MINI E Application Process is Now Open

I feel your pain there Josh

Still an interesting website to look over. Lets just hope once this gets a general release (crosses fingers) that the increased volume will offset the cost somewhat. If this were to be released I would power most the time with home generated power thus reducing the car off the grid.

$850 per month is…a lot. This lease makes no economic sense of course, but I’m sure there will be those who want to lease a fashion accessory.

Can you live in NJ and be part of the program? I don’t know anyone in NYC who would plunk down $850 for a car. Have they seen the job loses on Wall St?

I think the main problem with that price point is that the people really looking to test the car and would be into “process” will be left out in the cold. With the car going, as someone else said, to ones that see it as a novelty factor. Although 500 cars between NY/NJ/LA is not a big deal to find well-off clients for.

Clearly MINI wants this car to be driven by the “privieleged” few. $850 per month buys a lot of gas for a regular MINI to begin with. Plunking $10,200 a year for the honor of driving an all electric MINI (That you will never be able to own out right ala GM EV-1) is indeed a high price to pay to be a “guinea pig” for MINI.

I commend MINI for taking the initiative of offering a non-fossil fuel alternative in the market. But I do find their market focus and “test bed” requirements a bit on the elitist side of the equation. So you have to have a healthy income, a house, a garage and a place where to plug the car for overnight recharges.

I see the MINI E marketed towards “Green” Hollywood types and hand picked individuals which the New Jersey marketeers will consider to be sufficiently dignified to drive the latest marvel from Oxford and Munich.

Too bad that this test will not really let us know how this car will serve the needs to the average Joe by easing some of the silly requirements, lowering the monthly admission price and expanding the testing to other hot MINI markets like Florida.

I could probably afford the lease payment of the car, but living in Florida and in a condo automatically disqualifies me from ever getting my hands on one of these babies.

Another botched production brought to you by the bean counter and marketing departments at MINIUSA.

I guess that this would make sense for people who put some 6500 miles / month on the car.

This is crazy! I bet that more people will lease this for the status symbol and less to people who truly want an electric street legal go-cart.

Not surprising, at this point only the well to do can afford to think about the being “green,” and until more of the average folks have a chance we will never make any headway as a nation.

sounds great, but too much.

& where are nyc folks pluging into?

arranging to pay their garage co. extra fees?

The lease may get a fair amount of interest from businesses; not necessarily for practicality but the vehicle is good for image and marketing.

It will be certain kind of client. Case in point.

This is the second time Mini has priced me out. The first was when I realized I was leaving off options I wanted on my JCW Factory dream car so that I could pay a dealer to install other options that should have been installed at the factory and still meet my price point. I really wanted to help with the Mini E. I would have thought I was the kind of test pilot they wanted. I meet the criteria and was willing to put up with the “hiccups”. I am motivated and was even willing to pay some token charge for the privilege of doing Mini’s R&D for them. Now, I am not even motivated enough to go see the Mini E at the LA Auto Show. When I see a Mini E on the street I won’t be thinking “Now there’s a lucky person!”

I think its very likely once the leases are done they will retrieve the 500 as this is a test about the viability. If the test is successful Mini-E could be on the fast track, however I expect a lot of teething problems with the 500 and am assuming Mini is using this as a learning opportunity. I would not be surprised if the 500 are taken back at the end of the year and looked at under a microscope to figure out what their cumulative status is, and likely a few to go to museums. Just hoping that they find this is a viable option.