2009 MINI E

YEAR: 2009
MODEL: MINI E (R56)
VIN: #8TK95531 
ENGINE: 150 kW (204 hp) Electric Motor
CURB WEIGHT: 3,230 LBS.
TOP SPEED: 95 MPH
PRICE WHEN NEW: $850/month for a 1-year lease
NUMBER BUILT: 500
BUILD DATE: 2009
COLOR: Dark Silver Metallic with Yellow Trim
OWNERS: MINI NA
LOCATION: Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
NICKNAME: Eve

When it was launched in 2009, the MINI E established MINI and its parent company, The BMW Group as the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic.

The MINI E is powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox, that is nearly silent, and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the battery technology provided an EPA range of 100 miles. The MINI E was a two seat only MINI as the rear was used for battery storage and prevented the installation of rear seats.

All the MINI Es begin as standard MINIs at the plant in Oxford, England. They were then shipped without their engines to BMW’s headquarters in Munich, Germany, where BMW added the 201-hp AC electric motor, a DC-to-AC converter, an onboard recharger, and power-control electronics located in the gold-anodized box located under the hood instead of an engine. 

The MINI E made its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19, 2008, and was initially made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot in the US states of California, New York, and New Jersey.

The MINI E was available for a 1-year lease at $850 per month and was an important test case as the MINI E was the cornerstone of the BMW Group’s electrification strategy.