Our 100% Electric MINI E #140

MINI E #140 is gone :(

2012-01-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

Life has been to busy lately. So much so I've neglected to update this blog much and have concentrated more on Facebook. Speaking of such, please join our ActiveE group by simply searching for ActiveE in the search box at top of any Facebook page after you login. This is the public forum for ActiveE drivers and folks interested in the car.

This past Monday, I drove MINI E #140 to Long Beach MINI and traded it for an ActiveE. The final mileage count was 50,047 gasoline free miles.

The journey continues with the ActiveE, Part 2 of a 3 part process leading to the i3. It should be a fun ride. Please join me on my new ActiveE blog.

Here's a final video with our MINI E.

Just passed 45k miles....ActiveE just around the corner.

2011-09-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

Life has been a blur lately between our little girl starting Kindergarten and work. The MINI E continues to run great and I just passed 45k miles. I can't believe it's already been almost 2 1/2 years with the MINI E. Heck, that's half our daughter's life. I never thought I'd be driving an electric car full time and enjoying it so much. Thanks to BMW, that's now a reality. And the best part, the time saved by not gassing up the car, changing the oil, getting tune ups, driving in the carpool lane etc has been fantastic. The other thing that's fantastic is the upcoming ActiveE. 700 cars will soon be on the road. We look forward to driving one of those 700 cars for two years and then on to the i3. The future is quite exciting!

MINI E rolls along awaiting the ActiveE

2011-08-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

Everything's been great with the MINI E. Other than a quick one day trip in to the dealer for a battery fan replacement, it's been trouble free. Approaching 44k gas free miles.

A few months back Tom Moloughney, Peder Norby and myself participated in a video shoot for BMW. You can see the full pieces by clicking here.
Yesterday BMW released some more footage from this shoot also featuring the three of us. You can view those clips by clicking here.

It's been a blast participating in the MINI E Field Trial. It's given me an entirely new perspective on mobility. I look forward to continuing the journey with the upcoming ActiveE and then on to the BMWi3.

MINI E meets the Olympics in London

2011-07-26T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a video Energy Live News.

Can't believe 2 years have past already....

2011-06-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday May 30th 2009 we picked up #140 at Long Beach MINI in Long Beach, CA. What a fun two years it's been. Almost 40,000 miles later, the folks we've met and the joy we've had from driving gasoline free is hard to put into words.

Tom Moloughney and Peder Norby both posted a wonderful wrap up of their two year experience on the BMW Activate The Future website. Rather than repeat what they've said, I'll hit a few other points.

Our daughter was 3 1/2 when we picked up #140. Her eyes lit up like Christmas morning when Kari and I returned home with the car. I'd been telling her about it for weeks, showing her pictures online and needless to say she was as excited as we were to take delivery.

A little back story on Hailey, she's Daddy's little girl, and we're both very blessed to have her in our life. Each day since she started walking, she would zip to the garage the moment she'd hear the garage door start to open, stand in the doorway waiting for me to back in to the garage and then run over to give me a hug. She was always very good and wouldn't budge from the door way till I had our Ford Freestyle SUV fully parked and then once I turned off the ignition, she'd run to give me a hug. Unfortunately, I would have to hustle her back in to the house as the garage was full of exhaust and the last thing I wanted was for her to be breathing exhaust. Once the MINI E arrived that all changed. No exhaust. Hailey immediately made the connection with no prodding from us and quickly started saying she no longer wanted to ride in "stinky gas cars." Since that first day, Hailey's rode in the MINI E countless times and every time she has a big smile just like her Dad.

I'd heard that the older you get, the faster life goes by and when you have a child, watch out. I quickly discovered this is indeed the case and time becomes more and more precious. What does this have to do with driving the MINI E? Well, in our Ford, every two to three days I'd stop by a gas station. Each stop took me 15 or so minutes between filling up, getting back on the freeway and continuing on my way. With the MINI E, I leave the house every day with a full tank and those 15 minutes are now spent with my family. Not breathing fumes while filling up is an added bonus.

Before the MINI E, I dreaded my daily commute. Now, it brings a smile to my face. The instant torque and quietness provides an exhilarating, put you back in your seat driving experience. The strong regen braking allows you to use just one pedal most of the time. One pedal driving that isn't a golf cart...Wow! (and yes the brake lights pop on when the regen kicks in) No gears mean no hesitation or jerking around...just smooth acceleration until you ease off the pedal. This combined with the thumbs up I receive from other drivers makes driving a joy.

Finally, knowing that I've played a small part in showing other folks that yes, it's possible to drive an electric vehicle on a daily basis for most of your driving and that a whole generation of upcoming drivers will have the option of choosing to drive electric, has made it a privilege to have taken part in the MINI E test program.

MINI E drivers have bonded with their cars :)

2011-06-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

Great article from New York Times.

BMW ActiveE Lease FAQ :)

2011-05-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

As the miles climb, now at 38,200, we look forward to the upcoming ActiveE. Today BMW sent out a FAQ with answers to many questions. Double click each page to enlarge.

ActiveE Pricing announced...woo hoo!

2011-04-18T10:04:00.001-07:00

Check out the full press release from this morning.

Needless to say this is fantastic news!

35,500 miles and in for scheduled service

2011-03-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

Dropped off the MINI at Long Beach MINI in Long Beach, CA this morning. It's in for it's scheduled service. Almost 1000 miles past due I think. Life has been so busy of late, it's been tough to schedule a visit. The MINI E has become such a part of the family sort of speak, we use it for everything possible. Our gas powered Ford Freestyle sits idle in the garage 99% of the time collecting dust.

Quick note about the loaner I got today. It's a 2011 Clubman with the new MINI Connected system. It's completely different than the old style. The car didn't have a manual and yet within a few minutes I figured out how to pair my Palm Pre, set a few radio stations and check that the daytime running laps and 3 click turn signals were on. Great job MINI in making it intuitive. At first it appeared a little overwhelming but I've driven the car only 4 miles back from the dealership and really like the interface....I of course miss the driving experience of the MINI E. :)

Upcoming i3 spied in Scandinavia

2011-03-11T18:23:00.000-08:00

Click here to see spy photos.

Just passed 34,000 miles and ActiveE introduced in Geneva

2011-03-07T11:46:00.000-08:00

As the miles continue to fly by and as gas prices climb, I'm thrilled they're passing by gas free via electricity. Powered by Edison has a nice ring to it. As much as I love driving the MINI E, I'm really looking forward to the arrival of the ActiveE which will have a backseat and trunk...woo hoo!

Speaking of the BMW ActiveE, Richard Steinberg, Manager of Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, introduces the car at the Geneva Motor Show in this short video. Click here to view.

ActiveE lease to be competitive with the Volt lease?

2011-02-24T11:58:00.001-08:00

According to this article on the LA Times blog, the ActiveE lease will be competitive with the current Volt lease. While I'm excited, it'll be great to get some confirmation on this before I jump up and down.

New website up about ActiveE

2011-02-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

Check this out for pictures, videos and more about the ActiveE.

Official ActiveE Press Release is out!

2011-02-11T16:15:00.000-08:00

Click here to read. I've already put in a request for an Android app along with the iPhone app that is mentioned in the the release.

As a reminder, to follow all the latest happenings with the ActiveE be sure to check the forum on a regular basis. Click here to go directly there.

