Having watched the electric Mini concept develop with interest, I've placed an order this week. I've been interested in EVs for ages and if seems like a good fit for our family as a second vehicle.
It's a Level 2 in BRG with white roof and mirror caps, plus those plug-style wheels that went by the name "Corona" until just a few weeks ago!
The distinctive colour / wheel combination - chosen by our kids - is just the beginning of my trepidation, though. We'll be relying on a nearby 50kw charger and 3-pin home charging, which enough neighbours seem to get on fine with on our Victorian terraced street. Those lovely wheels will die a terrible death at the hands of my wife and our massive kerb stones - they look impossible to refurbish cheaply!! Plus 100 miles of range and the car's size will be a metaphorical and real-life squeeze...
But I'm convinced enough that the upsides are worth it and that we fit the usage profile well. (We also have a family van and used to have R56 Minis, which felt too small as the kids grew... but I miss all the same).
It also seems like a fittingly modern present to myself in my 40th year! One review describes the car as a heat-seeking missile, which pretty much convinces me.
I'm being told June or July for delivery. Who knows whether that's realistic, but I'll update here either way.
Congratulations! I myself might make an order when the dealers open their doors again. I think I'd go for Level 2 also. Haven't seen any bad reviews of it yet, everyone loves the handling and the speed. And who doesn't love a Mini? In the official top 10 coolest cars in history.
On the kerbing of the wheels, my wife just bought an ICE mini with lovely alloys. She has previous form for making short work of them so took out specific alloy wheel insurance.
I was sceptical at first but with the first kerbing occurring with the first 10 days of ownership we got to try it out. Other than having to wait about 10 days for an appointment it went very smoothly with the repair company calling to the wife’s workplace and completing the repair there.
Something to consider. I know I will be when I finally collect my new car as that sound of a kerbing wheel is sickening
With the factory shutdown for 5 weeks at least, I doubt you'll be getting one in June. People ordering in early March before the shutdown were getting August/Sept dates.
Did they email you with an updated delivery date post-factory reopening? I am kind of surprised they have not bothered to do this for me yet. There has been no news from them whatsoever. Meanwhile, the corsa-e has 5 doors and double the range....
No the dealer hasn’t actively contacted me at all since the factory reopened. In fact since the time I placed my order in early December they’ve contacted me just once. I just phone them now regularly and get them to check my current order status.
I took it for the test drive and cancelled the order. I felt physically sick because the suspension was so hard and the regen braking aggressive. Most of my driving would be in urban roads with lots of potholes and speedbumps and it is not a comfy ride. Compared to the countryman PHEV I found the ride hard, the weird ghost noise it makes put me off, and so dark inside due to the all-black interior, plus the lack of eletric boot closing. ON the plus the acceleration was really good and light on A roads, but as I said most of my driving is in city roads and really the suspension should be set up accordingly. Also the resale value they offerred me was derisory.
Coming from a 5 year old Mini Cooper I actually thought the ride was better. I'm used to excessive engine braking from riding big twin cylinder motorbikes and I quite like it but you can turn that down on them but then you don't get all the regenerative benefit. I like the fact that I've only had to use the brake pedal once to stop since I got it.
Coasting is more efficient than regen for range, I understand the like for one pedal driving in cities but wonder if the default should be 'off' to improve efficiency and range?
I agree that coasting is more efficient for range but at some point along the way you are going to need to slow down or stop quicker than coasting itself would allow. You either need to use your brakes or use the regeneration. Using the brakes over regeneration will decrease your range so from a range point of view it would make no sense to turn it off and would be less efficient.
The mini will still regen energy when braking with regen off (unless emergency stop using brake pads), it's just 2 levels of regen: high gives one pedal driving with slow down as soon as you lift off gas, low gives coasting and regen when and if you need to apply brakes. Toyota hybrids have 2 driving gears - D and B. with same idea. Arguments raged for years over which was more efficient but basically D was proven to have won (low regen level)!
Anyway sorry to get off topic.Really nice car, I'm thinking of getting one and would probably go level 2.
Yes but that's not off as there is still regeneration. I was talking about it being turned off. You can still coast in high regeneration mode, it just brakes harder when you're in braking mode. The lower the regeneration setting the less you get back.
I’ve got a level 2, only things I don’t like are the smaller media screen and lack of front parking sensors. Apart from that it’s great and handles really well on the corners.
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