BMW Group decided to release the results of the trial program launched in the UK in December 2009. This project involved 40 Mini E electric vehicles and lasted for 12 months, until March 2011. The Oxford Brookes University analyzed the results and did the research, the final figures being more than satisfying for BMW’s sub-brand. A total of 40 MINI E vehicles were given to 76 pool users and 62 citizens in a project conducted in two stages.

Kulveer Ranger, Mayor of London’s environment director, said: “Electric driving technology is coming on leaps and bounds, but people naturally still have questions and concerns. Research such as this by BMW Group into real life experiences is invaluable as it debunks some common myths and underscores why electric vehicles are perfect for urban driving.”

A total of 138 drivers (32 women and 106 men) used the British electric model for a full year for a total of 33,345 journeys and 415,380 kilometers. They used a total of 80,282 kWh of electricity, the average charging cost over six months being somewhere at £60, which is around 2p per kilometer.

Over the six month stage, the highest mileage obtained by an individual driver was 11,270 kilometers while the average was somewhere 4,830 kilometers. According to the official details, almost all the participants would buy now an electric model as the results turned out to be quite impressive.

The main advantage is the extremely low cost, as mentioned above, the charging costs are somewhere around £60 for six months. Even we talk about a small electric model, the Mini E packs a motor able to deliver 204 horsepower and 204 Nm of torque reaching a top speed of 153 km/h. The driving range of the British model is somewhere around 180 kilometers on a single charge, the energy being stored in a 35 kWh lithium-ion battery.

“The feedback from the trial has been invaluable in helping our understanding of how people really respond to electric cars and other factors necessary to support electric car drivers,” said Suzanne Gray, General Manager of BMW i.

About Post Author

Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW announced results for the Mini E trial program appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.