Electric MINI Spy Photos
Whoa, what’s this? Looks like MINI is testing their own battery-powered MINI out in Munich.
>It’s understood that BMW boss Norbert Reithofer will unveil the battery Mini at the 2008 Los Angeles motor show in November – the perfect location for the car’s public debut.
Hybrid technologies has been building an electric MINI for quite some time. Pricing for that car starts just north of US$50,000. Let’s hope BMW and MINI can bring this one to driveways for quite a bit less. This also jives with our production update posted in July.
[ Mini goes electric! Spy photos of battery-powered Mini ]
Also worth noting are the blacked out headlights first seen on the One Millionth MINI. We’ve heard several rumors that these may be showing up later in the life-cycle of the current generation and this could be the first evidence of this. Could this be one of the many small exterior changes we’ll see in the mid-cycle refresh next year?
Very cool, yet another contender for my next vehicle depending on the cost. Would love for this to fall in the low 30’s.
DB are you going to the LA Autoshow? If so you should make sure to write an article on what you see with this car.
They need to drop weight for this – hand crank windows anybody?
No exhaust pipes; that’s just strange! Pretty cool car, though.
Fuh-Fuh-Fifty Thousand?
That’s a LOT of gas.
I’ll let the eco-posers buy this one, and stick with my dino-burner.
Maybe I missed something, but when would an all-electric MINI go into production?
I could definitely make use of one of these by Fall ’09.
Give it a 350 mile range and a $30K price tag and I’ll be interested.
>DB are you going to the LA Autoshow? If so you should make sure to write an article on what you see with this car.
Right now I am planning on going. Especially now that I have a real reason to go.
i don’t think this is the all electric mini.
if it were all electric, wouldn’t it have hub motors & not normal brakes?
those could be regen brakes, which is why it says ‘hybrid’ & not ‘EV’?
looks like the tesla uses shaft motors & has regen brakes.
seems like hub motors would be a more efficient means of braking, but i guess the added unsprung weight & ‘brake-by-wire’ feel trump efficiency. then again, i’m not an EV engineer.
MINI One E?
They found a way to eliminate tail pipe burns!A $50k joke on the oh so caring “green” wannabes. Is this even an “S”? SUCKERS!
How much tax deduction for this WALL E? $10,000?
hmmmm is it a bad sign that it already has the tow hook in place? lol
People in S.F. and L.A. , keep your eyes pealed.
You will see one soon near apple HQ.
MINI had to create 3 pure electric Coopers for the remake of “The Italian Job” subway scene (don’t want carbon monoxide being spewed in a closed type of environment), which was unprecedented at the time. Overall I think this is a step in the right direction that should be further explored.
Just a shame this one isn’t sporting the Interchange Yellow Mirror Caps!
Yeesh… Rocketboy, greg — reread the article.
All this enviro stuff when the planets mean tempreture hasnt went up since 1999. This year the ice self has grown 7%. Al Gore is making a fortune off carbon capture technoligy.Good luck Mini with the car.
illegalhunter said
<blockquote>All this enviro stuff when the planets mean tempreture hasnt went up since 1999. </blockquote>
If you have some references for this I’d love to see them.
I’ll pass Nate. I see too much of this tripe to re-sicken myself. BTW folks, it was a nice cool summer here in Cleveland.
<blockquote> This year the ice self has grown 7%.</blockquote>
No, you got that mixed up. You must be talkin’ about the ice in my freezer.
for sea ice look here:
<a href="http://nsidc.org/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://nsidc.org/</a>
Guys this car is not directly made to impact the environment as much as it is to product the needed numbers of 0 emission vehicles in California for BMW/Mini.
Think talking about whether or not the environment is changing or not is best left to not automotive sites 😉
I think that MINI is leaving it’s heritage with this car. MINI nor Mini ever made an electric car! This will ruin the brand! Why are they catering to a select demographic? Who can afford 50k for an electric car? It probably won’t even be practical having a short range. What about all the coal that is burned to create the electricity to charge this. I am sure <em>that</em> is more efficient than an SUV. The carbon foot print is going to be huge! What about the batteries? What sort of environmental impact does the creation of them have?
