Electric Mini Cooper. 80 MPG. 0-60 in 4.5 seconds!

Moses · 06:21 AM

http://www.pmlflightlink.com/archive/news_mini.html

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/the_hybrid_mini.php

I want one!

asphaltgambler · 07-21-2008, 06:22 AM

The best thing about electric vehicles is that the motors develop maximum torque a zero RPM's.

Jim Richards · 07-21-2008, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moses

http://www.pmlflightlink.com/archive/news_mini.html

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/the_hybrid_mini.php

I want one!

Ditto! I'm not sure they are going to productize this. I got the impression that it's more of a platofrm to demonstrate their technology.

Moses · 07-21-2008, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

Ditto! I'm not sure they are going to productize this. I got the impression that it's more of a platofrm to demonstrate their technology.

They are going to produce only 500 of them. They will all be sold in California.

I really like the idea of a 640 HP hybrid that gets 80 MPG.

Jim Richards · 07-21-2008, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moses

They are going to produce only 500 of them. They will all be sold in California.

Only in CA? Ba$tards!

onewhippedpuppy · 07-21-2008, 06:45 AM

My kind of hybrid. Maybe the green future isn't so scary after-all.

kjb · kjb's Garage

Sounds great!

Any thoughts on how the additional unsprung weight will affect handling?

/ Johan

island911 · 07-21-2008, 07:53 AM

per linked story:

Quote:

....also with theoretical limits of electric drive systems. Why are major manufacturers not putting more emphasis on in-wheel electric drive systems?

Ans: Because of the atrocious amount of unsprung weight of a motor in wheel makes for a car with the road holding of an over inflated Beach Ball.

... maybe this gets better with a few tons of battery ballast.

kach22i · kach22i's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by island911

per linked story:Ans: Because of the atrocious amount of unsprung weight of a motor in wheel makes for a car with the road holding of an over inflated Beach Ball.

... maybe this gets better with a few tons of battery ballast.

Dr. Porsche used electric hub drive in his racers back in 1901 or 1910. It can't be all that bad.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/the_hybrid_mini.php

Quote:

All braking is performed by the wheel motors acting as very efficient electrical generators which return almost all of the energy back to the battery system

island911 · 07-21-2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kach22i

Dr. Porsche used electric hub drive in his racers back in 1901 or 1910. It can't be all that bad.

Uhm. . .that was his First car.

Notice that the idea wasn't one Porsche wanted to keep.

GothingNC · 07-21-2008, 01:29 PM

Will the power steering motor still catch on fire?

dd74 · 01:52 PM

I'd just like to have a Mini Cooper (an S, please). But the battery version seems very cool. But like Island suggests, how much do those batteries weigh?

Moses · 07-21-2008, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd74

I'd just like to have a Mini Cooper (an S, please). But the battery version seems very cool. But like Island suggests, how much do those batteries weight?

It uses lithium ion batteries. Pretty light I think.

dd74 · 07-21-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moses

It uses lithium ion batteries. Pretty light I think.

Yeah, now that you mention it. I think that Mini appeared in Car and Driver or some-such magazine. So it must be AWD if there's a battery on each wheel. And probably well balanced (because there's a battery on each wheel).

Moses · 07-21-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd74

Yeah, now that you mention it. I think that Mini appeared in Car and Driver or some-such magazine. So it must be AWD if there's a battery on each wheel. And probably well balanced (because there's a battery on each wheel).

Actually, it's an electric motor on each wheel.

dd74 · 07-21-2008, 02:19 PM

OMG! 900-mile range? Yeah, I want one too! Now who in America is creating something like this Mini? There has to be someone...

island911 · 07-21-2008, 02:19 PM

IMO, the smart part of that car is that it uses a small gas engine to charge. As IC engines go, the more narrow you make the power band, the more efficient the engine becomes. --unlike the Prius, for example.

dd74 · 07-21-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by island911

IMO, the smart part of that car is that it uses a small gas engine to charge. As IC engines go, the more narrow you make the power band, the more efficient the engine becomes. --unlike the Prius, for example.

But doesn't the Prius use its gas engine to recharge the battery?

tcar · 07-21-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd74

But doesn't the Prius use its gas engine to recharge the battery?

Yes, and the brakes recharge also.

But the Prius gas engine also powers the vehicle so it's not running at a steady speed/power. It's not strictly to recharge batteries.

island911 · 07-21-2008, 03:09 PM

dd -I believe that the prius uses the IC engine for various loads. (various rpm) ...

(that is) Yes, it uses the gas engine to charge, but it also use it for driving. This means the engine must be designed to have a wide rev range. If the mini design uses an optimized (narrow) rev, the efficiencies (for the IC) go way up.

btw, I was 'into' hybrids back in the early 90's, and a student engineer on an SAE hybrid project car. ...and why I've been no fan of the Prius. (too Rube Goldburg)