Long-Term Road Tests

This weekend marked my first time behind the wheel of the Mini E. Fortunately, the only items on the to-do list were a few local errands, so the car's limited range wasn't an issue.

The E's aggressive regenerative braking took a lot of getting used to. As we've noted many times before, you rarely need to use the mechanical brakes with the E, since the car decelerates with a vengeance once your foot is off the throttle. It felt kinda like driving in quicksand, and I had to give a lot of thought to pedal modulation to avoid herky-jerky unpleasantness.

As the weekend wore on, though, the ride got smoother as I became more familiar with the car's unusual ways. Here's hoping that my enjoyment of the E grows as I climb the learning curve.

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor

Categories: 2009 Mini E

Beyond the usual EV inconveniences, the big problem with the Mini E for any serious Mini Cooper (S) fan is that you can't drive it with abandon -- because you're always worrying that big and/or abrupt "throttle" inputs will deplete your cruising range.

But last night, I knew I wouldn't be driving any farther than 60 miles so I threw caution to the wind. I drove the Mini E like I would any Mini Cooper S -- brisk pace, abrupt steering inputs, generous throttle inputs. (No, I never said you would like my driving.)

And I had fun. The E still feels something like a Mini Cooper S when you throw it around a bit, with quicker reflexes than I expected given its 500+ extra pounds. Two things stood out during the experience:

--> The steering still offers some usable feedback, but the ratio feels slower to me. More significantly, it has a much stronger self-centering tendency than in the Cooper S.

--> In the current Cooper S, a quick steering ratio and predisposition toward torque steer make the car feel like a frenzied ball of energy in traffic. The Mini E is rambunctious in a different way: Just about any amount of throttle, combined with any amount of steering input, proves to be much for the limited-slip front differential and lights up the inside tire. Maybe this is poor form, but this is where the excitement is in the Mini E.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 2,910 miles

Categories: 2009 Mini E

As I've mentioned before I love the quietness of our 2009 Mini E. Every time I drive it I leave the radio off and just meditate on its absolute silence. Aaaah. So Zen.

But apparently when you drive a quiet car you also have to do the thinking for other motorists, pedestrians and, yes, even pigeons, because seems like for a lot of them, if they can't hear it it doesn't exist. Can be a safety issue.

In fact, on the freeway this morning I came up on a Saturn Vue following this beater Civic pretty closely. Almost like he was trying to shove the smaller car out of his way. I waited for him to change lanes since there was a wide-open lane beside him but when he didn't, I went ahead. And of course that's when he decided to change lanes but at that point I was already in the next lane about to pass him. I guess he didn't hear me coming. I honked at him to make sure he didn't continue on his path. Oh wait, I can't blame that incident on the Mini's stealthiness. Saturn boy should have seen me in his mirror and/or out his window. Dillweed.

In any case, apparently there have been concerns expressed over how electric cars' silence can be a safety hazard. And Toyota and Nissan are actually researching sounds for their more silent models.

Sounds like a good idea. Heh, sorry. All I know is that every time I drive our Mini E I am super aware, never taking for granted that people and pigeons can hear me coming. Almost kind of scary. I fear the day someone decides to jaywalk in front of me and I can't stop or swerve in time. Shudder.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Mini E

Is it just me or does our 2009 Mini E sorta sound like the Jetsons' flying car? Especially when it's slowing down to a stop. Click here to hear the Mini.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Mini E

Just back from a meet-up of Southern California Mini E drivers - 10 cars were there, including Edmunds' No. 116.

Took the opportunity while gathered around the EV charger in the parking lot of the old Helms Bakery complex in Culver City (about 10 miles west of downtown L.A.) to ask the group some questions that might shed a little more light on the electric car experience for those of you who don't drive 'em.

Q:  Who drove the farthest to get here?

A:  Stan Sadorf, an optometrist from Victorville, Calif., who logged 98 miles on car No. 59  his way in this morning.  He said he stopped for a 1.5-hour battery top- up at a friendly cafe (with a free plug) and would be doing the same on his way home.

Q: Longest daily commute using the Mini E?

A:  85 miles, the round-trip that Long Beach-based driver Todd Crook (car 140) puts in to go to and frim his job at NBC Universal in Burbank.

Q: Least range anyone's chalked up?.

Continue reading 2009 Mini E: 141 Miles, Rusty Rotors, Happy Drivers.

