BMW Exporting 500 Prius Killers For California Testing

BMW Exporting 500 Prius Killers For California Testing
BMW plans to export nearly 500 electric versions of its Mini car to California, company sources said.

The electric Minis are being built at the Mini factory in Oxford, England, without engines, gearboxes or fuel tanks, then shipped to Munich, Germany, where they are being fitted with electric powertrains.

BMW sources told Automotive News Europe that 490 of the Minis will be leased to selected customers in California and 10 will be used as show cars.

The electric Minis are painted silver and have yellow roofs, the sources said.

BMW engineers working on the electric Minis are part of a new division called Project i established by the automaker to develop low-emission city cars.


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silver1silver1 - 7/9/2008 12:11:38 PM
-16 Boost
Mini Cooper a Prius Killer??? Very funny title....April fools was 3 months ago...


Agent009Agent009 - 7/9/2008 12:19:34 PM
+6 Boost
In many ways yes...


silver1silver1 - 7/9/2008 2:09:15 PM
-12 Boost
How? The all New 2010 Prius is going to between 60mpg-80mpg, and thats not including the lithium ion batteries that the prius will be packing in 2011 that will send the MPG to a soaring 113mpg.... I highly doubt it that this 7-series-Mini Cooper will beat that...


mscottc1mscottc1 - 7/9/2008 3:51:01 PM
+3 Boost
PAY ATTENTION. AND READ. It very clearly says ELECTRIC powertrain, not hybrid. So the whole MPG thing is irrelevent.


silver1silver1 - 7/9/2008 4:03:20 PM
-8 Boost
Pay Attention. And Read. it says: BMW vs Prius


PorschinatorPorschinator - 7/11/2008 5:38:14 PM
+1 Boost
True. There is NO other reason to buy a Prius other than is saves MPG. Not one person I know that has one said anything else. Buddies have bought Honda hybrid since it looks much better and more comfortable.


vman1013vman1013 - 7/9/2008 12:20:06 PM
+10 Boost
If the Cooper gets anywhere near the MPG you can say bye-bye to the horrid looking Prius. Prius' are fugly POS'. If not for $4 per gallon gas noone other than a few celeb activists would be talking about them.


EL34EL34 - 7/9/2008 12:25:13 PM
+9 Boost
The Prius can't help it, it looks like a golf cart.

The Mini is a gresat lookin' car ;->


american_madeamerican_made - 7/9/2008 12:41:55 PM
-1 Boost
WRONG:
#1 you can't spell
#2 the Prius looks like a bar of Dove Soap


IVANURI97IVANURI97 - 7/9/2008 2:02:39 PM
+8 Boost
The Prius looks like an armadillo.


silver1silver1 - 7/9/2008 2:23:28 PM
-10 Boost
The 7-series-Mini Cooper looks like a Beetle....(the big)


quizzquizz - 7/9/2008 4:28:45 PM
+7 Boost
ROFL Prius=design icon?!??

A design icon has to be considered attractive at some point in its history - the Prius was never attractive from the day it hatched. Modern? Yes. But NOT attractive.






audirevolutionaudirevolution - 7/9/2008 4:59:34 PM
+9 Boost
I always thought the Prius looked like a Hamster.


audirevolutionaudirevolution - 7/9/2008 5:00:10 PM
+8 Boost
And Micheal Taylor,

If you think a Prius is sexy, I would hate to see how your girlfriend looks.


BoredBored - 7/9/2008 5:13:15 PM
+5 Boost
@ the troll MT,

You have a girlfriend!?
WOW!, I'm impressed.
Is she real flesh and blood,
a "RealDoll" that you play "Doctor" with,
or is it the tailpipes of your Toyota that I told you to stay away from?


agent507agent507 - 7/10/2008 2:02:24 AM
+1 Boost
@MT:
Your girlfriend thinks it looks like something from Star Trek? Oh my god. How old is she? Is your relationship legal? LMAO


ghosthunterghosthunter - 7/9/2008 2:31:04 PM
-4 Boost
Agreed.

To quickly recharge a battery with that capacity, you need a lot of current. (the voltage is fixed to 110v). Having that much current is extremely dangerous and you need some really good electrical components with very low resistance or else it will heats up and burn off, and ultimately can kill you in an instant if you touch it. And don’t forget Li-ion is horribly unstable and flammable when reacted with oxygen. To carry something highly explosive is really not something I’d like to do.



BoredBored - 7/9/2008 5:30:25 PM
+3 Boost
@ the troll MT,

You said "The MINI is so overweight and impractical compared to the Prius".

Toyota's website listed the Prius' curb weight at 2932 lbs.

Mini's website listed the Cooper's curb weight at 2546 lbs. at its lowest with 6-sp. and 2800 lbs. at its heaviest as a convertible with auto.

