First MINI E delivered to customer
MINI E - Click above for a hi-res gallery
Despite thousands of people signing up for a chance to lease the MINI E, only 500 are being produced at this stage, with 50 of those destined for Berlin. Now, after months of winnowing down the list, the very first car has been delivered to one very happy customer. After meeting all the necessary requirements and having a charger installed in his garage, Peter Trepp took delivery of his shiny new ride last Friday. He had actually just test-driven one the day before and had learned then of his impending good fortune.
Numbered 111, the electric two-seater is Peter's to enjoy for a year and he already expects that the parting will be difficult. His first drive in his car, like ours, occurred in bad L.A. traffic but he was more than OK with that and enjoyed that entire slow ride home. Trepp advises other future MINI E "pioneers" that they will quickly get used to not having to touch the brake pedal. The regenerative braking is relatively strong and, he says, "not bad at all." Drivers won't have to worry about the people behind them being unaware when the car's momentum decreases as the brake lights will come on when the foot is lifted from the accelerator. You can follow Peters MINI E experience at his blog which he has diligently been updating since March. Congrats sir, and enjoy.
Gallery: MINI E
[Source: Plugged-In With Peter's Mini E via USA Today]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ghen 1:06PM (5/26/2009)
Congrats, but that yellow is ungodly awful.
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Yanquetino 1:26PM (5/26/2009)
I am green with envy of Peter! Can't wait to hear more reports from him and other lessees about their experience with the Mini E.
Peter has already confirmed something that I suspected: the strong regenerative braking might seem disconcerting at first, but drivers will actually learn to adapt fairly quickly and eventually deem it a great feature, something that every EV should have. That's my bet, anyway.
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Throwback 1:41PM (5/26/2009)
I hope manufacturers will allow some adjustment of the regen feature. For example, if you are coming down off a bridge, it would be nice to be able to coast without the car slowing too drastically.
gorr 1:54PM (5/26/2009)
I said and i repeat to sell these new sh&t cars and not just rent it with high-financial gimmicks compagnies put over regular car manufacturers. Regular car manufacturers have been bought by high-financial compagnies in the 1990's era and since that time refuse to evoluate and do competition between them. The consumers renting cars with these contracts is ruining themself and will never own anything and will end-up in bankrupcy and the used market for cheap cars will not exist anymore penalysing regular car owners.
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Joe 2:03PM (5/26/2009)
You lease them for the same reason GM rented the EV1. Nobody wants to pay Tesla Roadster prices for a Mini or Saturn.
For a proof of concept, leasing is the way to go.