Spied: MINI with All Wheel Drive Hybrid System
Autoblog is sharing some spy shots of what at first glance appears to simply be a regular R56 driving around on the snow in Sweden. Looking closer, there’s a tell-tale sign that this is indeed a hybrid electric MINI prototype. It’s literally a yellow sign on the window that reads “HYBRID”. Autoblog is also reporting that the system being tested is actually an AWD system where the front wheels are driven normally using stock drivetrain and electric motors drive the rear wheels for power assist. This approach is not dissimilar to the BMW Efficient Dynamics hybrid system seen in the photo above. If this is the case, it holds some key engineering advantages.
Firstly, it allows the system to complement any existing power plant in the MINI range without modifying the engines. The hybrid system would in essence just be a retrofit. Beyond that, added traction possibilities from AWD are intriguing, as it could mean an electric version of All4 for the smaller cars in the MINI lineup. Lastly, with the main wheels driving the car through conventional power train, the rear wheel motors should be able to easily feature regenerative braking or even use in-motion charging to top off the car’s batteries. No word yet on specs or plug-in functionality, but seeing this system on the hatch (rather than just the Countryman) is certainly interesting. Chances are we won’t see this system until the 2013 hatch refresh. Then again, that’s not really that far away. Have a look at the whole set of underwhelming photos over at Autoblog.
<p>this would be very nice to have….i hope they work out the visuals on the rear end…slightly ugly..but im sure that is just the test phase…would love to awd in the snow…and just to corner with it in the hatch…sounds like some fun times there!</p>
<p>I have long wondered why this type of arrangement isn’t on the market. In my opinion fuel efficiency improvements would only be the icing on a very sweet cake. An all-wheel drive Mini would be spectacular for those of us in the Snow Belt; especially in mountainous areas were snow can fall year round making the use of summer tires a gamble. All seasons (while not as fun) on an AWD eliminate the need for seasonal tires and take away some of the heartache of summer snow storms.</p>
<p>Superb concept! AWD and diesel-electric hybrid power. Bring on more great news … and please make sure it is available in the U.S.</p>
<blockquote>please make sure it is available in the U.S.</blockquote>
<p>Safe money is that this system is being developed specifically <em>for</em> the US market.</p>
<p>SA-WEET!!!!!</p>
<p>It is naive to think that BMW / MINI is the only manufacturer developing hybrid / electric cars. In fact many have them for sale already.
The difference is that BMW/MINI are PREMIUM priced variants.</p>
<p>It looks like the Getrag 6 speed mashed into the Bosch Electric liquid cooled motor.</p>
<p>The suspension looks heavy duty. Double front control arms.</p>
<p>Low speeds – electric</p>
<p>High speeds – gas</p>
<p>Note the rear subframe mounts are easy to get at, no more special tool hopefully.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, the photo above is from an Efficient Dynamics BMW X6, not the MINI prototype.</p>
<p>The false economy of hybrids will become more apparent in the near future. These cars will require inevitable and expensive repairs including replacement batteries. This will send hybrids to the salvage yard much sooner than their conventional cousins….you wont be able to give away a used 10yr old hybrid! Where a properly maintained gas engine will go forever, batteries are guaranteed replacements..Mark my words, these cars will end up being replaced at a much higher rate than cars on the road today leading to more waste than ever.</p>
<blockquote>The false economy of hybrids will become more apparent in the near future. </blockquote>
<p>Isn’t it already completely obvious?</p>
<p>At first glance, I had hoped this was an actual AWD MINI; upon closer inspection, it (technically) isn’t. Please, for the love of all that is holy, bring a MINI Cooper S AWD into production. I would kill for that!</p>
<p>Now THIS would make me consider buying a MINI again!