Just released info and photos of the upcoming ActiveE

2011-02-10T13:13:00.000-08:00

Check out this article with some new info on the ActiveE. The "gliding mode" sounds interesting.
Here are some official photos too. I see Heated Seats and Rear Sensors...woo hoo! Two of our favorite things.

Carbon Fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA on schedule

2011-02-09T17:03:00.000-08:00

As someone who grew up in Kettle Falls, WA it's exciting to see something like this being built in Washington state. Click here to read article. For those not familiar with this plant, this is where the carbon fiber body parts used in the upcoming Megacity vehicle will be manufactured.

Jim O'Donnell shares his thoughts on electric, diesel and the upcoming megacity vehicle.

2011-02-09T10:38:00.000-08:00

This is a brief interview from the Wash D.C. Auto Show. Click here to view.

Film #2 is out and BMW shoots down the rumors filling the web!

2011-02-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

My last update mentioned a lease only option for the upcoming Megacity vehicle. (official name coming on 2/21/11). That was addressed by BMW who stated that the vehicle will be available just like every other BMW.

If you haven't checked out this cool film series about mobility from BMW Films, click here. A new film is coming out each Tuesday. The second one is out today. Very thought provoking.

News about upcoming Megacity, Official name coming 2/21/11

2011-02-03T14:59:00.000-08:00

Interesting article if true about upcoming Megacity Vehicle:

First of four films is up!

2011-02-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

The first part in the series "Wherever You Want To Go" has been posted and can be viewed by clicking here.

I had a great time with Tom and Peder discussing the MINI E, the future of mobility and the fun we've all been having driving emission free.

BMW Documentary Series coming soon!

2011-01-20T09:29:00.000-08:00

Had a great time yesterday participating in a BMW Documentary that will soon debut as a four part series. Tom Moloughney, Peder Norby and myself were interviewed atop a parking garage in Hollywood with our cars in the background. Check out this trailer for the series. While we don't appear in the trailer, we'll appear as part of the series.

Tom took this picture of Peder Norby and myself at the shoot.

Check out the new BMW Forum!

2011-01-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

BMW has set up an official forum to discuss the MINI E, ActiveE and upcoming Megacity vehicle. It's open to anyone who'd like to join. Click here to check it out.

Crossed the 30,000 mile mark

2011-01-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

2010 ended with #140 crossing the 30,000 mile mark. Wow, how time has flown in the MINI E. As I've said before in this blog, I can't imagine a day where I go back to a gas powered car as my only vehicle.

In other news, as one who grew up in Washington State, I've enjoyed following the developments happening in Moses Lake, WA. Check out this article about the carbon fiber plant coming soon to Moses Lake.

This is an exciting time for electric vehicles and I'm thrilled to be playing a small part in BMW's move into the Megacity era.

Adam Carolla and Sandy Ganz from CarCast check out the MINI E.

2010-12-18T21:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a video with our friend Josh from AC Propulsion as he brings Adam and Sandy up to speed on the MINI E.

MotorWeek reviews the MINI E

2010-12-16T23:58:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick little video review of the MINI E from the folks at MotorWeek. They don't like the strong regen unlike most MINI E drivers who love it. I'd attribute that to the short time they spent with the car. After a day or two of driving I'd guess they'd change their mind. The strong regen is one of my favorite features of the car. I'll hit 30k in a couple of days.

Saved $323.00 at LAX!

2010-11-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

As many folks know, if you drive your electric vehicle to LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) and park in either P2 or P6 on the arrival level (there are designated charging areas) you can park for up to 30 days at a time for free. The normal charge is $30.00 a day. Since the MINI E is a little light on storage capacity you must pack accordingly. However, we were able to pack what we needed for 10 days in Italy for my wife and I with room to spare. The trip was fantastic and paying $0.00 to park for a little over 10 days was great!

Front tires keep spinning & GE leads the EV charge!

2010-10-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

It seems lately that I just can't stop spinning the front tires. Perhaps the electricity of late has been extra pure, kinda like premium gasoline. :) As the 28,000 mile mark quickly approaches, the car is as fun to drive today as day one. I seem to be getting more thumbs up of late too. Perhaps all the press coverage of the various electric cars in the pipeline are finally getting folks attention.

Speaking of the press, was very happy to see this article about GE, my employer.

Getting vehicles out on the road is a big step in gaining acceptance with the folks who remain skeptical about how the vehicle would fit into their life. I have a feeling that the sales people GE intends to drive these vehicles will find themselves shopping for an electric vehicle of their own sooner than later.

USA Today article that mentions myself and other MINI E drivers :)

2010-10-21T12:20:00.001-07:00

Click here to view article. Nice to see a positive write up on our MINI E experience.

BMW launches Project-I website

2010-09-27T16:39:00.001-07:00

Check out this website for up to date happenings with Project I.

Article about BMW's move towards electric vehicles

2010-09-24T00:14:00.000-07:00

Curious how BMW views the future?

Check out this interesting read.

BMW announces test markets for upcoming ActiveE

2010-09-23T23:16:00.000-07:00

It's great to see some additional markets added to the upcoming trial.

25,000 miles is just around the corner!

2010-09-10T21:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, how the miles have slipped by in the MINI E. On Monday, I'll slide past the 25k mark. I've yet to notice any decrease in range due to the batteries aging and even after all these miles, the feeling I get when I punch it brings a smile to my face every time.

When the MINI E program started there were quite a few negative comments directed at BMW. Folks were saying they were just putting out the MINI E to meet state and government emission standards to help offset the other vehicles in their line-up. For those folks following the automotive news of late, you've seen that BMW is committed to the Megacity (full EV) along with other vehicle types that reduce emissions. I was fortunate enough to see first hand what's around the corner and while I can't discuss in detail due to confidentiality agreements, folks are in for a pleasant surprise. BMW has conducted research on population patterns, where folks are most likely to live in the future, how far they'll be driving, etc and is preparing the company accordingly. One however shouldn't get the impression that the excitement of driving the ultimate driving machine is heading out the window. That's not the case at all. They are simply preparing for the future and will be providing choices that will meet the needs of a variety of drivers. Google BMW Megacity to read the full report.

It was pretty gutsy to put the MINI E out on the road with real world drivers. While other manufacturers have cars in the works or soon to be on the road, BMW was the only one to actually put a large number of vehicles in the hands of folks to drive under real world conditions. This could have been a disaster. Sure there have been some issues (as one would expect with a test vehicle) but they've been dealt with and things that have arose have helped BMW move forward in preparing their next vehicle, the ActiveE and then finally the Megacity which will be available as a 2013 vehicle.

It's wonderful to see so many car manufacturers jumping on board the EV train but for me, I'll be sticking with the BMW brand. I've been given a unique opportunity to drive the MINI E, transition to the Active E and then finally (if I've saved enough pennies..he, he) move into the Megacity. It's an exciting time in the automotive world and I'm thrilled to play a small part in the future.

What's BMW up to with the Megacity, this article provides some info

2010-08-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Check out this article for in depth info on the upcoming Megacity and how BMW is preparing for the future:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=251926

Links for parts 2 and 3 of the article can be accessed via links found at bottom of above article.

Porsche Panamera chased me down!

