MINI E at 20,000 miles

Adding weight to the evidence that cars with electric powertrains can go the distance, a driver from New Jersey who signed up to MINI's EV leasing program has amassed twenty thousand miles in the last eight months in MINI E #250.

Apparently oblivious to the claims that EVs can't tackle the sort of driving that a normal, combustion-engined car can, driver Tom Moloughney, a restaurant owner, averages over 130 miles per day seven days a week. Charging with MINI's 220-volt charging stations takes around 3.5 hours which is apparently proving perfect as the car can be left to charge whilst Tom is working, and charged again when he gets home.

Tom says that the car can cope with 99% of the jobs he'd expect from any car, and even enjoys driving it, with none of the range paranoia that's often mentioned in relation to the short distances EVs can currently manage compared to regular cars.

After 21,000 miles the car is costing around 3c a mile to run (total charging cost has been $650 so far) and Tom expects to make 35,000 miles by the end of the year's lease.

(Image: MINI)

Edit: 7 March 2009 - Tom has his own blog - you can follow his progress trialling the MINI E at http://minie250.blogspot.com/

Facelifted Elise - lower drag, new engine

Autocar brings news that Lotus has given the Elise a mild facelift and some new mechanicals. The new look brings the car in line with the styling of the Evora, but importantly also reduces drag which, combined with the new engine option, improves fuel economy and reduces emissions.

That new engine is a VVTi Toyota powerplant similar to those currently used in the Elise, but in a new 1.6 litre displacement. The new motor will power the basic Elise S model, and reduces emissions to 155g/km of CO2. As a conservative estimate, fuel economy should be in the early forties mpg, yet coupled to a new close-ratio six-speed gearbox, performance even from the basic 1.6 should be as impressive as ever.

The car is expected to start arriving in showrooms in April.

(Image: Autocar)