Around the office, when the other editors discuss the 2009 Mini E, I often hear something like this, "When you're on the highway going at a steady speed the charge needle drops like a rock."
This was in my mind as I left the office today under full charge, the range showing 88 miles to empty. Amazingly, traffic was still moving so I cruised the freeway at a steady 70 mph. When I reached my house, 31 miles later, I had a range of 72 miles. So I covered 31 miles but the range was only reduced by 16 miles.
I'm not sure what uses the battery quickly but I'm guessing that, like an internal combustion engine, repeated accelerations are costly to the power source. Similarly, my smooth cruise produced a higher than expected fuel efficiency.
Regardless, the Mini's on the charger tonight -- just to be safe.
yellowmiata says:
06:01 AM, 01/ 6/10
Its really interesting to hear the many tales of how the electric Mini is faring under so many different conditions & drivers. Thanks for the consistent updates & thoughtful posts regarding this avant-garde vehicle.
Kevin
hybris says:
06:48 AM, 01/ 6/10
If there is one thing that I learned from this prototype is that EV's need to be babysat at all times otherwise when you need to go somewhere it will fail you.
texases says:
07:10 AM, 01/ 6/10
Hmm...this is exactly the opposite conclusion of other posts that indicated that high speed highway travel was worst, stop and go the best. ???
brn says:
07:25 AM, 01/ 6/10
The driving has a lot to do with it, but so does the battery. Batteries are not all that predictable.
majin_ssj_eric says:
08:25 AM, 01/ 6/10
Stop and go driving should be better for the EV because you can take advantage of the recharge on braking. At a constant 70mph you are using up ALOT of energy which cannot be replaced. If anything, this post further shows just how inaccurate and unreliable the range meter is in this car....
philip17 says:
02:57 PM, 01/ 6/10
At 70 mph you are using a lot of energy but you are also covering a lot of ground. So, timewise, stop and go lasts a longer time. But actually getting somehwere, a steady higher rate of travel covers a lot of distance.
Also, I'm wondering if, now that we've had the Mini E for a while, the battery is accepting a higher charge. Last night, after the range was reduced to 73 miles, I recharged it at home (110 current) and this morning it was up to 93 miles on the range. Usually, the most it indicates is 88 miles.
firstwagon says:
07:01 PM, 01/ 6/10
There really is no accurate way to determine exactly how much power is left in a bttery. It's just an estimate combined with an estimate as to how you will frive for those remaining miles.
Take it as a rough guide and you be fine.
"otherwise when you need to go somewhere it will fail you."
It hasn't failed anyone yet and the editors aren't exactly the most devoted group of EV fans.
Other then long trips it seems to work really well.
vt8919 says:
08:51 PM, 01/ 6/10
These cars would be perfect for someone like me who normally travels less than three miles to go to work and back, or drives a couple miles here and a couple miles there to do errands around town. If I kept plugging it in between uses, even with a standard outlet, I doubt I would ever drain the battery. Not as the main car, mind you, but as the second vehicle.
Personally, if I drove an electric car the same distance as my Outback, 99% of the time it would never go any further than 20 miles a day.
I just wish electric vehicles were mass produced and sold at a more reasonable price. Then you'd see many more people going to work or driving down the street in their electric car as opposed to driving their pickup truck, SUV, or any vehicle for that matter that's big enough and powerful enough to transport five people even though one person is in it.
brn says:
09:41 AM, 01/ 7/10
vt8919, you might be a good candidate for a NEV (Neighborhood Electric Vehicle). Their top speed is only good for around town, but they've been available for a number of years.