2010-08-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

So today I was cruising to work on the Hollywood Freeway when I saw a Porsche Panamera up ahead. I decided to try and catch it. Surprisingly I was able to pull along side and then quickly punched it once he noticed me. He immediately took up the chase albeit a short one and whipped out a video camera. Made me feel special in the E. The filming continued as I exited the freeway and he zipped up the hill to Universal Studios.

Heading in for 24,000 mile service on Wednesday.

MINI E #140 generated quite a bit of interest today

2010-07-27T17:54:00.000-07:00

It seems I can go for months without anyone noticing anything special about our MINI E and then all the sudden everyone notices it. Today was one of those days. In a two hour period, I had four conversations about the car with curious folks inquiring about range, availability, speed, etc. All four were very excited to see the car and mentioned that getting away from oil and gasoline was something they felt strongly about. Perhaps all the press of late about the Volt and Leaf is helping bring awareness to electric cars. Later on the freeway I got a couple of thumbs up from other vehicles.

I'm always happy to talk about our experience with the car. It's an exciting time for electric vehicles and we're thrilled to play a small part in the testing and rollout of future BMW vehicles.

Last Thursday we attended the local unveiling of the Fisker Karma at the USC Campus in Irvine, CA. It was hosted by Fisker Automotive of Orange County. The car is even more beautiful in person. While it won't be affordable for the average commuter, it's a head turner and will generate a lot of interest once it's out on the road. A video from the Santa Monica unveiling can be viewed here.

MINI releases MINI E Field Trial Report

2010-07-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Interesting things MINI learned during the 1 year MINI E Field Trial:

http://miniefieldtrial.com/report/MINI_E_results.pdf

Latest Electric Car Will Be a BMW, From the Battery Up

2010-07-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Copy and paste links below into your browser for the latest BMW update on their upcoming electric vehicle:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/business/global/02bmw.html?_r=1&src=busln

Here's another link with more details:

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/07/02/in-depth-bmw-megacity-vehicle-and-project-i/

Battery fan replaced, all is well again!

2010-07-01T16:34:00.001-07:00

The MINI-E is back on the road again. After a quick visit to Doctor Nelson, the battery fan was replaced and things are back to normal. Zipped to Burbank via the carpool lane on the 110.

I was given a X3 loaner for the day and half the MINI-E was visiting the Doctor. Nice ride but at 17 or so miles per gallon, it cost $19.00+ to fill up after 95 miles. Same miles in the MINI-E would have run about $3.25. This was my first time driving an X3 and found it roomy and comfortable. Wouldn't mind having it as a secondary vehicle with the main one being electric of course. :)

Heading back to the Doctor

2010-06-29T20:53:00.000-07:00

Ever since getting the car back, the fans haven't been working. I believe these are the fans that cool the batteries. Up until now, whenever I'd plug the car in to charge, the fans would come on and you could even feel the draft if you put your hand under the rear of the car. They would also come on while driving once the batteries got hot enough.

While the car has been driving fine, I've noticed the battery temp has been running about 20+ degrees higher than normal and my range has dropped. Heat is definitely no friend of lithium batteries.

With the fans not working, the car is completely silent. You get a little bit of road noise from the tires but at low speeds it's silent. No complaints about that.

Dropping car off Wednesday morning.

Back from the Doctor

2010-06-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

#140 is back on the road but the mystery of what caused the sudden power outage remains. Nelson, the Flying Doctor, cleared the error code and car started right up. He'd anticipated finding an error code related to the shutdown but instead saw one that showed the big red shutoff knob in in the trunk had been turned to the off position while the car was being driven. Obviously that didn't happen. I asked if my turning the knob off and on while I was parked in an effort to get the car started could have caused this error code to appear and perhaps override the other code. He said no. The car was returned back to me and they'll continue to investigate on their end. Nelson mentioned he'd seen this happen before but never a second time with the same vehicle. That's a good sign.

On another note, with all the talk of late about noise for electric cars, I found it funny that this morning when I started up the loaner Cooper S to take our little girl to school, she covered her ears and said "That's LOUD". Even youngsters appreciate the sound of silence now and then. :)

#140 has a slight hiccup on the electric highway

2010-06-24T21:10:00.000-07:00

No, that's not a picture of #140 being returned to MINI after a year of happiness.

After 21,030 miles I had my first official breakdown today.

Today if you were traveling I5 North in the Glendale/Burbank CA area between 3:20p and 6:30p you probably saw me on the side of the road. I was only there for 3 hours or so...LOL. The first three tow truck drivers BMW Roadside Assistance dispatched canceled.

The long wait for a tow truck gave me plenty of time to talk to my friend at AC Propulsion, Long Beach MINI and even one of the Flying Doctors who will be fixing the car tomorrow.

Today started out as a great day. My neighbor Tom, who's been interested in purchasing an electric car for his family, had come over and we had a nice visit about the car and he drove it for a little bit around the Long Beach area. Like other folks who've driven #140 he was impressed with the pickup and overall feel of the car.

Later in the afternoon, I was on my way to work and almost made it. About 10 minutes from Burbank, while in the fast lane at approx 70 miles an hour, all was normal until suddenly there was a very soft pop and the state of charge indicator directly above the steering wheel went to the Off position. The car completely lost power. I was able to make it to the shoulder just barely. Tried all the usual things to get the car going again...turning off, turning on, opening and closing hood and even turning the big red knob in the trunk area off and on to no avail. While I was waiting for a tow truck to arrive, my service advisor Jennifer at Long Beach MINI (who always goes beyond the call of duty to help me out) was able to put me in touch with a Flying Doctor (the MINI E service specialists who have been trained to work on the MINI E) who was familiar with the problem I experienced. They'd just come up with a fix and he'll be at Long Beach MINI tomorrow to fix the car and assuming he finds no other surprises should have me back on the road in no time.

On our 30 mile drive back to Long Beach, I was able to have a nice visit with Pedro, the tow truck driver from AAA. He loves his job and had a great attitude. In the past two years he's driven his flatbed over 250,000 miles. I thought I drove a lot of miles. During the MINI E Field Trial, I've met all sorts of great people that I never would have crossed paths with if it hadn't have been for the Field Trial.

As an early adopter, these kinda things are going to happen now and then. I'm having a great time in the MINI E Field Trial and look forward to being back on the road with #140 soon. Currently in a Cooper S....but hopefully not for long. :)

20,000 miles in the MINI E

2010-06-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

Rolled past the 20,000 mile mark this morning on the way to work. It seems like we were just at the dealer taking delivery. Miles climb and time flies when you're driving the MINI E.

I continue to plug in via 110 every day that I'm at work. Fortunately, I have a secure parking space and can leave the cable hanging on a hook. Over a normal 8 hour day with a break for lunch, I'm guessing that I get about 18 to 20 miles worth of charge. My commute is approx 85 miles each day and while I can easily make it home without charging, it's always nice to get some extra charge.

I've yet to notice a decrease in range. Perhaps it's due to my unusual charging patterns. The batteries are always getting a healthy workout. :)

While an electric car might not be for everyone, it's perfect for us and my daily commute. We're fortunate enough to have a larger vehicle for those times we go somewhere as a family. Saving money on gas is great and driving in the carpool lane is a big time saver. Not to mention no "stinky gas" as our little girl likes to say.