Especially if had a good RWD bias.</p>
<p>Two things:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I assume this would add to the overall weight and maybe balance the front to rear distribution a bit better.</p></li>
<li><p>It would take up cargo space in a car where cargo space is already minimal.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>In other words, there is a price to be paid…</p>
<p>This is like the RX 400h system. Electric Assist in the rear. While it’s somewhat appealing for a very few reasons (biggest of which is real wheel assist when you accelerate and the weight shifts backwards), it’s far from a sporting AWD system. But to call it a “bolt on” is really a stretch! Gotta find room for all the stuff that goes with the electric motor, and gotta co-ordinate the torque delivery for/aft.</p>
<p>Anything with an electric motor better have regenerative braking, otherwise you’re leaving tons of efficiency on the table when all the parts are already there.</p>
<p>I love the doomsayers on hybrids! The Prius has been on sale in Japan since 1997, and in the US since 2000. Most people don’t own cars that long (while the average light vehicle lasts 15 years, half last longer, half last less), with the car being sold 3-5 times over a typical lifetime. Anyway, Priuses have been on the road a long time, and battery replacement isn’t the arm and a leg that many feared.</p>
<p>But I wish that BMW would just do a compact serial hybrid for the MINI, like AVL made as a demonstrator for thier technology. Now that would be cool!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.automotivedesign.eu.com/article/26483/AVL-develops-rotary-based-hybrid.aspx" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.automotivedesign.eu.com/article/26483/AVL-develops-rotary-based-hybrid.aspx</a></p>
<p>Matt</p>
<p>Please quell insanely wracked brain. What is the car pictured above? There is no way that is an X6 with the plates mounted so low (close in this case I guess) and with only one exhaust exit.</p>
<p>From toyota about Prius batteries:</p>
<p>It is a fact that some of our first-generation Priuses are still going strong with more than 200,000 miles on their original batteries. A couple of cars doing taxi service in Victoria, B.C., reportedly have seen 300,000 miles and in one case, 400,000 miles on the original batteries with what’s described as “very few maintenance issues.”</p>
<p>Sounds good until you realize that probably most of the boot space will be taken up with batteries and other components. Not to mention the additional 300 to 500 extra pounds of weight messing with the handling.</p>
<p>Some of the long term issues with hybrids is the ecological damage of manufacturing and disposal of the batteries.</p>
<p>So it appears this is how they plan to get around the 15% ethanol issue?!?</p>
<p>I personally like the concept of diesel electric.</p>
<p>I was guessing this was the MINI photo. With the angle and the size of the pic, it looks like a PT. After I saw the MINI Beachcomber , i thought things were going to get beefed up.</p>
<p>Yea the photo was a little misleading.</p>
<p>Hybrid / AWD would be fantastic! Pretty please!</p>
<p>I agree with the “false economy” assertion. My interest is purely in a gas or diesel driven frontend and an electric rear. I am surprised the rear isn’t motors in the hubs rather than a single motor in the center. It seems to me that the space taken by the electric motor will cut into the interior volume far more than a drive axel would. At this point they may as well just mechanically link the front and rear and drop the hybrid for gas millage nonsense, I just want AWD; of course the Paceman might be an AWD R56, kinda sorta.</p>
<p>The current MINI AWD system is one of those mostly FWD, occationally AWD systems that is commonly used on non-sporting softroaders. If you want performance AWD systems, you currently have to go to other brands.</p>
<p>I’m really bummed that they’d never commercialized the AWD concepts that Getrag made oh so long ago. That WOULD have been a sporting AWD system. I wonder what ever happened to those two demostration cars?</p>
<p>Matt</p>
<blockquote>All seasons (while not as fun) on an AWD eliminate the need for seasonal tires and take away some of the heartache of summer snow storms.
</blockquote>
<p>Not true. NOTHING replaces seasonally appropriate tires, especially snow tires. If you feel you need all-wheel or four-wheel drive for winter, you should have upgraded to snow tires first. All-wheel drive is great for acceleration on low traction surfaces but does nothing for your stopping ability. It commonly leads to over-confidence and driving at speeds that are unsafe.</p>
<p>All-wheel drive should be in addition to snow tires not a replacement for them.</p>
<p>Yikes, I seem to have hit a tire nerve, and here I was worried that I might have been offensive to some with my cavalier comment about gas millage.</p>
<p>Otter,</p>
<p>I’m sorry if I came off a bit harsh. I’m a bit sensitive to people thinking that all-wheel drive is some kind of magic bullet. I sold Subarus for nearly four years and I’ve had people asking me for the past 6 years whether or not MINI had an all-wheel drive option. I live in Connecticut and every snow storm this past winter I’ve seen 4x4s and AWDs spun out on the side of the road. The only car I’ve ever spun was my Subaru. I’ve owned 3 SAABs, 2 RWD BMWs, a Subaru Legacy Sedan, and a 2006 MINI Cooper S. I’ve driven them all in the winter weather here.</p>
<p>No worries Craig. I was off the grid for the past week so posting this is a bit pointless but; my reason for wanting AWD is getting up hills especially after a summer snow storm. I have lived all my life in the Rocky Mountains and had to leave my car at the bottom of the hill more than once even in July.</p>