MPC and a few days it was 68MPC.
I did some experimenting with pre-heating the cabin and batteries and it worked well. I found on theses really cold days if I put a small cabin heater in the car an hour before I left in the morning, my range shot up that day. The MINI is basically a test mule and has no credible way to keep the batteries warm or even pre-warm them. I’m disappointed the LEAF will not originally have a thermal management system(I hear 2nd gen will) but at least you will be able to preheat the cabin and batteries while the car is still on the grid. I believe this will greatly help the cold weather range but it’s still not as good as a thermal management system. All future BMW EV’s will have such a system.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:34 pm)That’s probably why they will be rolling out mostly in the “Sunbelt states”. Here in CA, we rarely get below 50 but we do hit 105 in the summer.
Thanks for all your input. Now im jealous and really want a BEV.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:41 pm)Thanks for partly answering my question, George @#59, apparently Lyle has a lead foot.
Your average of 108 works out to 3.6 miles per kwh, very consistent with other evaluations.
The 68 miles works out to 2.3 miles per kwh, so the cold weather appears to sap battery capacity. One would not think the cold weather would significantly affect drive train efficiency. Do you know if rather than recharge, if you just warmed the battery up, would the “lost” capacity reappear, or is it actually lost from the system? In other words, if the battery was maintained at a normal temperature, would the energy used to maintain temperature be more than what is lost due to the battery being very cold?
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:46 pm)George I have spoken to other MINI-E drivers that can measure the separate electric usage from charging the car and they come up with 3.5 to 4.0kwh per mile
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:51 pm)If I use the cars cabin heater to pre heat the batteries than the energy is definitely lost, but I experimented with pre heating the batteries and cabin with a small space heater plugged into an outlet in my garage and it worked very well. If I got the battery temperature up to around 70 degrees before I left the car had very good range. If I left home with the batteries at 45 degrees the range was much less even if the ambient temperature was the same.
Jun 14th, 2010 (12:59 pm)I think the loss is from the individual form factor of the battery cells themselves. They use the cylindrical cells and in high quantity > 5000. This gives a larger thermal space to lose heat. But then again offers better heat dissipation from hard acceleration. There’s a balance to be met.
Jun 14th, 2010 (1:12 pm)Off-topic:
Well, the potential supply of lithium just went way up: “Just this month, American geologists working with the Pentagon team have been conducting ground surveys on dry salt lakes in western Afghanistan where they believe there are large deposits of lithium. Pentagon officials said that their initial analysis at one location in Ghazni Province showed the potential for lithium deposits as large of those of Bolivia, which now has the world’s largest known lithium reserves.”
One more step forward in the electrification of vehicles, and more. Will be interesting to see who, if anyone, can tap this resource. Hope it’s us, but I’d say the Chinese are more likely to. Sure hope it’s not the Tally-Bahn.
Jun 14th, 2010 (1:33 pm)Thanks Tom,
Do you have a highway speed that this number corresponds to??
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (1:44 pm)The Leaf is more practical, seating five rather than two. Plus it has a trunk. It won’t accelerate as fast but on the other hand the battery will last longer.
It’s not that useful to compare. The mini-E was just thrown together to gain advantages under the CARB regulations (which is why BMW ended up giving them away). The Leaf is a bone fide attempt to mass produce an EV.
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (2:38 pm)Yes, the MINI-E was thrown together rather quickly. I was told by someone at BMW that only six months passed from the time the car got the go ahead until they were rolling off the assembly line. There were two main reasons for making it: First, for the CARB credits. BMW has never denied that. Secondly, They really wanted to gauge public acceptance as well as begin to expose people to these cars so that when they do sell their Megacity car in 2013, more people will have either driven one, talked to someone that has driven one or read about someone that has driven one. Many people just don’t realize that these cars are a viable alternative to gasoline burning cars. I didn’t know I could live with one, but now I do. Everyone that I know now knows Ev’s are for real, not just glorified golf carts. I’ve given so many test drives I can’t count how many. (BTW, anyone that lives nearby and wants to drive mine, just email me and we can set it up. You can email me from my blog)
The MINI-E has faults, mostly because it was done so quickly and is just a retrofitted ICE car. Even so I have thoroughly enjoyed it, I can only imagine how much better the Volt, the LEAF and other EV’s that have been engineered from day one as an EV will be.