Could this be the new Megacity?

2010-05-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

Previous article link was broken, so I've replaced with this updated one.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/05/28/rendering-a-look-at-what-the-bmw-i10-megacity-might-look-like/

MINI E Only the Beginning

2010-05-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

Mini E Only Beginning of BMW EV Strategy

Here are some highlights from the above article:

Mini Es turned in as the lease concludes have not been dispatched to the smasher. “We will refurbish all Mini Es off-lease and put them into service around the world,” Steinberg says.

The Mini E cars have held up well during the recent lease trial. “We have not seen any significant deterioration of range, but there’s been some,” he says. “Some cars have been better than others in terms of charging behavior, but it has to do with driving conditions and climate. All these things have an impact vehicle by vehicle.”

BMW has not yet finalized pricing for the ActiveE when it arrives next year, but Steinberg hopes to undercut the Mini E pricetag. BMW expects again to target the ActiveE in New York and California.

Referring to the Mega City Vehicle,

Derived from a bespoke architecture, the MCV will feature four doors and seating for four occupants. The body-in-white will be produced from carbon fiber manufactured at a new $100 million plant being built in Moses Lake, WA, by SGL Group and BMW.

The location is intended to take advantage of plentiful hydro-electric power because carbon-fiber production requires much energy and generates lots of carbon dioxide.

The raw material will arrive from Japan, and the carbon fiber will be shipped to Landshut, Germany, where the carbon-fiber reinforced plastic parts will be fabricated. Vehicle assembly will be in Leipzig, Germany.

The goal of the MCV program is to keep the same range of about 100 miles but reduce the capacity of the battery from 30 kW to 16 kW in a bid to reduce weight.

Back on the road

2010-05-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

Picked up #140 this past Thursday. Glad to be back in the quiet, smooth ride of the MINI E. The Cooper S was fun for three days but I really started to miss the MINI E.

The windshield didn't have a chip in it after all but was pitted all over the place. Probably from driving on the 710 so much. For those folks not in the Southern California area this freeway is the main one for trucks leaving and going to the ports of Long Beach. Funny thing is that the car was so dirty from all my driving I didn't even notice the pits. Now that the windshield is brand new and clean, I can see what I've been missing.

In for 18,500 service, needs new windshield

2010-05-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

#140 currently at the dealer for a windshield replacement. They spotted a chip during the scheduled service visit. A piece of trim needed to be ordered and hopefully we'll get the car back on Thursday. Was given a Cooper S as a loaner and it's quite zippy. Have put 250 miles on it so far. In looking at the differences between the E and the S, the noise is one thing that never use to bother me before in driving a gas powered car but now after getting spoiled by silence in the E, after a day or so it was really noticeable. Also the jerking around of the gears shifting was something I'd forgotten about since the E is a single speed. The smoothness and quietness of the E are two great qualities that I'm currently missing with the loaner.

A 100 Mile Day in the MINI E

2010-04-27T20:12:00.001-07:00

Today I was all over the place in our MINI E. The more I drive it, the more I just take it for granted. It'll get me where I want to go and back. The early days of worrying about whether or not I'll run out of juice are long gone. Here are all the places we went today in the MINI E:

The watch store up the street to get a battery replaced.
Back to our house to pick up something we forgot.
To the Long Beach VA Hospital to drop off my wife for her volunteer work.
To Costco to pick up a bunch of stuff including a super large shredder that I squeezed into the front seat.
Back to the house to unload.
Then to Trader Joes for three bags of groceries and back to house again to unload.
Finally to Burbank for work and then back home.

Another 100 mile day in the MINI E. I was able to charge at work for approx 6 hours on 110. Will roll into the garage tonight with about 10 miles left and charge back up to 100% for about $3.00. In the morning, I'll roll out with a full tank.

18,250 miles and climbing. Loving the KNOW GAS MINI E. :)

Modified Race-spec MINI E Tackles the Nurburgring

2010-04-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Click link for story and video:

MINI E tackles Nurburgring

Second year is a go

2010-04-08T11:59:00.001-07:00

BMW Financial called and confirmed that we wanted to continue for year two. They then asked a few financial questions and said I'd be getting an e-mail within one day with their decision. A few hours later we got the e-mail that all is well and that year two is a go.

Just passed 17k miles and can't imagine going back to a regular gas vehicle for my 85 - 90 mile commute. The time saved at the gas station along with the fuel savings is fabulous. Using a power source that is created here in the USA is a big plus. Understand some folks point about the MINI E not being truly zero emission (unless you're powering it with the sun like a few folks are) since coal is used to create some of the electricity.

NY Times Video about the MINI E

2010-03-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this video featuring two East Coast Mini E drivers, Tom Moloughney and Adam Moore:

MINI E Video - NY Times

Why we've chosen to extend for a second year

2010-03-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

As you may have read in the Facebook MINI E group and other sites, we were offered a second year lease extension at $600.00 a month with all terms of our current lease remaining the same.

We and others had hoped for a payment closer to $400.00. There's been speculation that BMW wants to move some of the MINI E cars around perhaps to other countries and that a higher price helps assure they get a fair number of cars back. Whatever the reasons are I understand this is business and for some folks the number can work and for others, it makes no sense.

Like a few others in the Field Trial, we drive a lot of miles. The more miles you drive, the easier it is to justify the $600.00 payment. While we'll by no means break even, the savings generated by not purchasing fuel, oil changes, tires and other things that arise in driving 20k or so miles (along with less depreciation on our other vehicle) makes it a little easier to swallow.

The major thing that you can't put a price on is the fun factor. I love driving the MINI E. The smiles I see on the numerous test drivers faces and the joy I get from punching that pedal and zipping away is priceless.

This program has given me the opportunity to take part in something that's hopefully going to lead to more choices for future drivers like our four year old girl. EVs may not be right for everyone but having them in the market for those who want them is something I'm really excited about.

Lastly, I was really happy to see the quote below from today's MINI E Plugged In newsletter that each Pioneer receives:

Those choosing to lease their MINI E for a second year will get a priority spot in line for the new BMW ActiveE scheduled to come in summer 2011, assuming all other program requirements are met.

Being able to go places as a family in a gas free vehicle will be awesome. Having that vehicle be a BMW is an added bonus that'll be hard to beat!

Lease extension info coming next week!

2010-03-05T13:32:00.001-08:00

Looks like we'll be finding out the details of the MINI E lease extension sometime next week. Can't wait! Would be great if there was a bridge to the BMW Active E concept. Having the backseat of the Active E will make a world of difference. We'll use that car for probably 99% of everywhere we go. Not to say we aren't loving the MINI E. It's been a great car. However, being able to go everywhere as a family emission free...that would be hard to beat. :)

We'll be finding out soon about lease extension offer :)

2010-02-22T13:36:00.001-08:00

Was happy to see in the MINI E e-mail blast we received today that we should be hearing about the lease extension offer by early March. From reading, it's not clear if everyone will be offered a lease extension. I quote, "The first email to keep an eye out for will come from campaigns@insiders.MINIUSA.com by no later than early March. We will announce details about the opportunity to re-lease the MINI E for a second year, from this email address. As previously mentioned, this offer will be extended to a number of Pioneers, but only to those who are able to respond because the announcement is not stuck in a junk mail folder – well that’s not actually part of the criteria, we just want to be sure you receive the email and have the chance to respond quickly."

