PluginMINI E

BMW will build 500 copies of its first all-electric vehicle, the Mini
E, as part of a pilot project aimed at private and corporate
customers in California, New York and New Jersey. The Mini E
will be formally unveiled next month at the 2008 Los Angeles
Auto Show. The Mini E features a lithium-ion battery pack and a
201-horsepower electric motor driving the front wheels through a
single-stage helical gearbox. BMW says the motor will produce
peak torque of 162 pound-feet and will enable the car to
accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than 8.5 seconds. Top
speed is electronically limited to 95 mph, and the car can travel
up to 150 miles on a single charge. BMW converted the
standard Mini into a two-seater to accommodate the battery
pack, which can be recharged from any standard power outlet.
BMW also will provide owners with a special "wallbox" charging
unit that will enable the batteries to fully charge in 2.5 hours.

ONLY 500 MINI E's AVAILABLE IN NYC AND LA ONLY! Dr.
Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of
BMW AG: The dream of driving emission-free has already
become reality: Making its world premiere here in L.A.: the MINI
E! Our Project i is working on various concepts for new mobility.
The first baby of this project is the MINI E with electric drive. By
the end of the year we will have 500 MINI E's available to
customers in Los Angeles and New York City. The MINI E is
clearly a car of the premium class. And it is suitable for
everyday driving as well: • Right now, you can drive about 156
miles or 250 kilometers with this car. • The lithium-ion battery
needs only around two hours or a bit more to be fully recharged.
Dr. Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of Management of
BMW AG, Development: The MINI E's 150 kilowatt electric
engine accelerates from 0 to 62 in 8.5 seconds. And the
acceleration does not stop until it reaches 95 mph.
The MINI E has enough range for you to make your daily
commute in any major city in the world. In the evening you just
recharge your MINI E at home.

The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of some 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily
traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power
to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the
battery technology will have a range of more than 240 kilometers, or 150 miles. The MINI E will initially be made available to select private and corporate
customers as part of a pilot project in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The possibility of offering the MINI E in Europe as well is
currently being considered. The MINI E will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20, 2008.
The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Newton meters, delivering seamless acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds.
Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km/h (95 mph). Featuring a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the
brand’s hallmark agility and outstanding handling. By introducing the MINI E, the BMW Group is underscoring the resolve with which it works towards
reducing energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. The BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems
to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic
conditions will make it possible to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. Evaluating these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be
factored into the engineering of mass-produced vehicles. The BMW Group aims to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium term as
part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in big-city conurbations within the scope of “project i” has a similar
thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train. The energy storage unit: cutting-edge lithium-ion technology engineered
specifically for use in the MINI. Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers
in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery. When in use in the zero-emissions MINI, the battery unit combines high output with
ample storage capacity and a small footprint with power ratios that are unrivalled in this field of application so far. The lithium-ion storage unit will have a
maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) and transmit energy to the electric motor as direct current at a nominal 380 volts. The rechargeable battery
is made up of 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules. These modules are packaged into three battery elements that are compactly arranged inside the
MINI E. [Via Bmwgroup.com]