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MINI, BMW AG's small car marque, is quietly readying a test roll-out of its first electric car, the MINI E.
The company is looking for 500 drivers in California, New York and New Jersey to lease the first cars to hit the road in the U.S. The little car runs on a lithium ion battery that produces 204 horsepower.
Whether the MINI E ever goes into mass production is still uncertain. It's the first roll-out for BMW's "Project i," an initiative to develop a low-emissions city car that could become a fourth brand. The MINI E appellation is a working name and may not be used on whatever final model emerges.
The car makes its debut this month at the Los Angeles auto show. Applications for the first MINI E leases, expected to exceed $500 per month, will be taken starting in mid-November. A company spokeswoman said more than 9,500 people have already expressed interest.
The battery-powered MINI E can hit 62 mph in 8.5 seconds. Its top speed is limited to 95 and it's expected to have a range of 160 miles on a charge.
There's a regenerative braking system that helps keep the battery charged but like other plug-in hybrids, the MINI E is intended to be charged overnight, or while parked during the workday. A full charge takes 23.6 hours at 110 volts, only 4.4 hours at 240 volts, which is used in Europe and much of the rest of the world.
BMW says it is working with electric utilities on both coasts to arrange for convenient charging stations.
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