There's been a lot of talk about what the monthly price should be for the second year. A number of $425.00 a month was brought up in the Facebook MINI E group and that number sounds perfect. That would bring the 24 month average to $637.50. I for one, would be thrilled with that number. I love spreading the joy of emission free MINI E driving and hope to do so in the second year.

14,000 miles today and lots of rain

2010-02-09T21:21:00.000-08:00

Crossed the 14,000 mile mark today. Had another big storm today in Southern California. Drove the 40 miles to work in a downpour with no problems. The MINI E stayed straight and true. Regen kicked off a couple of times in deep water. Car handled great. Our miles would be a lot higher if we had a back seat. Can't wait for the BMW Active E Concept.

New tires and wiper blades at 13k service

2010-01-28T21:58:00.000-08:00

Just had the 13k service at 13,200. The two front tires were replaced along with the wiper blades. The tires were below the 2.5mm minimum on the left and right sides of the tire. The tires looked great to me but thanks to MINI for keeping me safe and sound. Was given a 335i loaner. Brand new car. A rocket ship but only got 17.5 mpg. I did have a lot of stop and go traffic which doesn't help a gas powered car but increases the range of an electric car due to the regen braking. I spent $26.00 over the two days driving to work and back. In the MINI E my cost would have been $4.50. :)
I find myself really missing the regen braking when I'm without the E.

13,000 miles and driving in the rain

2010-01-21T11:46:00.000-08:00

Just crossed the 13,000 mile mark today on the way to work on this rainy Thursday. The Southern California area has been getting drenched of late and the MINI E hasn't had any problems driving or charging in the rain. The only thing I've noticed is that with the front wheel drive you have to take it easy when going around a corner and not punch it or you spin the tires a little bit. All that torque gets things spinning pretty quickly, if you're heavy on the pedal. While at work, I've been plugging in via the 110 cable and even in downpours that last for hours, the orange light keeps blinking and the car charges away. While driving on the wet highways at various speeds, the car feels stable and safe. Having a great time driving emission free. :)

MINI to extend leases until ActiveE arrives

2010-01-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

Good News for those not quite ready to give up their MINI E after a year. The added bonus of being offered the ActiveE is icing on the cake. Thank You MINI and BMW USA!

MINI to extend leases

P.S. While no pricing was announced, I have no doubt that the price will be lowered from the current $850.00 plus tax for the extension.

Finally hit ------ miles tonight

2009-12-29T22:32:00.000-08:00

Ended up doing an extra unplanned trip today and put 117 miles on #140. I charged for approx 5 1/2 hours on 110 while at work and due to the holidays, the freeways were pretty open with not much opportunity for regen. The light traffic combined with the extra trip to Redondo Beach this evening brought about my first flat line ( ---- miles). Based on others experience, I wasn't to worried about not making it home. Loving the car and now that I'm past this milestone, I'll feel a little less worried next time it happens which probably won't be to often. :)

Hailey asked Santa for a lease extension and....

2009-12-18T10:54:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I know this is hard to believe and I may have helped with the wording but Hailey asked Santa for something really special this year. She asked for a lease extension on the MINI E until the BMW ActiveE is available for testing and then to top it off, she asked if we could be part of the ActiveE field trial. With the four seats in the ActiveE, we'd be able to go everywhere as a family. Santa promised he'd talk to Richard Steinberg and the other folks at BMW about it. I sure hope her wish comes true.

11,500 and climbing

2009-12-17T20:28:00.001-08:00

The MINI E continues to meld into our daily lives and now is basically taken for granted. This is a good thing. I have no doubt when I take off that I'll get where I'm going and have a great driving experience too. The 100% torque is always fun and continues to wake up passengers.

Was happy to see the article about the next EV vehicle from BMW, Concept ActiveE. Check out the press release that's part of Autoblog's posting at:

http://green.autoblog.com/2009/12/16/detroit-preview-bmw-concept-activee-set-to-amp-up-1-series/

As I read through the press release, it became apparent that BMW has noted many of the comments folks in the MINI E trial have made and implemented them with this next generation.

If given the opportunity, I'd be thrilled to be part of the Concept ActiveE field trial.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Interesting MINI E Battery Info

2009-12-04T10:33:00.000-08:00

In today's MINI E weekly update, they shared some interesting info about the battery that powers the MINI E:

BASIC BATTERY MATH

Have you ever wondered where energy is stored in the MINI E? We all know the High Voltage battery occupies the space normally reserved for rear seat passengers in a MINI Cooper, but did you know the HV battery in the MINI E is actually an assembly of 5088 individual cells which work together to handle the energy storage functions for the car’s propulsion system?

The voltage for the HV battery system is approximately 390V when fully charged, but each of the 5088 cells has a much lower voltage. To start, 53 cells are connected in parallel to form what is called a unit. Much like setting glasses of water next to each other, connecting batteries in parallel does not alter the voltage, or pressure, but increases the storage capacity, or volume of the assembly. Next, two units are connected in series to form a module which roughly doubles the voltage. Mounting batteries in series is what is typically done in a flashlight with 1.5V alkaline cells – they are connected end to end from the positive to negative terminal, to increase voltage. The following step provides a dramatic increase in voltage by connecting 48 modules, in series, turning the 5088 cells into the full voltage HV battery. The complete battery assembly is mounted within three metal battery cases found underneath the neatly upholstered dome in the back of each MINI E, and weighs in at 573 pounds. Now you have a lot more to think about each time you plug in to recharge your favorite car.

10,000 Miles and climbing

2009-12-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

I finally hit the 10,000 mile mark back on 11/20/09. With the holidays and all, I've been a little behind on my blog postings. Finally, with the addition of the large plug sticker on each door, folks are starting to notice the car more. I've gotten quite a few thumbs up of late. The car is driving great and continues to be a blast to drive. Driving clean doesn't have to be boring and the MINI E does a great job of adding excitement to my daily commute.

That's our daughter in the picture and she loves the MINI E as much as we do. Hopefully by the time she's driving, there will be many electric cars to choose from. She's very excited about electric cars and is frequently saying how she doesn't like riding in "stinky gas cars". A few weeks ago we drove the MINI E up to Glendale, CA to check out the Leaf. It was a lot of fun and we both had our picture taken with the Leaf.

First full month of new TOU-EV-1 rates

2009-11-17T08:19:00.000-08:00

On October 1st, Edison dropped their TOU-EV-1 rates for folks charging "Off Peak". Now that my bill has come, I can report that with all taxes and fees included, we're paying 10.9 cents per kwh for charging the MINI E between 9pm and Noon. With charging at work via the 110 cable an average of 6 hours, I find myself using 21 kwhs on average to drive from Long Beach to Burbank, CA. This drive is 83 miles or so and is made up of approx 45 miles of highway driving 70 - 75 mph and the rest mixed stop and go. This brings the cost of the average trip to $2.29. Can't complain about that. Thank You Edison and MINI.

Great time in Culver City & MINI E articles

2009-11-13T08:37:00.001-08:00

Enjoyed the latest MINI E get together on Sunday November 8th in Culver City. John O'Dell from Edmunds.com was there and wrote a short article about his visit with the Pioneers. The group picture was taken by John. Here's the link:

Edmunds visits with MINI E drivers

There's been a few articles about the MINI E of late and thought I'd include them here. Here's one from WIRED. Be sure to click on the PDF link near the beginning of the article for Richard Steinberg's presentation materials. He discusses the MINI E program and how it's been going.

