Electric Cars: The Basics
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The MINI Electric Hatch
The iconic MINI internal combustion engine (ICE) car was manufactured by a UK based company, the British Motor Corporation (BMC). In 1996, the company was acquired by the German automotive company BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), headquartered in Munich. The production of the classic petrol MINI stopped in 2000.
BMW is well known for its portfolio of luxury vehicles to include the famed Rolls-Royce luxury cars. The group also manufacturers a number of cars under its BMW brand, to include battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The BMW i3 EV is an excellent example of a successful pure electric car. The MINI electric vehicle (EV) portfolio includes both, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models:
- The MINI Electric Hatchback
- The MINI COUNTRYMAN Plug-In Hybrid
The MINI Electric was launched in 2020. BMW used its experience with the all-electric BMW i3 to develop the all-electric MINI. The MINI electric concept car was unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt IAA. The MINI electric is currently manufactured in the UK (Oxford).
However, MINI first went electric in 2008. The 612 MINI E cars were modified and used between 2009 and 2013 for the BMW Group to assess driver response to electric cars. The MINI E electric cars clocked up more than 16 million kilometres in six countries. The company also manufactures the MINI Countryman PHEV.
The MINI electric, like the all-electric Honda e, is primarily positioned for the urban driver. Its compact size, smaller EV battery size and limited pure electric range, is well suited for families living in congested cities and towns, keen on using a zero-tailpipe emission electric car, for most day-to-day needs. Do keep in mind, that most of our trips are short distance: school runs, grocery store, local high street, work etc.
The pure electric MINI is available in only one EV battery size (32.6 kWh) and just a little smaller, compared to the Honda e (35.5 kWh). MINI claims a zero-emission electric range up to 270 km (WLTP). Real-world e-range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, weather, road condition, tyre size, onboard services used and more. An EV range closer to 240 km is more realistic. Of course, the EV also incorporates regenerative braking to improve efficiency and electric range.
A 270 km EV range may not sound as impressive as some of the recent introductions of pure electric cars that offer between 350 to 500 km on a single charge. But as mentioned above, how often are you driving distances that require a 500 km range? In all probability, very few really need to drive 500 km on a very regular basis. For the rest of us, a 270 km electric range is ample.
For those occasional motorway trips that are longer distances, the MINI electric car can be fast charged up to 50 kW DC. The EV can be charged up to 80% in 36 minutes and incorporates a 11 kW AC (3-phase) onboard charger as standard.
Given that most homes in Ireland are powered by single-phase power supply, taking advantage of the 3-phase will be limited to only those with access to 3-phase charging at home, public charging points and at the workplace. The EV can be charged 100% in 2 hours and 30 minutes via a 3-phase EV charger.
For single-phase (7.4 kW) EV charging, the MINI electric can be fully charged in 3 hours and 12 minutes via a dedicated single-phase EV charger like myenergi zappi. Though the EV can be charged via a domestic 3-PIN plug, we at e-zoomed do not encourage using a domestic plug for charging an electric car. The EV will take up to 12 hours to fully charge via a 3-PIN socket.
We also recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to EV charging. This way, charging times are lower and the regular charging of the EV battery is good for its long-term maintenance. The automotive manufacturer offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.
The front-wheel drive MINI electric hatchback delivers a decent performance. The zero-tailpipe emission electric car can achieve 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. The maximum power available is 184 HP and 270 Nm torque. The top speed is 150 km/h. More than sufficient for urban and motorway driving. Of course, the EV also benefits from instant torque.
The iconic exterior stying does not need any introduction and the latest cosmetic upgrades to the MINI in 2011 further add to its appeal. The interior too is good quality, however, given the compact size of the car, cabin space for rear-seat passengers is limited. Moreover, the MINI EV is only available as a 3-door option, so gaining access to the rear seats is not quite as easy as the five-door MINI! The available boot space is 211 L.
