MINI E Application Process is Now Open

Josh Nov 19th, 2008 Link

As much as I would like to be apart of Mini’s testing of the car, I don’t think Minnesota is very close to NY, or LA : (

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JonPD Nov 19th, 2008 Link

I feel your pain there Josh

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rkw Nov 19th, 2008 Link

A MINI with 50/50 weight distribution! Wonder if they’ve taken it on the Ring. However, $850/month is way beyond my budget.

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JonPD Nov 19th, 2008 Link

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.

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Ed. Nov 20th, 2008 Link

Ever since selling my 07 MINI S back to ‘em (numerous unresolved clutch/flywheel issues) I’ve been kicking myself for not getting right back into another one. Well, this might be one interesting way to get back into “the fold.” If I’m lucky, maybe they like Radiohead, too.

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Timothy Nov 20th, 2008 Link

$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.

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Pete Nov 20th, 2008 Link

At $850 a month!? No thanks! I can lease a Porsche 911 for that kind of money!

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Ketan Nov 20th, 2008 Link

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?

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eto Nov 20th, 2008 Link

It is odd that the pricing is so high, especially since this is a “test bed” for future development and information gathering based upon use. It would make sense to make these more accessible to an average consumer instead of someone who will lease one for the novelty. MINI should want people to lease the MINI-e who will actually drive the car!

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Aurel Nov 20th, 2008 Link

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.

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JonPD Nov 20th, 2008 Link

The %850 isn’t actually that horrible, spendy I concur. With this being a test I am sure Mini came up with this number to make this test viable. For a very short run of vehicles and development costs not to mention the costs of learning over the next year how they run I think this is generally ok. I would actually go for one the leases if I were in one of the test areas.

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C4 Nov 20th, 2008 Link

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.

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C4 Nov 20th, 2008 Link

By the way, @ $2.79 per gallon of Shell V-Power gasoline, it is much cheaper to drive my fully paid off 2005 R53 S than to pay $10,200 per year to drive an electric MINI. I am only spending $1,680 per year in gas in my R53 S alone.

$10,200 anually would buy me gas for the next 8-10 years.

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Ted Nov 20th, 2008 Link

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.

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Ted Nov 20th, 2008 Link

Oh, and why not give one of these to each dealer to use for test drives for a year? Talk about getting people in the door!

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hank chinaski Nov 20th, 2008 Link

sounds great, but too much.

& where are nyc folks pluging into?

arranging to pay their garage co. extra fees?

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Aurel Nov 20th, 2008 Link

yes, the building dweller question is the biggest one for me. this car would work best in obviously a dense urban environment where short drives and pollution are currently the norm. but ANY electric car that needs to be plugged in for charging is really not ideal for this kind of environment. the irony of it puzzles me.

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rkw Nov 20th, 2008 Link

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

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Dr Obnxs Nov 20th, 2008 Link

The EV1 lease was about $500 and that was quite a while ago. Everyone needs to chill out… So what that it’s not an “everyperson” price yet. Expecting tech like this to come out lower than established alternatives is just smoking crack. Just be happy that there are people who are willing to do the early adoption at a premium to pave the way for the rest of us folks later….

When the car first came out it was a status symbol/plaything for the rich. All those that had horses said pretty much what all the naysayers are saying now about this launch. How many of you ride horses to work now? Think about it.

Matt

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alpinamike Nov 20th, 2008 Link

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

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JonPD Nov 20th, 2008 Link

I wouldn’t hesitate for this if it were offered here. The cost is high but then again I would love to be part in getting this car to the market.

I am sure they looked at this long and hard to determine were the greatest chance at finding enough population to get 500 leases while making sure it has a small physical footprint to keep the number of engineers dispatched to a minimum.

I think blasting Mini for this development is a tad misguided, a much better move than the R60 in my book.

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jsc Nov 20th, 2008 Link

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!”

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veggivet Nov 21st, 2008 Link

Will these cars be offered for sale after the leasing period is over and BMW/MINI has gleaned all the data from the car’s computer? Or will they be destroyed like the EV-1’s?

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JonPD Nov 22nd, 2008 Link

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.

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Hal Purdy Jan 6th, 2009 Link

Has anyone who applied heard back from MiniUSA, even that their application was received?

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