Who will win the race to bring a fully alternative fuel vehicle to drivers concerned about global warming among the major car manufacturers? Well now it sees that BMW has established a surprise advantage as it signs up green-minded drivers to test an all-electric version of the MINI Cooper.
The vehicle which has two seats, just enough storage for a gym bag and a range of 120 miles will be leased in South California and the metropolitan areas of New York and New Jersey by March this year. Applicants who wish to test-drive the vehicle can pay $850 a month for one year.
The BMW MINI Cooper has a number of impressive features including a noise-free engine that travels from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and a braking system that allows drivers to slow the car down while transferring the energy to the battery through a process called regenerative braking.
The company has effectively stolen a march on its high profile rivals Nissan and General Motors by bringing the car to testing. It says that it wants to see how drivers react to a limited range vehicle and how well its lithium-ion battery holds up during daily use. Those chosen for the trial must keep an online log of their experiences.
BMW however, has yet to commit as to when the electric car will be ready for mass production and with both the Chevrolet Volt and an all-electric from Nissan planned for 2010 the race is on to be the leader of the pack.