+3
Jun 14th, 2010 (2:54 pm)I was at the show too. The only ride I saw of the VOLT was with the press ( NPR etc.). The car was really quiet. There were a lot of people with questions. Most questions were very basic. The folks with “electric” knowledge did ask some probing ones. The person demonstrating the car knew quite a bit. He was the first to tell you he was not a “marketing” or salesperson. He also noted there were some technical details he could still not discuss. This show with the VOLT was the first place a “common” person, like me, could touch, sit in, and get a real feel for the size. This car does feel right. Hope they make enough of them because the interest is there.
Here is a pict of one of the first electrics 1915 “Detroit Electric” and a 2010 CHEVY VOLT
-6
Jun 14th, 2010 (2:57 pm)thats a car :/ hahaha it old looking like 1950′s
Jun 14th, 2010 (3:26 pm)I resemble that remark. The caption says 1915.
Jun 14th, 2010 (3:50 pm)Regarding lost miles from cold batteries.. the miles are still there and will come back if you heat up the battery.. so it is very possible to recover 40% range if you park for a few minutes with a dead car and heat up the batteries.. the only problem is that in an air cooled pack they will cool down instantly again.. air cooled means no insulation.
Note that for some reason both the LEAF and Volt get 25% more range per kwh of capacity than the Mini.. must be an aerodynamic thing or another issues with the Minis drivetrain. Has the Mini been ever put thru the LA-4 cycle?
Another note: the Volt will be 3900lbs, the LEAF 3500lbs.. much heavier than the Mini.
-1
Jun 14th, 2010 (4:18 pm)EV’s will dominate over the Volt!
+3
Jun 14th, 2010 (4:24 pm)Herm: The MINI achieved a 156 mile range using the LA-4 cycle. The MINI is also one of the least aerodynamic small cars anywhere. It’s basically a brick on wheels and that’s not good for an EV. The Volt is much bigger than the MINI and it has all the added weight from the ICE genset so I’m not surprised it weighs more. BMW’s EV that they plan on selling in 2013 will be a four seat hatchback similar to the size of the Volt. They are using a lot of carbon fiber and their goal is to keep the weight down to about 2,000lbs. It is expected to have a real world range of over 100 miles and will definitely have a thermal management system that will keep the batteries within a 20 degree range for optimal efficiency.
Jun 14th, 2010 (4:32 pm)Here’s a rendering of the BMW Megacity EV that will be on sale in 2013. I might just have one of these parked next to a Volt in my garage then.
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (4:48 pm)I’ve actually paid less in insurance at times having two cars available as daily drivers, something about the mileage being lower on each vehicle, or something like that.
+2
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:11 pm)Thanks Lyle for all the feedback regarding the Mini. 90% is pretty good, my commute is half of yours and very little highway driving (5 miles) so I’m looking forward to my 100 mile EV range LEAF even if cold weather drops the range to 80 miles. PNW climates are pretty mild..
Thanks also to Tom (+1 for you) for all your info on the Mini EV. I really enjoyed reading your blog regarding your experiences. You have proven for some people that the 100 mile range you have works for you as it will for others.
I can’t wait to start driving my EV!!!
GO EV!!!
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:15 pm)I still say that Lyle has more than enough data on several EV’s and EREV’s to start a high quality magazine on the subject:
I would be happy to subscribe when it comes out!
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:18 pm)I think I would be dismayed somewhat if my cars calls me and texts,” Hey I’m unplugged, and not at full capacity, is that what you wanted’?
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:38 pm)They would be very lucky to achieve 2000lbs with an ICE car, but no way with a BEV unless EESCAM really comes through. Must have been a missprint in your source article.. do you have a link?
156 mile range on LA-4 is a very good number, about 7% more than what the LEAF got once you equalize for different battery sizes.. so nothing wrong with the drivetrain.. as you said it must be the drag.
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:40 pm)It is always sad seeing a trusty steed go….
I would be willing to bet that the anxiety of waiting for the Volt exceeds any range anxiety of the Mini. I really hope that GM gets you that Volt Soon!
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:42 pm)Thanks Lyle for all you do. Sorry to see your BEV go. Good news about your VOLT. I am hopeing for one of the early ones too but three a day is not many.
Take Care,
TED
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:44 pm)Less than it would be for one car or just less per car?
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:45 pm)I would think “lightweight steel” is really lighter guage higher strength steel. This would allow just as strong thinner, lighter steel to be used.Probably couldnt use the same stamping and forming tooling though. Any of you engineers or production guys have a thought on that?
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:50 pm)Me Too!!!
