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The British government body that exists to
promote business innovation in technology announced yesterday that a
consortium led by BMW Group will be supported by a proportion of a £25m
fund, enabling the MINI E to be introduced and tested on British roads
by a mixture of private, corporate and public sector drivers before the
end of 2009.
BMW Group’s successful application to
the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board followed an invitation for
proposals outlining innovative, industry-led collaborative research
projects involving ultra-low carbon vehicles. The objective of the
Technology Strategy Board is to encourage manufacturers to develop
ultra-low carbon vehicles that customers want to buy and bring them to
market as rapidly as possible.
 MINI E models will be on UK
roads for a twelve-month field trial that will evaluate the technical
and social aspects of living with an all-electric vehicle in a real
world environment. This year-long project will play an important part
in informing future strategic and technological decisions.
BMW Group is bringing together an
energy infrastructure provider and an academic partner, with the support
of a regional development agency and local authorities, to make the MINI
E research project a reality in the UK.
MINI E technology highlights
The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Nm, and
power is delivered to the front wheels via a single-stage helical
gearbox. This unique engine and transmission arrangement powers the
MINI E seamlessly to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds and on to an
electronically-limited top speed of 95 mph.
Based on the current MINI Hatch, the
car is available as a two-seater. With 204 hp at the driver’s disposal,
performance is close to that of the MINI John Cooper Works.
The space normally inhabited by rear
passengers is reserved for a lithium-ion battery. The heavy-duty
battery delivers its power to an electric motor which is mounted
transversely under the MINI E’s bonnet. This power unit is able to
unleash its full thrust from a dead standstill and is complemented by
its dynamic deceleration potential, which is directly coupled to the
accelerator pedal.
The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be
plugged into all standard power outlets. Its charge time is strongly
dependent on the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through
the grid. As with existing research projects in the USA and Berlin,
users will be able to recharge a battery that has been completely
drained within a very short period of time using a wallbox that will be
supplied as standard with every MINI E. With 240V/32A, charging time for
the car will be around four hours. There is also an intention to
establish a network of public charging stations.
The wallbox will be installed in the
customer’s garage, enable higher amperage and thus ensure extremely
short charging times. Wallboxes fully recharge batteries in just
four-and-a-half hours. Only lockable garages or similar buildings will
qualify as suitable power stations for the MINI E.
Besides the benefit of zero-emissions
driving, the MINI E offers significant economic advantages over a
vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine. Fully
re-charging the battery using off-peak electricity at current prices
will cost around £1.50. Using higher-rate daytime electricity, the cost
will still be less than £4.00.
The MINI E’s 1,465 kilograms is evenly
distributed across the car. Modifications to the suspension system and
the car’s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), adapted to the car’s specific
wheel loads, ensure safe and dynamic handling typical of MINI.
Production of all cars for the UK trial
is underway at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites. MINI’s Plant
Oxford will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle on the
standard production line, with the exception of the drive components and
the lithium-ion battery. The vehicles will then be transferred to a
specially equipped manufacturing facility situated on BMW plant premises
in Munich where the electric motor, battery units, performance
electronics and transmission will be integrated.
A launch date and pricing details for
UK customers interested in participating in the MINI E UK research
project will be announced shortly. |