WIRED article on MINI E program thus far

Here's another one from Car & Driver:

Car & Driver article

#140 is quickly approaching 10,000 miles. The quirks seem to have been worked out and the miles are flying by. We would love a lease extension and the opportunity to continue providing BMW all the research data they'd like. :)

No Fluids, No Leaks

2009-11-02T20:17:00.001-08:00

Another reason I love the MINI E, no fluids. With no fluids, it's hard to have a fluid leak. Why do I bring that up, you may ask. Well, the past few days we've been driving our Ford Freestyle more than we have been. I started noticing a leak underneath and today took it in to get fixed. The service advisor noticed we hadn't put many miles on the car since our last visit to fix a transmission leak and asked what was up. Perfect opportunity to talk about the MINI E. He was very interested in the car and we had a nice chat. As I headed back home, I realized this type of problem is something I'll never have to worry about with an EV. Sure, there might be other problems that arise, but leaks will soon be something of the past. :)

Back from 8000 mile service with Plug Decal!

2009-10-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

Everything went smooth at the 8000 mile service. Was able to chat with Nelson, the Flying Doctor, serving Long Beach MINI. We were discussing brake wear and he mentioned they have a MINI E with 48,000 miles on it and the brakes still look great. A regular MINI, I'm told, needs brakes around 20,000 miles. During the visit we had the Plug Decal applied. It looks great. Since we had ELECTRIC put on both doors and the back hatch we thought using just the plug would look a little different. Double click the photos to enlarge. Glad to have #140 back on the road.

8000 Mile Service

2009-10-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

The miles come quickly in the MINI E. Currently in for 8000 mile service. Next service will be at 13,000 miles. As the miles climb so does my love of driving electric. Was able to pick up a Maintenance Checklist. Click on the photos to enlarge. (There should be two photos...I noticed one disappears sometimes)

The decals should be in soon.

Alternative Car Expo 09, MINI E get together and ELECTRIC emblems

2009-10-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

Had a great time this past Saturday with other MINI E folks checking out the Alternative Car Expo in Santa Monica. Rich Steinberg, Manager of the MINI E program, was there along with some other MINI folks. Rich took the time to visit with all the MINI E drivers and it was great to have him there. He mentioned that the decals should be showing up at the dealers shortly. He also said he understood the interest in extending the leases that many drivers have expressed and that is in discussion. Sounded like a pretty good possibility. He also understands that the price is in issue as well. While he couldn't comment about pricing particulars, my personal opinion is that any lease extension will have a lower lease payment. Current $850.00 payment is based on a closed end 12 month lease. I mentioned to Rich that with a price adjustment, I'm very interested in a lease extension that would perhaps bridge to the next BMW/MINI electric vehicle.

You may have seen other MINI E drivers that have added the word ELECTRIC to their E. Here in the Southern California area many have had it done by Michael Wittman from Third Planet Energy. I was happy to see Michael at the event in Santa Monica and asked him to set me up. You can see the result from the pictures. Before he applied them we measured to make sure that I can still apply the full decal (MINI + the plug symbol) if I wish to both doors. I'm still not sure if we'll go with the full decal or perhaps just the plug centered on each door. Michael can be contacted at www.thirdplanetenergy.com The cost is $40.00 for one or $99.00 for all three. Tax is added and this includes installation.

I'm quickly approaching 7500 miles in #140. At the expo and now hopefully with the ELECTRIC emblems, I'll continue to have more frequent discussions with folks about the E. Along with the talk of range, electricity costs, etc I have to remember to remind folks the central thing about driving the E....the driving experience itself...it's a MINI for heaven's sake. What MINI has done is create something that's Zero Emission but also a blast to drive. Fun, Quick, Earth Friendly, Low fuel costs...just a few words that describe my experience with the E.

New TOU-EV-1 Rates start Oct 1st

2009-09-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

Was super happy to hear that the new rates start tomorrow and if you charge off peak and live in the Southern California Edison area, you'll be saving money. The meter rental fee of .18 a day is also being dropped. Might not sound like much but that's $5.40 a month. The on peak rates are going up. All the more reason to chage off peak. Thank You Edison!

ALT Car Expo Fri/Sat 10/2, 10/3 in Santa Monica, CA

2009-09-25T22:12:00.000-07:00

I'll be attending on Saturday October 3rd. Check out the Facebook MINI E group for more info:

Facebook MINI E Site

Also see:

Alt Car Expo

MINI E presentation to CARB 9/21 & 9/22

2009-09-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Steve in the Facebook MINI E group for posting the link to this:

MINI E Presentation to CARB on 9/21 & 9/22

MINI E get together on Autoblog Green website :)

2009-09-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

I've always loved the websites Autoblog and AutoblogGreen. Yesterday, after our meet up in Long Beach, I sent in some photos. Was happy to see this pop up a few minutes ago on their website:

MINI E AutoblogGreen Article

West Coast MINI E get together earlier today :)

2009-09-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, it was a sea of MINI E cars earlier today at Cisco Burger in Long Beach, CA. I've never seen so many MINI E's in one place. Heck, I hardly see any on the road even though I'm driving 80+ miles a day at various hours. Today was the first get together of MINI E drivers here on the West Coast that I'm aware of. Most folks at the event found out about it via the MINI E group on Facebook. It's an active group and if you're a MINI E driver or just someone interested in the car, join it. You'll find more photos on Facebook. I took these four with the Palm Pre. I have to say that the Pre takes better photos than my regular digital camera. :)

Got noticed, Edison picked up the Data Recorder, Frankfurt......

2009-09-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while out for dinner, we were noticed due to the KNOW GAS license plate. It's amazing that still hardly anyone notices the MINI E and that it's 100% Electric. I hear the decals for the side of the car, the plug and the word "MINI" will be arriving soon. Will be interesting to see if this increases awareness.

This past Tuesday, Edison was by to pick up the Data Recorder they installed a month ago to track our draw, charge times, etc. They'll be providing me with a graph charting everything in the next few weeks. While I've been keeping track of miles driven and kwhs used every day, it'll be interesting to see the other info.

Currently at 6200 miles and now that the early kinks have been worked out, this should climb pretty steadily. I charge every day at work via the 110 cable for approx 6 to 8 hours depending on the day. This has cut my overnight home kwh usage to an average of 23 from 28 to 29 when I wasn't charging at work.

It's exciting to see the numerous EV announcements this week at the Frankfurt auto show. I'm thrilled to be part of this shift towards EVs and look forward to what the future holds.

Went to Coffee & Cars this morning in #140

2009-09-05T10:10:00.001-07:00

I'd been hearing about Coffee & Cars in Irvine for some time now and finally was able to check it out this morning. It happens most every Saturday at 1 Premier Place, nearest major intersection is Alton and Irvine Center Dr in Irvine, CA. Lots of free parking and you can buy coffee, muffins, etc on site. I arrived at 7am and everything was in full swing. By about 8am cars start rolling out so get there early. Was happy to see MINI E #67 in the exhibit area. We had a nice visit. He only has 1000 miles on his car. Here is a link to some pictures from this morning:

Coffee & Cars 09/05/09

This would be a fun place for other MINI E folks to gather as the spectator parking lot is gigantic and free.