So typically when would journalists get that that prototype drive, with the RED production intent car? Then there is a story embargo til a predetermined time before release. Mumbling and stuttering till I see a red Volt…
-1
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:56 pm)Hi #69 Don C #70 Tom M: My point being VOLT right now is the EV standard against which all EV competition (including Tesla) is gaged. As it turns out even VOLT’s 0-60 times are very close to MINI E’s 8.5 sec.
As to being ‘thrown together’. Usually, a concept model is coordinated between marketing and engineering. Knowing BMW’s ferocious competitor Daimler… EV’s are on everybody’s minds. So once a decision is made, it becomes engineering’s job to produce. Maybe it was done in a few months, but that doesn’t mean engineering skips normal milestones. I bet BMW engineering worked round the clock. Been there many times. (I’m not in Auto) I’ll say this…when my round-the-clocks (crash program doesn’t seem appropriate here) came together.. each becomes a defining moment.
Based the few articles I found BMW achieved high marks for MINI E’s handling and performance – it is after all a BMW. Lyle did find problems – and so far as I recall from Lyle’s reports – BMW fixed them.
Jun 14th, 2010 (5:59 pm)They did scrap the power seats. This one item is more weight than all the other items in your list.
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (6:09 pm)Many of the cold weather problems of the mini-E were because it had no heat at all when the car was off.
If the LEAF heats the battery when it is plugged in but not on, much of the limitation from cold won’t be there. The battery isn’t going to chill instantly due to its large mass.
Jun 14th, 2010 (6:19 pm)Strangely, it was less than the single car. I’m guessing if you had a $30,000 plus Volt, and spent some time in an old beater with little value, that would do the trick also.
Jun 14th, 2010 (7:37 pm)Actually, they didn’t work round the clock at all. In fact, they didn’t even design the electric drivetrain at all. They knew they couldn’t do so in such a short time (6 months) so they outsourced it to AC Propulsion of California and used an “off the shelf” drivetrain that ACP was using in thier EBox. BMW engineers had very little to do with this car. The next step for BMW is called the ActiveE which they are building now and will have all the BMW designed components that will be in the Megacity vehicle that they sell in 2013. I plan on getting one in June of 2011 when the MINI-E program is finished. I have already been promised one to test drive(lease)if I want it. The ActiveE program will be much more important because it will be testing all the BMW designed components that will be in the Megacity. The MINI-E is testing anything that will actually make it’s way into the Megacity. It has been said that BMW used the MINI as a mule because they didn’t want to out an actual BMW on the road with the inferior design and components of the MINI-E.
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:01 pm)Jeffhre #81
Oh my Volt will be parked behind a gated driveway so I do not expect to have problems. I think if you have OnStar, the car will text , but I am not positive. I can just see in the future where unplugging EVs at night will become a problem for some and I just thought there should be some type of a locking mechanism.
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:05 pm)“They would be very lucky to achieve 2000lbs with an ICE car, but no way with a BEV unless EESCAM really comes through”
Herm,
The car will have a 16kwh pack, go between 100 and 160 (real world) miles per charge, seat four and weigh 2,000lbs (or less if you can believe it). It doesn’t have any ultra capacitor, just the li-ion batteries designed for this car. Sorry I can’t tell you how I know, but I do. BMW is quietly building an entire division up for this car and has plans on selling it all over the world. I would think you won’t get too much info until next spring when the ActiveE program starts.
+6
Jun 14th, 2010 (8:51 pm)As a Mini-E driver,
Just wanted to chime in and echo a lot of Toms comments,
I also am in for the second year, I drove 15,500 miles the first year (similar to Lyle) but I had zero problem issues (not similar to Lyle)
I did forget to plug in twice (similar to Lyle) these were off routine times normally associated with a late night and a bit of wine
The Active E will also have a cell phone app that will alert you when not plugged in.
My average range was 95 miles with 70% freeway 30% city. This represents 70-80mph on the freeway (normal) and city driving stop and go.
I had no problems getting 105 miles if needed, I would feather the acceleration, draft if possible, and keep it under 70mph. I do this trip to a relatives home twice a month.
After a year the car has 100% replaced my gas car and works pefectly for my lifestyle.
Can’t wait until the Megacity. BMW has been great to work with.
Thanks Lyle for your reporting and advocacy for electric and partial electric cars.
Cheers
Peder
Mini-E #183.