Categories: 2009 Mini E

I usually have the same passenger every time I drive our long-term Mini E. And every time, he hums along to the ascending whir of the electric motor on its way to its 12,500-rpm redline. And as soon as my foot comes off the throttle, he hums to the descending whir of the regenerative braking. It has become a joke between us. There's a mix of humor, wonder and resignation in the humming, I think. By wonder, I mean that electric motors do sound sort of cool. And by resignation, I mean that neither of us is yet ready for a world where all, or even half the cars, sound quite like this.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor @ 2,699 miles

Categories: 2009 Mini E

So after spending last weekend in our Mini E and jumping into our 2007 Honda Civic GX last night, I think I'm able to develop a quasi-educated opinion about our two green cars. As you already know the Honda is our natural gas long-termer, the Mini E our electric car.

Honda Civic GX

Pros:

• Even though it has a small trunk at least you can carry three passengers.
• Awesome fuel range.
• Can fill at home with Phill
• Ours has a single occupant car-pool lane sticker. Woo!
  

Cons:

• The limited availability of natural gas fueling stations makes it tricky for planning long road trips.
• Not fun to drive but at all.

Mini E

Pros:

• Still retains some of its gokartness.
• I find it easy to drive in stop-and-go traffic once I got used to taking my foot of the accelerator to slow down, etc.
• No gas required.
• Can charge it at home even without a specially installed wall charger.

Cons:

• With only two seats and a tiny trunk, you can't haul much around.
• Takes a lonnnng time to recharge.
• Very limited driving range means you have to carefully plan your trips or take none at all.
• Would have to be your second car.

Which one do I prefer?

Continue reading 2007 Honda Civic GX vs. 2009 Mini E: Which Do You Prefer?.

Categories: 2007 Honda Civic GX,2009 Mini E

There's something about driving our 2009 Mini E that makes you think about the world in a different way. Maybe it's because it's so quiet that you become very aware of all the cars around you idling, revving and otherwise noisily burning gas.

The other day, I drove in the Mini E for the very first time, and as I left the office I was ruminating about the speed with which electric cars may come into the marketplace. I looked in my rear view mirror and lo and behold there was another Mini E right behind me! The woman who was driving it didn't seem anywhere near as amazed as I was to see another electric car so soon. She barely gave me a wave.

My 31 mile commute from Santa Monica to Long Beach takes me through neighborhoods with lots of four-way stop signs. With the aggressive regenerative braking I found that the accelerator pedal is actually a speed Lever. Press down to go, release to slow down. I found I could drive for long periods of time without even touching the brake.

Once at home, I had to take each of my family members for a ride telling them that this was a historic moment: their first ride an electric car which will be a large part of their futures. By the time I left the next morning for work, my distance gauge showed that I only had 39 miles remaining for the 31 mile trip. It was kind of scary but since the gauge proved nearly accurate I pulled into the garage with a 7 miles remaining.

Lesson one: driving electric cars requires advance planning.

Categories: 2009 Mini E

A couple of weeks ago, Dan Edmunds and I headed over to Adam Carolla's place to take part in his new weekly car-themed podcast, Carcast. 
Now, be warned, iTunes rates his podcast as Mature, and there is some grown-up language (never by Dan, though). Overall, I'd say pg-13. But use your discretion and click on over to the podcast to hear Dan and Adam talk new cars, electric cars, the worst car name of all time, and, of all things, air conditioning. There're also segments with  Rick Hendrick and Jeff Ross after Dan's wrapped up.
Dan Edmunds on Adam Carolla's CarCast. 
Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant

Categories: 2009 Mini E,2009 Nissan 370Z Touring

I had our 2009 Mini E this weekend and discovered that the thing I like about it could also be the thing I dislike about it. Namely, sound. Because it's electric and doesn't have a motor an engine, I love the fact that I can floor it and no one can tell that's what I'm doing until I pass them. No engine straining, no telltale roar that I'm trying to get by you. Of course, I sorta miss those sounds, too. But for the Mini E, unsuspecting and cute, I like that stealthiness. It's not great at stoplight drag races, though, as the tires tend to chirp and the car is really slow off the line; talk about embarrassing. But when you're already at speed it's great.

This morning, however, when I went to start the car and pressed that "Start/Stop" button, naturally there was no sound but after I shifted to "Drive" the car didn't move forward. Um. I started all over again to see if maybe I hadn't pressed the button. But since there was no sound, except the bells from the car itself, there really was no way to tell. Just that for whatever reason the car wasn't moving even though it seemed to be on. I had about 30 miles left on the battery so it couldn't have been that.

