Introduction
Known as the Mini E, the battery-powered hatchback will soon be on the road in three states: California, New York and New Jersey. No Mini Es are being readied for regular sale, and that isn’t likely to happen for a while yet. But if Mini’s plans go as intended, hundreds of them will soon be tooling around urban areas on the east and
Mini hosted the world premiere of its battery-powered model at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November of 2008. By then, interested parties were signing up at the company’s Web site, hoping to be selected for the evaluation project. Participants will be granted a one-year lease, with an extension option. All 500 Mini Es for this project will be built by the end of 2008, according to the company, at both Oxford, England and Munich, Germany.
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Critical Knowledge:
At a time when hybrids are still getting most of the attention in fuel-efficiency conversations and engineering projects, several major automakers have been promoting full-electric cars. General Motors and Toyota, definitely ahead of their time, has been there and done that with the now defunct EV1 and RAV4 EV. Now, nearly a decade later, Mitsubishi says it intends to bring its little i MiEV electric sedan to the U.S. market and Nissan has also been working on an electric car. Thus far, though, BMW’s Mini subsidiary is the only manufacturer that’s taking substantive action in reintroducing battery-powered cars to American customers.
west coasts. Specifically, by the end of 2008, some 500 Mini Es will be available for leasing by regular drivers in and around Los Angeles and New York City. The monthly lease payment of $850 includes all maintenance and insurance, as well as replacement of wearing parts. Technical inspections will be conducted after 3,000 miles of use, and also every six months. Mini executives note that feedback and suggestions from these drivers will help prepare the company for series production of a battery-powered Mini E.
2009 Mini E Electric Car Preview
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