Jun 14th, 2010 (9:07 pm)From the article I referenced at #13, they were calling for a 950 kg (2,094 lb) 3 cyl hybrid megacity and a similar weight for the BEV megacity.
http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/06/06/rendering-and-new-information-on-bmw-megacity-vehicle/
Jun 14th, 2010 (9:16 pm)A few more thoughts on the Megacity:
This sounds very near the ultimate design to me, the “mother of all electric cars”. With carbon fiber and 160 miles (nominal) out of a reasonably sized battery, the price should be held down within reason and the battery replacement (at year 8 or 10?) affordable.
But, …
Consider that if the battery loses 20% at the 10 year point, you’ve still got a 120 mi + (nominal) BEV. As long as the battery continues to decline at a slow and steady rate (2 to 3% per year) , you could see the car traded and driven for many years to come on the original battery pack, perhaps for the entire life of the car (20 years +).
Jun 14th, 2010 (9:33 pm)#54 CaptJackSparrow
awww man … sounds like pranks are in your blood … at least you are a fun drunk.
emw
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:09 pm)Thanks, very impressive, and the price is not bad either. 2 doors, 4 seater, 4 meters long and 78mpg US. That would be a Prius killer.
The EV version would replace the engine and transaxle with a larger battery, I could see where the weight would be similar.
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:42 pm)The problem with range isn’t the battery chemistry. GM engineering has addressed this problem with active thermal management of the pack. It’s that for a number of reasons cold weather increases all losses. Cold air is denser so your aero losses go up. Tires flatten so frictional losses go up. Every part in the drive train gets sticker so drive train losses go up. Etc. etc.
+1
Jun 14th, 2010 (10:43 pm)The problem with a 20 year old battery is that you will be thoroughly tired of it by then.. newer batteries will be much lighter/smaller/cheaper and the temptation to upgrade will be very strong way before the 20 years are up.
A carbon fiber car will have very few issues with body dents and dings or rust.. it should stay nice looking for a long time.. the motor and electronics should easily last 1 million miles.
It will be interesting to see if BMW can do cheap carbon fiber.
-1
Jun 15th, 2010 (12:17 am)I am glad you are getting a Volt…Cool Nyle…
-1
Jun 15th, 2010 (4:44 am)I wonder if the same is happening in Germany? Can GM send a Chevy Volt to hundreds of Germans to drive ? How much will a Chevrolet Volt cost in Germany after tariffs?
Lyle …. your not telling the whole story here.
I think othewise you have done a very good job with this site.
Yes … it’s very important to tell the whole story.
We’ve lost many American brands in the last few years .. after many years of innovation these long time brands like Pontiac… Oldsmobile… Chrysler.. and now Mercury have succumbed to Unfair Trade and yet nothing is said about UNFAIR TRADE which is the ROOT of the problem.
The fact is .. we will give these foreign companies $7500 of our taxpayer money while they put huge Unfair tariiffs on any electric car we try to send to Germany Japan Korea.
Jun 15th, 2010 (4:50 am)It LYLE not Nyle !!! -100 points and “NO SOUP for YOU !” err I mean NO VOLT for YOU!
Jun 15th, 2010 (5:01 am)Nissan will be going after ol’ Peder! He is the what they are looking for. Feather Acceleration, drafting (like Nascar) and keep it under 70. When Nissan questions buyers for initial eligibility, this is exactly what they would want to hear. LOL
+100 point for being a good BEV driver and you are eligible for the Nissan Leaf purchase!
Jun 15th, 2010 (5:20 am)If you live in an area with a lot of kids or college kids or even drunks that walk by, it will definitely happen. That wil be the biggest problem unless they find a way to stop.
In Wisconsin (30 years ago) my apartment complex at college provide 110v plugs outside for Engine Block/Battery warmer to plug in. You could count on some one walking by and pulling the plug at least once a week. I was lucky that when I got up I could look out and see if it was pulled. Then quick run out, plug in and go take shower and get ready. Heaters only took 45 minutes to warm everything up good to start. Back in the day kids, we did not have cell phones or cars that could call us!!! Oh and now I must confess to my room mate. In February 1983, I unplugged his car, only enough so that it still looked plugged in from a distance. It was -30F that night. He missed a major test for an engineering class and was not allowed a retake. The Professor said a real engineer plans for problems and finds away around it. Sorry SCOTT. (I feel better now)
Jun 15th, 2010 (5:30 am)#46 – CaptJackSparrow said:
I worry about people who plug in their cars in public accessible spaces. Can you image the pranksters that will go around unplugging the vehicles? Should have a way to lock the plug so it can not be removed by just anyone passing by.
