Mini: Small, Cute, and Electric
BMW Group will showcase a lithium ion battery-powered version of the
Mini at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show
In a further sign that full-electric drive vehicles are headed for the
mainstream, BMW BMW Group will showcase a lithium-ion battery powered
version of the MINI at next month's Los Angeles Auto Show Detroit-Auto-
Show-2008 ahead of a pilot project that will see 500 of the cars
evaluated on US roads in 2009. Based on the current MINI Hatch, the
MINI E will initially appear in two-seater form with rear seats
dropped to make way for the battery pack. Rather than an in-hub motor
arrangement, an electric motor mounted under the bonnet drives the
front wheels through a single-stage helical gearbox derived from the
Cooper S, and being all-electric, the full power is delivered from a
standing start delivering quite adequate acceleration of 0-62 mph in
8.5 seconds with a top speed electronically-limited to 95 mph.
To conserve energy and help achieve greater range (which is specified
at an impressive 150 miles), the MINI E uses a regenerative braking
system is directly linked to the accelerator. Release the pedal and
the electric motor acts as a generator, feeding the kinetic energy
back into the system. Getting used to such a system takes a little
time as we learned during our road-test of similar technology found in
the Vectrix electric scooter, but once you've become accustomed to
staying off the brakes it's remarkably easy to utilize it in the
majority of driving situations. In the case of the MINI E, BMW
estimate that if you can use it in city traffic for around 75 per cent
of all deceleration the car's range can be extended by up to 20
percent.
If you do need to hit the anchors, the car's brake system also comes
with a newly developed electric pump and the Electrical Power Assisted
Steering (EPS) is the same as the one used in mass-produced MINIs.
The lithium-ion storage unit itself is made up of 5,088 cells grouped
into 48 modules and packaged into three battery elements. It has a
maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) and transmits energy to
the electric motor as direct current at a nominal 380 volts.
Recharging is via a standard power outlet but a high amperage wallbox
will be supplied as standard that will speed up the full recharging
time to just two-and-a-half hours. The wallbox is designed to be
installed in the customer's garage, though only lockable garages or
similar buildings will qualify. A full recharge draws a maximum of 28
kilowatt hours of electricity from the grid which translates to one
kilowatt hour per 5.4 miles and information on how much charge is left
in the system is relayed to the driver via a battery level indicator
behind the wheel.
Design-wise, the MINI E still looks like a MINI. All of the car's made
for the pilot project will share the same dark silver paintwork on the
panels and a silver roof incorporating a large yellow power plug logo.
The same logo is also emblazoned on the the front and back of the car,
the charger port lid (a handy reminder in-case you try to put petrol
in), the door-jam and the dashboard trim.
The 500 MINI E's slated for the US trial will be produced at the
company's Oxford and Munich sites before being shipped to California,
New York and New Jersey for testing by private and corporate customers
on a one-year lease. The cars will then be returned to BMW for
comparative tests. Because special tools and qualifications are
required for servicing the vehicles, MINI will also set up a dedicated
service base for customers in each of the states.
So the options appear to be steadily mounting for those looking into
the ZEV market, lets just hope that renewable energy fla-bank-meeting-
to-focus-on-biofuels Apr-3-2008 infrastructure can keep pace so that
we can enjoy truly zero-emissions motoring—with no emissions at the
tailpipe or the power plant—sometime in the not too distant future.
MINI E specifications
Number of doors/seats: 3/2
Length/width/height: 146.2/66.3/55.4 inches (3,714/1,683/1,407mm)—
unloaded
Wheelbase: 2,467mm (97.1 inches)
Track front/rear: 1,453/1,461mm (57.2/57.5 inches)
Turning circle: 10.7m (35.1 feet)
Kerb weight: 1,465kg (3,230lbs)
Payload: 195kg (430lbs)
Gross vehicle weight rating: 1,660kg (3,656lbs)
Cargo space (DIN): 60 liters
Engine: Electric motor
Output: 150/204 kW/hp
Torque (from idle): 220Nm
Max. rpm (cut off): 12,500 min-1
Battery capacity: 35kWh, approx. 28kWh of which useable
Battery weight: 260kg (573lbs)
Battery charge time: 23.6 hours at 110 V/12 A(1.3 kW) / 4.4 hours at
240 V/32 A (7.0 kW) / 2.9 hours at 240 V/48 A(10.6 kW)
Battery cooling: Air cooling via temperature-, load- and speed-
sensitive fans
Peak current: Short bursts of up to 900A
Front wheel suspension: Single-joint MacPherson spring strut axle with
anti-dive control
Rear wheel suspension: Longitudinal link with centrally mounted
control arms, z axis
Front brakes: 294mm Vented disc
Rear brakes: 259mm Disc
Road stability systems: DSC adapted to modified kerb weight and wheel
load (always on), low-friction recuperation control via DSC, ELUP
(electronic under pressure pump) brake boost
Steering: Rack and pinion with electronic power steering (EPS)
Type of transmission: Single-stage helical gearbox
Axle load distribution: 750/715 front/rear in kg
Tyres: All-season Runflat 16"
Performance Ratings
Power-to-weight ratio (DIN): 9.76 kg/kW
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 8.5s
Top speed: 95.0mph
Range (FTP 72): 150miles, 240km
Consumption (FTP 72): 0.19 kWh/mls (0.12 kWh/km)
CO2: nil
Provided by Gizmag.com—ideas, innovation, invention
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/oct2008/bw20081021_417175.htm
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