The MINI E made its world debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show and quickly became one of the most talked about vehicles at the show. In a press conference, Dr. Norbert Reithofer (Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG) announced that 500 MINI Es would be available to customers who live in Los Angeles or New York City. The target date for this is by year-end…that is, within the next month. This is fantastic news for consumers in those markets that are looking to be a part of this first larger-scale testing of the MINI E.

In the press conference, Reithofer said:

“The input and feedback from our customers will help us in preparing for series production. If any of you would like to drive a MINI E: Starting now, you can apply for one of the 500 MINI E’s on the MINI USA web page.

When we developed the MINI E we were able to draw on our experience: Back at the Olympic Games in 1972 there was an electric car from BMW driving alongside the marathon. This time we decided that our first car for customers with an electric drive should be a MINI. Lots of Americans love MINI. And they want to drive a green car.” (Source: BMW Group PressClub)

The MINI E currently has an approximate range of 156 miles and the lithium-ion battery that is used will only need approximately two hours time to completely recharge. The engine boasts a peppy 0 to 62 mph time of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 95 mph.

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Filed Under: Auto Shows, BMW

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