Horrid just Horrid!
Nice try O(=^=)O Capn 😉
Question for O(=^=)O Capn, illegalhunter, Rocketboy, and greg:
I’m not attacking you, but I am really curious about where these opinions come from. You obviously have some sense – you bought a MINI not a Hummer, so at least the ride quality, price point, and fuel economy probably factored into a rational decission. However, the scientific facts are so overwhelmingly against your point of view that denying global warming at this point seems utterly absurd to me. Where do you get your information from? How is the protection of the environment (which is really about protecting humans) such a personal threat to you? I’m sorry if this sounds condescending. It is not intended to be, but I am really curious how you reached these opinions. Please cite some sources.
Nathan…
<blockquote>Hybrid technologies has been building an electric MINI for quite some time. Pricing for that car starts just north of US$50,000. </blockquote>
Nope, still says 50k for a electric MINI from Hybrid technologies.
Franz…. Well, if fuel ecnonomy was a factor, I would not have bought a MCS. And also, that’s a conclusion that you came up with by me calling someone an eco-poser who would pay 50k for an electric car. I don’t deny that there’s a good chance that the earth is ‘warming’. On the same token, there is also big issues with the data that people do not like to look at. There’s damn good evidence that global temperatures are tied in with cloud cover, which in turn is tied in with solar raidation which is tied in with sunspots. But that doesn’t get funding now does it? You’re the one who is percieving me as feeling personally threatened by it.
I’m a “70s” guy. Back then everyone was freaking out about “global cooling” and an impending ice age. Why do people jump on these “chicken little” bandwagons? Heating or cooling it’s natural and always been here. Mankind cannot affect geo temps. Let’s worry about something “real” like someone who wants to raise taxes. Now that’s something to be scared of.
so, what are your qualifications to make the claim that “Mankind cannot affect geo temps?”
JonPD – you are correct – these are only being made to satisfy the 0 emmissions rule in CA. Some will be given to “Celebrities” for use like the BMW hydrogen vehicles.
I don’t think this is a serious attempt by MINI to go electric. As someone else said – A USA company is already making an electric version.
Do the millions of people of China and India give a hoot about the so called global warming?
My qualifications? I’m not a G**d***** idiot. Common sense along with the ability to read countless testimonies refuting this tripe for thirty plus years given by qualified sources who are not looking to earn a buck, an oscar, or scare their way into office.
ah, I see. You’re a scientist and a jerk.
The case for and against Global warming has facts behind it. Spend anytime in hot scientific questions and you will find a multitude of data points that people cherry pick to make their point.
Think any of use can realize that pollution from cars is a problem, and pretty sure everybody out there will agree that mankind has impacted the environment in more than a few ways. Mini has said on several times that these 1000 electric vehicles are destined for California. From what I have read before they are likely to be lease vehicles only.
Greg,
I wasn’t saying that you were necessarily very concerned about fuel economy, but was complimenting you on your choice of a MINI as an indication that there has to be reason behind your decisions. I tried hard to not be insulting to you despite my contempt for your point of view. I am a scientist and I want to see your “countless testimonies refuting this tripe for thirty plus years given by qualified sources”. Please give me a few credible sources. The searches that I’ve made into the global warming skeptics have always led to oil industry funded research. I’m sure that you’d agree that is hardly someone not trying to make a buck.
Please give me some citations of your sources of this information. It seems to fly in the face of all the credible scientific literature. I’d like to read your sources for balance of scientific opinions.
Scientific Consensus on Climate Change
<a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1686</a>
Mike. I can imagine you as the average p***y who blames everyone but youself for your pathetic life. You shame this site by your whining. I love my Mini but the unfortunate downside is having to rub elbows with too many liberals.
Your argument is so compelling.
Ok you guys are going to have to take this offline. This comment section is now closed.