2009 Mini E: Look, Ma, No Tailpipe

p.s. - the real safety worry is a repeat of the 'laptop batteries burst into flames' video, but BIGGER.

At least the Mini E resolves a Darwinian litmus test available on the Cooper S: leg burns from tailpipes. Look around and you'll find fewer Cooper S models have the nice, thick tailpipes because too many folks were burning themselves on them.

Not sure if the new owner of my Cooper S got the tailpipes yanked. Considering how sedately he drove, I doubt he kept the originals...

"Yes, you are...it's not the battery, it's the radio waves"

Is it really that unobvious? I'm thinking the original question has gotta be a troll.

I read a letter in Car and Driver once from a driver of the original Insight of how they got rid of the car because the radiation, or some such nonsense, causes cancer. The editors gave them a nice sarcastic response. I'm sure you've got nothing to worry about.

I'd be more worried about the food we put in our mouths.

Anytime you're around all that chemical, I'd be concerned.

Oh wait, we're all around it every day :) no wonder there is so much cancer, etc.

(yes I'm a pessimist on this topic).

I'd be more concerned about battery acid in a wreck or are these filled with gel?

I'm sure the batteries are many times more flammable and give off far worse fumes than the alternative.

Oh wait, the alternative is gas.

Never mind.

I can see at a track day the motors bursting into flames followed quickly by the batteries going. For a normal driver the concerns are minimal unless you live in Phoenix or another high heat state/area but I cans see if you push this to the limit then a fire hazard is very real.

The part that "may" cause brain tumours is the microwave-range radiation used by mobile phones.

The letter to C&D about the Insight was talking about electromagnetic fields. Generally the conclusion is that it's no more than what people get living a reasonable distance from high-voltage power lines.

Regarding the battery bursting into flame--yeah, I've never seen a gasoline vehicle catch fire. [/sarcasm]

Really? Really? The battery is what poses the danger to your head? Perhaps if it was flung across the room at you, clanging off your forehead.

I'm pretty sure any brain issues would be caused by the phone's signal, not its power source. But hay, strap an intern to the battery pack for a year and see what happens.

Yes, you are being paranoid. The cancer won't kill you too much. *nods*

Batts are safe on these, no acid either, whats probably more damamging to your brain is reading some of these comments ;)

oh, and the typos in them...oops

Ionizing radiation causes cancer. Cell phones don't emit ionizing radiation. Neither do batteries, for that matter. You're fine.

The question we need to ask ourselves is what do we do with these batteries in 10 years when they are used up? Are we gonna just create a special dump for them, because even laptop batteries are not supposed to be throw out in the garbage - never mind the 600lb car version.

Electric Car batteries have yet to rear their ugly heads when it comes to their true environmental impact.