Electric Mini Cooper: Test Drive

Electric cars have gained a lot of street cred over the last year and a half, evolving in the public imagination from the milquetoast General Motors EV1’s of the 1990s to modern electric supercars such as the Tesla Roadster. Yet even with their new high-performance image, electric cars still have an aura of inaccessibility to them. These vehicles are either expensive (Teslas run about $100K) or still somewhat notional (Ford's Edge HySeries isn’t expected until 2010—and it isn’t a full-electric car anyway).

What may come as a surprise to anybody interested in driving electric is that you can have one of these vehicles right now, for about $50,000. The week after they let us drive their electric roadster, Hybrid Technologies brought a lithium ion-powered Mini Cooper by our New York offices for a test drive (see video) to show us, not the future of electric cars, but the present. Hybrid avoids the cost of developing a ground-up electric vehicle by ripping the powertrains out of standard vehicles and replacing those guts with electric innards. (Watch video of the test drive, story continues below.)

According to company founder Richard Griffiths, the Mini we tested sports a 78kW electric motor, can get up to 200 miles on a charge and recharges in six to eight hours. Inside, the only real changes to the Mini interior are that the back seats are gone (your batteries are now your “+2”) and the gas gauge now reads permanently empty because as far as your vehicle’s instrument cluster is concerned, you have no gas.

But that doesn’t mean that you have no power. The lithium-powered Mini takes off with gusto—not surprising, since electric motors have full torque available at takeoff. Handling and feedback through the steering wheel are identical to the standard gasoline Mini, but the throttle has a feeling of abruptness to it—the motor is either on or it’s off. Speaking of which, turning this car on is one of the most unusual sensations I’ve ever had in an automobile. Aside from the dashboard lights, there is zero feedback to confirm that you’ve correctly started the vehicle—no engine hum or vibration—nothing. In fact, I had to cycle the ignition key on and off several times before I could drive off. It brought to mind the horror film cliché of zombies closing in and a car that just! won’t! start! AHHHH! Oh, wait, it’s on.

On the whole, though, it’s as valid a vehicle as any other Mini, and Griffiths says the company is negotiating with several automakers to potentially make their lithium-ion powered motor just another powertrain option available through the dealer. Right now, Hybrid also creates electric versions of the Smart Car, Chrysler Crossfire and an assortment of scooters. Those interested in a four-seat vehicle can get an electrified PT Cruiser‹although that does entail driving around in a PT Cruiser.

Is a 90 to 100 percent premium over the sticker cost of an ordinary vehicle too much to pay to drive electric? It’s a good question. It would take years to get the money back in gasoline savings, but when it comes to the feel-good side benefits of driving a zero-emissions (we know, we know, we’re not counting the coal-fired electric plants), foreign-fuel-free vehicle, can you put a price tag on that? —Glenn Derene