MINI Electric Vehicles Education Page

The main difference comes down to its power system. A battery electric vehicle, also known as an all-electric vehicle (EV or BEV), is entirely powered by a battery and an electric motor. Plug-in hybrids (PHEV) have a dual power system that combine an electric motor with a conventional gasoline engine.

MINI, which is part of The BMW Group, responsibly sources raw materials from leading suppliers for battery cell production and has been manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles since 2013. MINI is committed to relentless research and development in the field of battery technology. The current generation of batteries in MINI’s all electric vehicles reflects this expertise and experience.

The ambient temperature, number of cycles, age of the battery (regardless of use), and other factors influence battery life. For your peace of mind, MINI offers a comprehensive battery warranty that also covers against excessive battery capacity loss (if net battery capacity is less than 70% of its original nominal value) whichever should occur first.

Regenerative braking technology allows electric and PHEV vehicles to recoup part of their energy during deceleration and braking storing it by recharging the battery.

According to the US Department of Energy (https://www.energy.gov/), all-electric vehicles produce no carbon dioxide emissions when driving and can significantly reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change and air pollution - which contributes to the improvement of public health and the reduction of ecological damage.

MINI USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC warrants the high-voltage lithium ion battery assembly against defects in mate rials or workmanship for a period of 8 years/100,000 miles for EVs and 8 years/80,000 miles for PHEVs, whichever occurs first. Due to its inherent technical design, the high-voltage lithium ion battery’s capacity will decrease over time and with use. If an authorized MINI dealer's capacity check concludes that the net battery capacity is less than 70 percent of its original nominal value when it was new, this level of capacity loss is considered excessive. During the High-Voltage Lithium Ion Battery Capacity Coverage period, MINI USA will cover the necessary component repair or replacement to correct this excessive capacity loss when performed by an authorized MINI dealer.

All-electric MINIs embody MINI’s performance legacy and engineering expertise. They are fun to drive, due to instant torque and linear acceleration of the electric motor. MINI EVs and PHEVs provide maximum torque from near standstill providing near instant acceleration, MINIs are famous for their go kart like handling. This fun to drive performance is maintained in MINI EVs with an even lower center of gravity - resulting in great driving dynamics, precise steering, and agile handling.

Just as with any other car, weather and other environmental conditions can affect a MINI EV. Extreme cold and hot temperatures may impact the driving range. Battery life is generally unaffected by typical weather conditions. Impacts on range can be minimized by using the pre-conditioning function which brings the car and battery to operating temperatures before driving off using power from the grid when plugged in.

Public charging stations can generally be accessed by opening an account with a charging provider, similar to opening one for a toll tag. Some stations also permit credit card access. Generally, after opening an account (usually online or in-app), the corresponding app will provide instructions for how to find, access, and if needed pay for charging sessions.