Used up a lot of battery power getting there today on the 405. No traffic either way and seeing all those sports cars inspired me to drive faster coming home. :)

Now have 5500 miles on #140 and going strong!

Tesla considering Long Beach and Downey, CA for assembly plant

2009-08-28T13:54:00.001-07:00

Was happy to see this as the big headline in this morning's Long Beach Press Telegram newspaper:

Tesla considering Long Beach and Downey, CA as possible plant sites

Click above to view article.

In MINI E news, we're crossing the 5000 mile mark today and going strong. The heat is a factor with the range and battery temp but if you adjust your driving habits you can motor on. :)

Enjoyed our visit with Justin & Dahlia from UC Davis

2009-08-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

This past Monday evening we were interviewed by Justin & Dahlia from UC Davis as part of the study they are conducting with MINI. We enjoyed visiting with them and sharing our thoughts and experiences with the MINI E. It was apparent to us from the questions being asked that MINI is very interested in our thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc about the car. We're very hopeful the information gained from this study will help MINI create a future EV that will be available sooner than later.

Back on the road again with the MINI E

2009-08-19T21:46:00.001-07:00

After 6 days out of service, I picked up #140 this morning. Have no further info on what the problem was other than it involved the battery. See Matt's post in the comments section of post below for more info on what was probably addressed.

Having put 325 miles on the Cooper S, it took a few miles to get use to the MINI E again. The cars drive so differently.

Hopefully my last service visit for a while.

#140 needs some new modules

2009-08-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

#140 has two bad modules. Not sure what that means other than it involves taking apart the entire back part of the car that houses all the batteries. This is the first time the Flying Doctors have had to do a module replacement (at least in Oxnard, CA). Hope to have car back early next week. The problem was discovered during my first scheduled service visit. I had no indication anything was wrong and the car was driving great. Will update more when I know. Will be cruising in the S until the E's return.

Matt Walton via the MINI E group on Facebook provided this updated info:

Per spec sheet;

Battery Design - 53 cells connected in parallel constitute a unit, 2 units connected in series constitute a module, 48 modules connected in series constitute the battery; 5,088 individual cells in total.

Pictured at link below, scroll down to year 2005;

http://www.acpropulsion.com/company/history.php

Based on this explanation, 212 out of 5088 have gone bad.

Some thoughts on the 09 Cooper S after 80 miles

2009-08-13T19:51:00.000-07:00

Today I drove the S from Burbank to Long Beach and back. Also drove around at lunch. 80 miles for the day. I'd forgotten how traditional gas cars (more so on sports cars) jerk around. Whether you're accelerating, shifting, braking, idling...the car is constantly moving around. The E is so smooth with the regen that after 4000 miles of driving I'd really started to take it for granted. Only when you get back in a gas powered car do you start to realize what an amazing automobile the E really is. The throw you back in your seat acceleration, the awesome regen that once you master provides a very smooth driving experience to the overall ride, the E is hard to beat. Driving the S made me appreciate the E even more. My previous post said I'd choose the S if I had to choose a gas powered MINI. Changed my mind, I'd wait for the electric version. :)

Driving the 09 Cooper S today

2009-08-13T09:53:00.001-07:00

Driving the 09 Cooper S while the E is in for a brief time out. If I had to choose a gas powered MINI that would be the one but nothing beats the E.

MINI E #140 heading to Oxnard for a visit

2009-08-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

Just had a call from my service advisor at Long Beach MINI. During my recent service visit...approx 400 miles ago...they ran some tests on the battery and just now have the results back. Appears they may need to replace the entire battery or parts of it and #140 needs to go to Oxnard ASAP. While car is driving fine, I was told the range could diminish over time, without being serviced. Will follow up with more details when I have them. Dropping off in the morning. Wasn't told how long it will take to fix but hopefully not to long. Currently at 4200 miles and loving the gas free E!

First service visit and thoughts on 09 Convertible

2009-08-07T09:32:00.001-07:00

#140 is back on the road. Just had the first official service visit at 3700 miles. Control Modules were checked, motor components, charge plug, suspension, brakes, etc. No problems and I had car back in 24 hours from drop off. Thanks Long Beach MINI! The tech left a brochure for police/fire folks in case of an accident, on the front passenger seat.

Had the chance to drive the new 2009 MINI convertible while the E was in for service. I paid the extra $25.00 for the upgrade to Enterprise (on site at Long Beach MINI). It's a nice car. A couple of observations. 1) I'd forgotten how loud a regular engine is. 2) With the top down you can see all around the vehicle easily however with the top up there are some big blind spots near the rear pillars on each side. I wouldn't feel comfortable driving it on the freeway each day with the top up. 3) There's a gauge that keeps track of how long you've been driving with the top down. Nice touch. It would be a great car for cruising around the city, beaches, etc.

Glad to be back in the MINI E!

I made it into a Business Week article

2009-08-05T20:45:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, David Welch at Business Week and I had a nice phone conversation about the MINI E. Today, the article appeared online:

Business Week Article 8/4/09

First Official Service Visit for #140

2009-08-04T21:41:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, our MINI E is going in for it's 3000 mile service visit with a little over 3700 miles on the odometer. Everything has been running great so hopefully it'll be in and out the same day.

HOV aka Carpool Lane Stickers arrived!

2009-08-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to finally receive the HOV stickers for the MINI E. They arrived this past Thursday and I put them on before driving up to Universal City from Long Beach. This took me on the 405 and then to the 110 where the carpool lane is two lanes for a good portion of the drive. It didn't take long before a CHP motorcycle officer whipped up behind me from out of nowhere. He looked over the back of the car and then pulled beside me (driver's side) and then dropped back again before zipping back into regular traffic. I was a little concerned about my sticker placement. I took it upon myself to apply the stickers where I did, feeling this would provide the best visibility. 3 stickers arrived. 2 large and 1 small. I decided to only put one of the large stickers on the car. The diagram that comes with the stickers shows a car from the 70s with giant side panels and wheel wells. The MINI doesn't have these spaces. Since this officer didn't pull me over, I'm hoping that I did okay. It's awesome to be driving gas free in the HOV lanes. 3600 miles and climbing....loving the MINI E!

Double click photos to enlarge.

Edison installed a data recorder today

2009-08-01T00:10:00.001-07:00

Today Rey Goco (EV Infrastructure Technical Specialist) from Edison came by with Angelo and installed a Data Recorder that will keep track of our power use, load, times we're charging, etc for the next month. Edison has contacted 10 folks to monitor and we're happy to help out. They'll be using the info they gather to insure they're ready to go as more EVs come to market.

MINI E out runs three souped up Acura's

2009-07-26T21:05:00.001-07:00

Tonight as we were heading back from dinner on surface streets we started to hear some engine revving and noticed in the rear view mirror three Acura Integra's hot rodding through traffic. At the next light, we all ended up together. These guys had gauges galore, giant pipes, fire extinguishers mounted near the windshield, etc. Two on my left side, one behind me. This left one open lane on the right. This was a moment I'd been waiting for. I could see the guy behind us looking at our license plate (KNOW GAS) but the two to the left didn't give us a second thought. When that light changed, we changed lanes and floored it leaving all three behind. We happened to be going through a tunnel and the echo of their engines was super loud. I hit 85mph about half way through and eased off as they blew by me. They were probably doing 100+ at that point. At the next light all three noticed us and were giving the car a good look over. They were smiling and shaking their heads. It's gotta be a little humbling realizing that your street racer just got beat by an electric car. Another fun day in the MINI E!

