BMW builds 500 electric MINI Coopers for California

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Jul 9, 2008 | 01:13 PM

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From: Zoo York

BMW builds 500 electric MINI Coopers for California

BMW is planning on building about 500 electric versions of its MINI Cooper for California. The electric Coopers are built at MINI’s Oxford, England plant without engines, gearboxes or fuel tanks. They are then shipped to Munich, Germany to be fitted with electric powertrains.

According to a BMW source, 490 of the electric MINIs making their way to California will be leased to selected customers while the other 10 will be used as show cars for advertising. The source also said the electric MINIs are painted silver with a yellow roof.

The program is a part of a new division called Project i established by BMW to test and develop low-emission cit cars. The new electric MINIs will help BMW meet new California rules that will require automakers to sell cars with zero emissions. A spokesman for BMW told Automotive News Europe: “BMW will announce whether it will build electric vehicles or not later this year.”

Jul 9, 2008 | 02:11 PM

Bronto

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Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 5,092

From: Gothenburg, Sweden

That's really cool! I wonder what the range of the cars will be? Do you know if this is the model which has four small electric engines in the wheels? I saw some picture of one electric Mini on the net a few days ago, didn't know it was going to be a real thing