Mini E

[RainCaster]

Anyone heard much these days about the electric Mini? I will be visiting the factory in April. I intend to dig up all I can about the electric program.:character0029:

[DSC OFF]

I know BMW just announced that they will be re-tooling their Leipzig, Germany plant to build their electric vehicle. It will be marketed under a new fourth brand (in addition to BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce) called MegaCity. The technology will be based on the MiniE and the ActiveE 1 Series that are available for lease currently. They also partnered with SGL carbon to start producing large amounts of carbon fiber for the MegaCity vehicle.

I'm a fan of BMW obviously so I'm rooting for them to have success with this. I don't know if it's the right approach but BMW is quick to add technology as it's developed to vehicles a little bit at a time versus one big revolution. I think that will help with testing and development.

Right now I think the Mini is still to heavy and not very practical. Not to mention expensive. However, as a first step, I think it's great.

[DSC OFF]

Also, the Megacity vehicle is scheduled to roll off the line in mid 2013. And knowing BMW, they will keep that schedule.

[iwannaptera]

Also, the Megacity vehicle is scheduled to roll off the line in mid 2013. And knowing BMW, they will keep that schedule.

Ooohh!!! Carbon fiber! If they can keep the cost and not just the weight down, and make it a fairly aero, that might be my escape plan for when Aptera dies....

[KarenRei]

Anyone know what the Megacity is going to look like? A google image search's results are all over the board. I expect to be disappointed by the streamlining level, but I'd like to see.

[NeilBlanchard]

Will it be anything like the resurrected Isetta, I wonder?

http://founditsharedit.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/bmwisetta_new.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_IWBd3LULO4M/SL17-E8KxiI/AAAAAAAAAQk/xc_HRRz5sWk/s400/bmw-isetta_new.jpg
http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HVhWEd7g-h4/Sg3jdVedbyI/AAAAAAAABjg/tyjAcxm880I/s1600/Isetta.bmp
These are in a ballpark...

[iwannaptera]

Neil, that bottom one is almost perfect! Remove the grill, cover the wheels, make it out of composite, put an electric motor and some batteries in it, and send it to me!!!

[speculawyer]

Yeah, that is what I was going to ask . . . do we know anything about this MegaCity? Photos? battery size? Battery chemistry? Etc.

[SEGsby]

It's kinda shades of the Pillbug mixed the iMiev Sport.

[RainCaster]

So they are building the electric at the Leipzig plant? Rats! I'm going to visit the one near Oxford.

[DSC OFF]

All of the pictures I have seen have been based on speculation and most look like a fairly typical two door compact. There has definitely not been any official pics or any hints whatsoever.

[DSC OFF]

I'm also interested in feedback on the Mini-E if anybody runs across any independent reports or customer feedback information.

[NeilBlanchard]

Here's an EVcast where they talk about driving a Mini-E 21,000 miles in 8 months:

http://www.evcast.com/members/evcast/blog/VIEW/00000001/00000357/EVcast-332-And-I-would-drive-21000-miles.html

They also discuss Denise Gray moving from GM to a California battery company...