On the positive side, the EV offers a decent array of technology and features, to include: 8.8″ centre display screen, acoustic pedestrian protection, heat pump, pre-conditioning, ambient lighting and more. The higher trims offer: head-up display, driving assistant, rear park distance control, rear view camera and panoramic glass sunroof.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Good looks and exterior styling (iconic) | Limited cabin space and unpractical for a family (3-door). Five-door model not available |
| 50 kW DC charging and 11 kW AC onboard charger as standard | Limited zero-emission range |
| High quality interior and standard equipment | Limited visibility (rear) |
Gallery
The All-Electric MINI Hatch (credit: MINI)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
| Body Type: | Hatchback |
| Engine: | Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (4 Options) |
|---|
| MINI Electric Level 1 (from € 35,615) |
| MINI Electric Level 2 (from € 38,075) |
| MINI Electric Level 3 (from € 42,385) |
| MINI Electric Collection (from € 43,065) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 32.6 kWh |
| Charging: | 50 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 36 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 2 hrs 30 mins) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
| Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity: 16.7 kWh | € 4.00 |
| Battery net capacity: 30.0 kWh | € 7.19 |
| Battery net capacity: 39.2 kWh | € 9.39 |
| Battery net capacity: 45.0 kWh | € 10.78 |
| Battery net capacity: 50.0 kWh | € 11.98 |
| Battery net capacity: 64.0 kWh | € 15.34 |
| Battery net capacity: 71.0 kWh | € 17.01 |
| Battery net capacity: 77.0 kWh | € 18.45 |
| Battery net capacity: 90.0 kWh | € 21.57 |
| Battery net capacity: 100.0 kWh | € 23.97 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1432 |
| Width (mm): | 1928 |
| Length (mm): | 3850 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2495 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.4 |
| Boot Space (L): | 211 |
| MINI Electric Hatch | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 32.6 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 235 – 270 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 15.2 – 15.9 |
| Charging: | 50 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 36 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 2 hrs 30 mins) |
| Top Speed: | 150 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 7.3 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 135 |
| Max Power (HP): | 184 |
| Torque (Nm): | 270 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 4 |
| Doors: | 3 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,365 |
| Colours: | 6 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
Solar And EV Charging: An Overview
The benefits of renewable energy, in particular, solar and wind energy, is already well established across Europe, and in other parts of the world. With the increase in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) over the past three years, the advantages of using clean and renewable energy has been further enhanced.
Firstly, on-site renewable energy can be used for powering both business premises and homes. For on-site generation, we have witnessed a significant increase in distributed clean energy generating plants i.e. many commercial buildings and residential buildings have become generators i.e. generating electricity on-site! Solar roof projects have been popular for such on-site generation installations.
The ongoing war in Ukraine has further amplified the need to develop energy security, not only at a national level, but also at a local level, to include, businesses and households. Those households and businesses that already generate and consume clean energy on-site have been spared the significant onslaught of energy price rise in 2022, which is expected to continue in 2023.
Installing solar panels on-site, mitigates the risks associated with energy price inflation, a significant contributor to costs for a business or a household. On-site renewable energy generation also impacts the environment positively. For those with electric vehicles (EVs), in particular, pure electric vehicles, we strongly encourage the use of renewable energy for EV charging. Of course, we also encourage the use of solar energy for charging a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
Apart from the significant cost benefit i.e. generating renewable energy is a nominal cost per kWh (after initial set-up/ installation costs), to achieve true zero-tailpipe emission electric driving, renewable energy needs to be used for EV charging. This is also known as ‘well-to-wheel’. Just one electric car on the road can save an average of 1.5 million grams of CO2.
The good news for electric car owners is that a number of EV charging stations are now compatible with solar/ wind generation and battery storage. The UK manufacturer myenergi zappi is a good example of a solar/ wind compatible EV charger.
We encourage business and households to adopt an on-site ecosystem of ‘renewable energy-battery storage-EV charging’, to gain the maximum from the advantages of low carbon generation and zero-emission electric driving. Bottom-line, renewable energy is good for the environment and the wallet!
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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