Electric Mini Cooper

Beginning next month, Mini Coopers will begin being leased to customers as part of the new vehicle’s durability testing.  If you thought the normal gas burning Mini lacked interior space, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Battery Indicator on Mini Gauge

But who REALLY needs a back seat?  In the Mini Electric, that space is devoted to a lithium-ion battery pack that allows the diminutive commuter to go 100 miles on a single charge.  Beyond the development of better and cheaper batteries, other traditional hybrid technologies are at work to extend the driving range including regenerative braking and an in-board feedback system to help the driver maximize their driving habits.  As you can imagine, this system is vitally important since the vehicle does not have a “backup” engine when the batteries are drained.

Engine-less Electric Mini

Even lacking a back seat, for potentially hundreds of thousands of people in urban areas a two-seater with a 100 mile range and zero emissions would satisfy their day-to-day needs easily.