Electric MINI revealed -- The Mini E - Page 4

TEG · 10-28-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDB

You missed my point...

Oh, sorry. With most EVs they will let you drain the pack to near "0", but with increasing warnings that you are doing bad things to the pack.
For instance, my RangerEV has various warning lights that go on in sequence then start flashing, and it starts to restrict top speed and acceleration. As you get down to "rock bottom", it only lets you drive 25MPH max speed. It basically converts to a city-EV telling you "limp to a charger now or else".

The damage from "full drain" varies between battery types. For instance, old lead-acid is really damaged if you do that. Li-Ions can take it better, but apparently it prematurely ages them somewhat. Apparently the NiMHs I have like a good "full cycle" now and then.

Some of these concerns revolve around unbalanced cells in a pack. For instance, even if you could drain any individual cell to say 1% of total charge, if you drain the whole pack to 5% total charge it may mean some cells are left at 10% and some at 0%, where 0% could be a real problem.

DDB · 10-30-2008, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEG

Oh, sorry. With most EVs they will let you drain the pack to near "0", but with increasing warnings that you are doing bad things to the pack.
For instance, my RangerEV has various warning lights that go on in sequence then start flashing, and it starts to restrict top speed and acceleration. As you get down to "rock bottom", it only lets you drive 25MPH max speed. It basically converts to a city-EV telling you "limp to a charger now or else".

The damage from "full drain" varies between battery types. For instance, old lead-acid is really damaged if you do that. Li-Ions can take it better, but apparently it prematurely ages them somewhat. Apparently the NiMHs I have like a good "full cycle" now and then.

Some of these concerns revolve around unbalanced cells in a pack. For instance, even if you could drain any individual cell to say 1% of total charge, if you drain the whole pack to 5% total charge it may mean some cells are left at 10% and some at 0%, where 0% could be a real problem.

Here is a decent discussion of how the Volt is supposed to hold charges from beginning of life to EOL. Interesting that you start and end with 40 miles EV range with no drop in performance after (I want to say 150,000 miles). That's impressive.

GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site Blog Archive The Chevy Volt’s All Electric Range (AER) Will be 40 Miles Both at Beginning and End of Life

no96 · 11-20-2008, 02:14 AM

MINIUSA.com

DDB · 11-20-2008, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by no96

MINIUSA.com

There's only 500 of them for lease. It makes no sense to spread them all over the US. That would cost a fortune to keep tabs on the data as well as service.

Joseph · 11-20-2008, 01:38 PM

That's true, but you're missing a key reason. California (and I think NY also to some extent) still has remnants of the ZEV mandate. These 500 some cars will help keep BMW on the safe side in case they're ever actually enforced.

Of course, BMW isn't doing this purely for the selfish reason to fulfill the ZEV mandate. Like all the other carmakers, they probably want to see for themselves how practical EVs are.

shark2k · 11-21-2008, 01:25 PM

Don't forget NJ residents are also able to lease the Mini E. Just in case anyone is wondering it's $850/month plus title, registration and license fees which are do up front. And of course there is tax. MiniUSA.com was updated and the application is now available so if you want to find out any information. As cool as it would be to get to drive this, I don't think it's worth $10,200 after a year considering you won't have the option at all to purchase the car, but that is just me. Also, for anybody that might have more than one person in a household that would want to try this, they are only accepting 1 application per household and it's the first application that is going to be considered. The site also said it can take a few months for the Mini E to be delivered and that the preferred Mini Dealer you choose might not get the car and you would have to go to a different dealer.

If anyone does get this, let us know how it is.

-Shark2k

vfx · 11-21-2008, 03:42 PM

I was highly intersted as well and plan to see it here at the LA Auto show this week but for the same reasons Shark2k listed I will also be passing on a year's $12K* rental.

I do have a friend who has a friend getting one. I will report whatever I can.

*All that extra electrical work I need is added.

JRP3 · 11-24-2008, 04:10 PM

Press release from AC propulsion:
Press Releases - AC Propulsion

Quote:

The MINI E uses a specially-developed version of AC Propulsion’s proprietary tzero™ technology to provide high performance, high efficiency, and fast charging. AC Propulsion’s air-cooled copper-rotor induction motor produces maximum torque from zero to 5,000 rpm and spins all the way up to 13,000 rpm. The IGBT inverter drives the motor to produce peak power of 150 kW.

vfx · 11-24-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Our Li Ion modules are developed specifically for electric vehicles, not hybrids,” Gage observed, “so they are lighter and less costly than hybrid batteries for the same amount of energy.

oooo, Hybrid *snap*!

'Bout time someone launched a battery salvo bringing out into the open that Hybrid batteries are muc harder to develop.

The V2G stuff is pretty cool too. These guys are smart -a mini leap (as it were) in the EV timeline.

stopcrazypp · 11-24-2008, 09:32 PM

Autobloggreen recently did a drive in the MINI E.
Things that stood out were just that the regen braking is alot stronger than normal and that the car didn't simulate automatic transmission creep. Also they noted with the AC on the battery drained rather quickly.

There's also a video included.

ABG Quick Drive: Battery-powered MINI-E w/VIDEO - AutoblogGreen