There was something about that unsettling silence that made me feel really helpless. At least with a regular car you can hear the engine cough or the click of the starter solenoid but here? Nothing. How are you supposed to know what to check for when this happens? Is the only thing you can do when your Mini E doesn't start to call the tow truck?

After a couple more retries, the needle in the "Chargeometer" sprung to life and moved to the spot before "50," a signal that the car was now on. The Mini finally moved forward when put in "Drive." Well, thank goodness for that. No idea what just happened but it seems to be working now.

POST EDIT: I took the Mini E to the car wash this morning and afterward when I jumped in it to try to leave, again it wouldn't go. Instead I got an hourglass warning light on the Chargeometer. I was just about to reach for the owner's manual when the car wash guy opened the passenger-side door. "You OK?" he asked. "Yeah, it's just not starting. It happened this morning, too." I replied. "Jiggle the wheel," he offered. Desperate, I tried that and sure enough the car started. Wuut? Later I looked in the owner's manual and it said that the high-voltage system was activated and the solution offered was: "Please wait until the high-voltage system is activated." Not much of a solution but apparently a little wheel jiggle helps.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 2,601 miles

Categories: 2009 Mini E

...driving our Mini E. And why?
(Barely applicable title, but when else will I get to use that? Honestly, I'll buy tickets to opening night if the 30 Rock people have the sense to make that movie.) 
Check back tomorrow for more. 
Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant 

Categories: 2009 Mini E

Lately in L.A. we've been experiencing a bout of chilly weather, 60s-70s. I think it's called autumn. In any case, I wanted to warm up our 2009 Mini E since this morning was cooold, so I put the heater on full blast. But after 10 minutes of driving on the freeway and side streets and getting closer to work, the air was still ice cold. Wuuut?

I took a look at the controls to make sure I hadn't inadvertently put the temperature on cold or turned on the A/C. Nope, it was dialed into red (blue is cold) and the A/C was off. It wasn't until 20 minutes or so into the drive that the warm air finally came on. But even then it was only just warm. Most cars I've been in would be boiling at these settings -- fan at full blast and temperature at the highest setting. Not the Mini E. Now if only this thing had seat heaters... Heh.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Mini E

I know someone already mentioned how quickly our 2009 Mini E stops on its own by just lifting off the throttle but I thought a video demo of it in action would help you see what we mean.

You see it slowing to a stop? That's all without me even touching the brake. And it even stopped at the line. The car feels like it's carrying a really heavy load when you stop like this and when you start from a stop. However, this sure was handy during stop-and-go traffic last night during rush-hour. Although I did worry that the drivers behind me would think that my brakelights didn't work.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Mini E

So I've got this pretty serious character flaw: I love blowouts. Sports, debates, elections, Iron Chef...it doesn't matter. I want to see the New England Patriots beat the New York City Public School junior varsity team 160 - 0. Leave the kicker out of the game, let Brady throw 5 TDs per quarter and then go for two every time. I would be glued to the TV for that one. I may even buy tickets. Celebrity boxing? Yeah, I'll Tivo Adam Carolla pummeling Clay Aiken and watch it every morning. I want to see Jeb Bush make Ralph Nader cry.  

Things are more fun when everyone's participating 100%-- If you don't want to be embarrassed, you'd better pick your battles.

Considering that, you'd probably be shocked to find that until this weekend, I've been saying the Mini E has been mistreated by our staff. That the whole electric car thing is a good idea. That a guy like me, a guy who lives 8 miles from the office and doesn't usually carry passengers/stuff, would be fine with a Mini E. I've been saying people shouldn't pick on the little car. 

Well, that was, in part, because I wasn't really driving the Mini. Time to take the kid-gloves off and really drive this thing.
Friday I hopped into our Mini E with the intent of forgetting this is a non-production electric car test mule, and driving it like I owned it.

Continue reading 2009 Mini E: Not a Real Car.

Categories: 2009 Mini E

I woke up too early this morning and decided to take Sunset Boulevard into work. As noted in my last Challenger post, Sunset goes from cruiser-friendly Hollywood to a winding ribbon of pavement past Beverly Hills. It was the latter section of Sunset that I was interested in - a wakeup cup of yankin' and bankin', if you will.

Continue reading 2009 Mini E: Sunset Boulevard.

Categories: 2009 Mini E