Car Pictures-Auto Show-Spare Parts

It’s clear as soon as you glance in that this is not the purpose-built an electric car; Mini rear seats are occupied by a large, carpet-covered black box containing the battery. If you have any doubts that the battery is the energy-hungry carriers compared with gasoline or diesel, this scene should discard them. Although 260kg worth of lithium ion cells, the range of Mini is claimed to be only 100-120 miles, and 129 miles in the (famous unrealistic) European drive cycle.

BMW has saved 60 liters of boot space but, whatever way you see it, the semi-experimental package was compromised by a serious automobile propulsion systems. The rest will be found under the cap, where you are dealing with large, sealed copper box.

This is AC / DC converter, and sat on the 201bhp electric motor that moves a single gear Cooper S gearbox. Achieved by reversing the polarity switch on the motor. Brake and suspension upgrades separately, the Mini E is otherwise unchanged.

It’s recharged through a socket on the fuel filler door, with a choice of three levels. A 13-amp domestic supply requires 10 hours of charging, a 32-amp needs a source of four and a half hours and dealer-only 50-amp replenishes supplies in three hours. Mini E users receive 32-amp power supply domestic walls, which can be adjusted to the cost of the cheapest rates. Before you enter, you must select the level of charge ampere trip computer menu.

BMW has built approximately 620 Mini Es for the trial, which began in the U.S. late last year. Germany has 50, and 44 will be based in the south-east of England in a collaboration with Southern Electric, who installed the network ‘tower of power’ in the triangle defined by the London, Oxford and Andover.