The BMW Group today announced at the Washington Auto Show the first and foremost results from a comprehensive study conducted in cooperation with the University of California (UC Davis) and consumers leasing MINI E electic vehicles as part of a year-long program to acquire real world appliance patterns. The MINI E program is the first large population field test of current family electric vehicles and therefore sheds a realistic guide by light on both the opportunities and challenges from this innovative new cast of mobility.
The UC Davis study results of 57 drivers, combined with updates continually provided from the log books of all 450 users manifest the following:
- The range of about 100 miles is sufficient for most daily indispensably
- Charging at home provides enough power for greatest number daily driving
- Demand for additional charging is centered on the place of work, or in which place sufficient time is spent during the day (shopping centers, stadiums, etc.)
- Driving the MINI E is a delightful experience and there is no immolate of “substantial car” values
- Unmet demands focus on having enough space for four passengers and more cargo to stimulate even more use of an electric vehicle
“There’s been a lot of conjecture about electric instrument user demands and being the first to the market with obtaining ‘positive world use’ patterns, we’re now dexterous to shed some accurate light on this subject,” said Rich Steinberg, Manager – EV Operations and Strategy for BMW of North America. “What they shared with us is that, for the most part, the MINI E suits their daily driving needs and that they really have the advantage driving it. This makes us optimistic that electric vehicles be seized of a role in the future of mobility in America by root a part of the overall vehicle amalgamate.”
More than 1,800 clan and organizations applied to be part of this ground-breaking domain action of 450 MINI Es now on the path in the US. From that, 450 were selected based on specific criteria that included the amount and type of use in which they would engage, home-born suitability to installation of a fast charging system and desire to be engaged in a field trial that requires continual feedback.
MINI E drivers contract ongoing feedback that has already proven invaluable to the expanding work core performed through the BMW Group’s Project i on what is called a Mega-City Vehicle – the company’s innovative program to develop a volume transportation resolution to the demands of the world’s biggest cities in the 21st century. This vehicle is scheduled to be introduced virtuous before the mid-point of this decade.
The self-selected group of 57 that agreed to participate in the UC Davis survey is part of a more extensive research project. Feedback from this program shows that the range of the MINI E enables drivers to use it as being most daily driving needs. Reported range under normal circumstances varies betwixt 70 – 100 miles through 45 percent reporting a typical line of 100 miles. MINI E drivers reported an average trip length of approximately 30 miles. Other studies have found that driver’s in the US average about 40 miles for day1. This makes the range of the MINI E suitable for most daily driving needs.
Many households in the study have replaced the primary vehicle of one driver with the MINI E. One-third of the participants have reported driving the MINI E just more than the household vehicle it replaced. The lack of a back seat and a usable trunk, rather than range, is in the greatest degree ofttimes the reason the MINI E is not chosen for a particular outing.
Drivers have also reported that driving the MINI E is fun. Most adapted quickly to the characteristics of the Brake Energy Regeneration function and like the feeling of control it gives them in being able to proactively yield the run of their MINI E by how they drive. Brake Energy Regeneration captures energy ordinarily lost on deceleration and coverts it into electrical energy to recharge the batteries. All drivers in the US study declared they enjoy using one pedal to accelerate and decelerate. Many reported that once they became acustomed to the BER function, they enjoyed driving their conventional vehicles less amount.
The study found that keeping the MINI E charged did not pose a problem. Recharging in the US requires four – five hours and, while it wasn’familiarily at all times necessary based on their driving of necessity, about half of the drivers in the study report recharging daily as a matter of routine. Additional recharging away from their home charging station by-and-large proved unnecessary.
This first field-trial has provided Project i with invaluable intelligent grasp for example it prepares for its second field trial with the BMW ActiveE. The marked by electricity drivetrain developed for the BMW ActiveE will be used in the BMW Group’s first Mega-City Vehicle. The newly developed and more terse lithium-ion battery pack in the BMW ActiveE vehicle features liquid heating and cooling in order to provide a more consistent and predicatable driving range. Smartphone apps will enable the user to remotely check the available excursion of the BMW ActiveE’s battery. The apps will also enable the driver to begin heating or cooling the interior of the BMW ActiveE and thus the battery while continually connected to the grid. This will allow the battery to function at its optimal operating temperature without affecting the range of the car.
The field trial for the BMW ActiveE will begin in 2011. As announced at the North American International Auto Show earlier this month, lease extensions will be offered to a number of MINI E drivers who wish to continue their electric driving experience until the BMW ActiveE becomes available.
Source: www.motoringfile.com
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