Or James Bond, unplugging the bad guys Leaf, after turning on the headlights, A/C and wipers, then escaping in his Volt!
Jun 15th, 2010 (5:53 am)Ampera video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeJeB6AWMvM
=D-Volt
Jun 15th, 2010 (6:32 am)Late for me in getting to read this but thanks to Lyle for sharing his experiences with the E-Mini and also to BMW for letting you write about it on this blog–good or bad. That’s gutsy and my hats off to them for doing that.
Here’s to hoping BMW used what they learned from this to make better EV’s in the years to come.
Jun 15th, 2010 (12:59 pm)Nice report Lyle, I like the fact that BMW was that aggressive in promoting electrification.
But I like the way GM is doing it better by a light year.
Just finished a meeting with the local Chevrolet Dealer Inventory Manager, and, unfortunately, the sales rep had been wrong about being able to special order a Volt. (Not a surprise, however).
But I did get to fill in the Inventory Manager all about the Volt, and, he seemed really pleased with my commitment, energy, and knowledge about it.
He assigned me the first place for when a Volt comes in. (Hopefully, the most basic cost model in light green silver).
The other good news was that the Sales Manager mentioned that Austin might actually become the fourth market for the Volt.
Well, my astroturf-carpeted and air conditioned/paneled garage is ready.
Jun 15th, 2010 (1:27 pm)Now that the thread has cooled off, I have to mention that I didn’t know the Mini-E had emoli batteries. I have a bunch of these for r/c use, but haven’t flown them much yet for various reasons. The good news is that emolis use standard lithium chargers (vs. LiFe/A123 which require different chargers* due to the lower voltage), and work well with lipo speed controls. The bad news is that they can’t put out the high currents which A123s can. Of course no electric car should ever require such a high draw, except for a drag racer. Nice if you can empty a battery in one minute, but it makes for a really short drive!
There was a guy building and selling custom emoli packs, but the emoli people shut him down. They didn’t want their batteries being sold without any protective circuitry, go figure. So since then I’ve purchased Milwaukee lithium power tool batteries to get my emoli cells. There are 2 sizes available, something like 1100 and 2300 mAH. These cells were being made in Canada, but I’ve heard (perhaps incorrectly) that the Chinese had bought them out and moved all the equipment to China.
Just a few items of interest for the battery geeks out there. FWIW the larger cells can do 30 amps continuously easy, 35, well maybe, 40 amps not so much.
* or a fancy charger with a special LiFe/A123 mode in addition to lipo. Some do LiPo/LiFe/NiCD/NiMH/lead-acid, charge/discharge/storage/cycle, and polish your shoes at the same time!
Jun 15th, 2010 (1:42 pm)OK, more details, only for those really interested.
Battery capacities for high-power cells are 1400 and 2900 mAH.
Cells are officially called Molicel, but everyone seems to call them emolis.
Canadian company is e-one moli energy corp., the e-one referring to their Taiwanese owners.
http://www.molicel.com/ca/
Some sweet datasheets there to check out, including performance vs. temperature. Note at the colder temps (-10C=14F, -20C=-4F) how the batteries have a very low voltage until they self-heat and the internal resistance goes down. Might want to make sure the battery warms up a bit before going out onto the open highway!
Yes this is on-topic, if the Mini-E uses these cells. Safe to assume that GM has tested these as well.
Jun 15th, 2010 (4:49 pm)Where I think the Volt will shine in CS-mode mileage is “slow-and-go” urban freeway driving, 20 to 50 mph and back again, ad nauseam. That’s where a lot of people spend most of their driving time. Between regen and the ICE cycling off and on as needed, it will be very efficient in that mode.
The worst kind of driving for the Volt in CS mode, relative to other cars, will be hammer-down 75+ cruising.
I’m hopeful the Volt’s CS mileage will nonetheless hold its own in the fast lane, and kick — well, what the President said — at congested-freeway and two-lane speeds.
Jun 15th, 2010 (10:44 pm)Congratulations Lyle! We’ve been waiting a very long time to hear that you will be getting one of the first Volts.
Like me, I bet you wondered on more than one occasion if you would ever really own a Volt. The day you get yours is the day I’ll know for sure that mine is coming.
In the end, GM made the right choices. Since those early days in 2007 till now, GM has kept their word and they will reap the rewards along with all of us.
THIS is a great day indeed.