3000 miles and going strong!

2009-07-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

Just passed the 3000 mile mark. Love the car! 3 folks took the car for a spin this past week. When they punched it, the remarks were the same...WOW! Any perceptions of a golf cart wrapped up in a MINI body were quickly erased.

I'll be attending the EV event in Long Beach, CA on August 11th. Hope to see other MINI E folks there!

Here's a link for more info:

Long Beach EV Event August 11th

Electric Cars in the United States tech brief

2009-07-21T21:15:00.001-07:00

This paper was commissioned by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at the University of California, Berkeley.

Interesting reading:

http://cet.berkeley.edu/dl/CET_Technical_Brief_Economic.pdf

Thanks Paul at http://magiccman.blogspot.com/ for posting this on his blog.

101 Highway Miles today with miles to spare!

2009-07-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

Today was another great day in the MINI E! Decided to see if a 100 mile highway trip was possible and I'm happy to report it was with miles to spare. Even better, 96 of these miles were highway miles with speeds from 65 - 70 with no traffic. We drove from Long Beach, CA to Upland, CA and back. It was a fantastic drive and best of all, no gas. As I was coming home I was right next to a Shell Gasoline double tanker truck for a few miles. As one who was spending close to $300 a month on Shell Gasoline, it was one of those many happy moments I've had driving the MINI E. Setting aside the problems and the sometimes bad press, it's moments like that that really make me thankful for being part of this field trial.

I know the details can bore some folks but for those interested here they are:

101 Miles Traveled, 10% charge left, 11 miles left as I drove into garage.

Trip to Upland - 50.5 miles

My wife was the passenger. Outside temp in Long Beach was 82 when we left and 104 in Upland when we arrived. Battery temp never got past 97. We kept the a/c on low and radio on low volume. Daytime Running Lamps were off. Kept speed between 65 - 70 miles per hour despite being passed by almost 100 cars. :) When we arrived I was a little concerned that the gauge showed miles left to travel as 37 and the battery left % at 35. I knew that this part of the trip was slightly uphill but still was a little concerned.

Car sat for 4 hours in carport.

Trip back to Long Beach:

Just me driving home for the return trip. Was happy to see when I started car, miles left were now 44 and battery charge left was 49%. The sitting around in the shade seemed to have helped. Time was 8pm, outside temp was now 84 and since it was dark, turned on the headlights. Decided to keep a/c and radio off just to be safe. Put fan on low and hit the road. Once again I kept speed between 65 - 70. It was smooth sailing all the way home and I was able to take advantage of brake regen now and then as I drove because the ride back to Long Beach was slightly downhill. Battery temp never higher than 95.

A couple of things learned on this trip. First, as one who normally, when traffic permits, drives 75 -77, by driving 65-70 you really can increase your range. This little bit of speed adjustment really helped. Second, don't freak out if you see the battery % and miles left a little lower than you'd like when you get somewhere. Chances are when the car sits for a bit, it will climb slightly. Plus if your trip was slightly uphill going, remember going back it'll be slightly downhill and you'll get a little extra range. (provided you drive in a similar fashion)

I'll update this post in the morning with kwhs used for this trip. #140 charging on the Time of Use Meter right now. *Update: 31 kwhs used for this trip.

Another great gas free day!

ZEV Parking Decal came today

2009-07-17T20:15:00.001-07:00

Received my official ZEV Parking Decal today (State of California) I probably didn't really need this but thought what the heck, it's offered so I'll apply for one. :) Decal measures approx 2" square. Here's the link for more info:

CA DMV ZEV Decal Info

MINI E gift box arrived :)

2009-07-14T17:48:00.001-07:00

Today we received a gift box of MINI E goodies from MINI. Inside was a hat, mouse pad, custom key chain with our car's number on it, cards to give out to folks inquiring about the MINI E, one dice, a notebook with pen and stickers that you can use to make up phrases about your MINI. Not pictured is a black bag. Thanks MINI!

MINI E back with new Gold Box

2009-07-09T21:39:00.000-07:00

We picked up our car this evening at around 7pm from Long Beach Mini. Earlier this morning the gold box under the hood was replaced. I was told that the MINI E tech was very familiar with the problem we experienced (see earlier post video) and we were the 5th one he'd worked on with this problem. When I peeked under the hood after returning home, I noticed some stickers that weren't there before including the large one on the box itself. Glad to have the car back and hope not to be back at the dealer until our 3000 mile check up. The gas powered MINI loaner was fun but it was no MINI E. :)

P.S.
When picking up your car from a service visit, be sure to check the charge setting before plugging in. Mine was set at 50amp the last two service visits.

The mysterious golden box

2009-07-07T21:16:00.001-07:00

Dropped off the car this morning for the problem mentioned in blog post below. Received word back that parts have been ordered and the MINI E tech will be installing them on Wednesday. The parts involve the mysterious golden box under the hood. Should know more soon.

Video of car auto shifting to "N' while driving

2009-07-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, we're still having the problem with the MINI E shifting to "N" on it's own while we're driving. The gear shifter still shows "D" but the display shows "N". See video below. The set up for what'll you see: Dry road, sunny, driving at 40mph and punching it....video shows what happens:

#140 auto shifting to Neutral while driving

2009-07-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

Car was acting quite strange this evening. Car was parked all day and I decided to give my Cousin a test drive before calling it a day. We started off with 100% charge and traveled about 1 mile with no problem. I then took the car up to 40mph and then punched it...wanting to demonstrate the quick pick up even while moving....I immediately heard a loud pop and noticed that the car had switched to neutral and the triangle next to the miles traveled had lit up...similar to how it does when the battery warning light comes on at 29% charge. While still moving I moved the gear shift to neutral (it still showed "D" even though the display showed "N") and then back to drive and the car appeared to be back to normal. However the triangle stayed lit up. We then stopped, turned off the car, waited a minute and then started it again. Triangle was gone and all seemed well. Took off again and whamo, happened again at approx 40 mph...once I punched it, a loud pop and then the neutral light was lit up again. We repeated this a total of 4 times over the course of our 3 mile test drive. This is the first time I've ever had this problem. We'll see if I can repeat it tomorrow.

Video of the MINI E charging at work

2009-07-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

Picked up the 110V cable this past Thursday from Long Beach MINI and shot a short video of the MINI E charging at work.

EV Electric Vehicle Auto Mall article

2009-06-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

Saw this interesting article in the Long Beach Business Journal about turning a closed auto dealership into a multi electric vehicle mall. Hope it happens.

Click here to go to article

Proper use of the 110V Charging Cable

2009-06-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

MINI e-mailed out a PDF earlier today explaining in detail the proper use of the 110V cable. Thought those not in the program might also be interested in the cable info. Now at almost 1500 miles and going strong!

110V Charging Cable Guide

If you're not seeing the PDF when you click, you may need to update FLASH.