So the Cooper beats the Prius by at least 132 lbs. and as much as 386 lbs.

I say "Your gurl has a FAT A**!"




Htay7500Htay7500 - 7/9/2008 8:42:47 PM
+3 Boost
aye!


85bmw745i85bmw745i - 7/10/2008 2:06:44 AM
+3 Boost
Hey STUPID why don't you research before you talk your rubbish nonsense. the mini is quite a bit lighter than the prius and is a hell of alot more fun to drive, especially the cooper S with the John cooper works package, blows the doors and batteries off of the prius and still gets over 30 mpg. the hybrid will be very fuel efficient.


sectorsector - 7/9/2008 9:04:43 PM
+1 Boost
remember, base IS250 = fully loaded 3 series :)


M35MTM35MT - 7/9/2008 1:46:09 PM
+7 Boost
Prius killer? Hmmm...what are consumers going to do with that oh-so-huge "mini" trunk? I think most of you forget how much cargo space a Prius has.

Mini: 5.7 Cubic Ft

Prius: 14.4 Cubic Ft



sectorsector - 7/9/2008 9:10:00 PM
+1 Boost
Mini has the wheel base of Landrover discovery, yet has the interior capacity of a dog house :)

although, since it looks like a dog house on wheels I guess it's alright...


answeranswer - 7/9/2008 1:47:45 PM
+9 Boost
Cool.

An eventual electric Mini clubman (with decent range) would be awesome.


sectorsector - 7/9/2008 9:11:23 PM
+1 Boost
the clubman looks like a coffin on wheels :)


_43LE_43LE - 7/9/2008 1:49:50 PM
+5 Boost
I don't think that the Mini will be cross shopped with the Prius. Different demograhpic altogether. Not only that, the packaging of each car is very different. Nice try 009.


raysatinaraysatina - 7/9/2008 2:01:26 PM
+4 Boost
BMW is getting aggressive on the greener side of things. Now what BMW needs to do is price it right and the buyers will bite.


Bmw8terBmw8ter - 7/9/2008 2:03:03 PM
-2 Boost
009....how about you turn on the Electric Mini's HVAC unit while commuting through traffic, and THEN decide if it's a "Pruis Killer".


SpeedoholicSpeedoholic - 7/9/2008 4:43:26 PM
+3 Boost
Lexus Fans: They are copying the Lexus LS 600h L bla bla ....

Mini could be my first car ... I really like it. I saw a Cooper S today, it looked amazing!


LemonadeLemonade - 7/9/2008 5:18:09 PM
+1 Boost
Prius Killer???? YOU WISH!!! This car is YEARS behind the current Hybrid trend. While the Japanese hybrids are focusing on innovative ideas such as solar roof, an improved battery (lithium) while the Mini Cooper get's an electric motor.. all of a sudden, it's a Prius Killer??? Agent009, you've really outdone yourself this time..NOT!


MZautoMZauto - 7/9/2008 5:28:40 PM
+4 Boost
Speed up the process. We need it asap!


LUXCAR32LUXCAR32 - 7/9/2008 6:02:39 PM
+1 Boost
wasn't their a post a few months back about diesel minis getting better fuel economy than a prius??? their only available in europe though so idk why they dont start bringin them here?


sectorsector - 7/9/2008 8:53:52 PM
-1 Boost
This is good on BMW's part, since the poor ergonomics of the standard mini will help you develop a back problem on any longish trips, the low range capacity of a battery Mini will discourage it's owners to take any long trips.


t_bonet_bone - 7/10/2008 1:44:46 AM
+3 Boost
Driving dynamics and style of a MINI with lower operating costs than a Prius? Who wouldn't want one? Does a bear have a bowel movement in the woods?


Agent63Agent63 - 7/10/2008 8:47:11 AM
-1 Boost
The difference between a Prius and a MINI is that the MINI's well built. Anyone who knows what quality won't back Prius on that no matter what mileage it can do. I rather buy a better built product than a car filled with cheap plastic any day.

Electric MINI wouldn't be a bad thing. You drive a small car for the convenience so an electric option would only further that convenience.


_43LE_43LE - 7/10/2008 9:43:04 AM
+2 Boost
Really? JD power rates the Prius build quality at 4.5 and the mini at 2.


dodgedartdodgedart - 7/12/2008 11:53:05 AM
+1 Boost
http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/02/all-electric-microcar-zenn-poised-for-us-release/

BMW has produced an alternative to the electric LeCar.

How much fun can you have on a five mile drive in stop and go traffic?


dodgedartdodgedart - 7/12/2008 11:53:08 AM
+1 Boost
http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/02/all-electric-microcar-zenn-poised-for-us-release/

BMW has produced an alternative to the electric LeCar.

How much fun can you have on a five mile drive in stop and go traffic?
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