Yesterday Roadfly announced the Best Green Cars for 2012.
#10 – 2012 Hyundai Accent
#9 – 2012 Subaru Impreza
#8 – 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
#7 – 2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv
#6 – 2012 Chrysler 300
#5 – 2012 Audi A6
#4 – 2012 BMW 328i Sedan
#3 – 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
#2 – 2012 Toyota Prius c
#1 – 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI
You can read the full press release here:
2012 Roadfly Green Car of the Year and Best Green Cars
Recently there has been a lot of speculation as to whether the next new MINI Cooper would be focused around fuel economy and building a greener MINI or maybe some sort of SUV. Within the fuel economy hopefuls there were basically two camps, the diesel camp and the hybrid camp. BMW, MINIs parent company has fuel efficient diesels on the shelf and plans for hybrid gas/electric BMWs have already been announced so a greener MINI had to be just around the corner. Well MINI showed their hand this morning with the announcement of a 100% electric plug-in MINI named the MINI E where the E stands for electric.
Here are the bullet points from the announcement. To view the full press release scroll down.
About the technology in the MINI E
Specs for the new 2009 MINI E in PDF Format: 2009 MINI E Specs PDF
More commentary is in the MINI Forum
Full press release from MINI
The BMW Group will be the world’s first manufacturer of premium automobiles to deploy a fleet of some 500 all-electric vehicles for private use in daily traffic. The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery, transferring its power to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox nearly without a sound and entirely free of emissions. Specially engineered for automobile use, the battery technology will have a range of more than 240 kilometers, or 150 miles. The MINI E will initially be made available to select private and corporate customers as part of a pilot project in the US states of California, New York and New Jersey. The possibility of offering the MINI E in Europe as well is currently being considered. The MINI E will give its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19 and 20, 2008.
The MINI E’s electric drive train produces a peak torque of 220 Newton meters, delivering seamless acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 152 km/h (95 mph). Featuring a suspension system tuned to match its weight distribution, the MINI E sports the brand’s hallmark agility and outstanding handling.
By introducing the MINI E, the BMW Group is underscoring the resolve with which it works towards reducing energy consumption and emissions in road traffic. The BMW Group is drawing on its unique technological expertise in the field of drive systems to develop a vehicle concept enabling zero emissions without renouncing the joy of driving. Putting some 500 cars on the road under real daily traffic conditions will make it possible to gain widely applicable hands-on experience. Evaluating these findings will generate valuable know-how, which will be factored into the engineering of mass-produced vehicles.
The BMW Group aims to start series production of all-electric vehicles over the medium term as part of its Number ONE strategy. The development of innovative concepts for mobility in big-city conurbations within the scope of “project i” has a similar thrust, as its objective also includes making use of an all-electric power train.
The energy storage unit: cutting-edge lithium-ion technology engineered specifically for use in the MINI.
Based on the current MINI, the car will initially be available as a two-seater. The space taken up by back-seat passengers in the series model has been reserved for the lithium-ion battery. When in use in the zero-emissions MINI, the battery unit combines high output with ample storage capacity and a small footprint with power ratios that are unrivalled in this field of application so far. The lithium-ion storage unit will have a maximum capacity of 35 kilowatt hours (kWh) and transmit energy to the electric motor as direct current at a nominal 380 volts. The rechargeable battery is made up of 5,088 cells grouped into 48 modules. These modules are packaged into three battery elements that are compactly arranged inside the MINI E.
The energy storage unit’s basic components are based on the technological principle that has proven itself in practice in power supplies for mobile phones and portable computers. The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be plugged into all standard power outlets. Its charge time is strongly dependent on the voltage and amperage of the electricity flowing through the grid. In the USA, users can recharge a battery that has been completely drained within a very short period of time using a wallbox that will ship with every MINI E. The wallbox will be installed in the customer’s garage, enable higher amperage, and thus provide for extremely short charging times. Wallboxes fully recharge batteries after a mere two-and-a-half hours.
Driven by electricity: reliably, affordably and free of emissions.
A full recharge draws a maximum of 28 kilowatt hours of electricity from the grid. Based on the car’s range, a kilowatt hour translates into 5.4 miles. Besides the benefit of zero-emissions driving, the MINI E thus offers significant economic advantages over a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine as well.
The heavy-duty battery delivers its power to an electric motor, which transforms it into thrilling agility. Mounted transversely under the MINI E’s bonnet, the drive train unleashes its full thrust from a dead standstill. This provides for the car’s fascinating launch capability. The MINI E’s intense driving experience is augmented by its dynamic deceleration potential, which is also directly coupled to the accelerator pedal. As soon as the driver releases the gas pedal, the electric motor acts as a generator. This results in braking force, and the power recovered from the kinetic energy is fed back to the battery. This interaction ensures extremely comfortable drives – especially at medium speed with constant, but marginal, variation. In city traffic, some 75 percent of all deceleration can be done without the brakes. Making substantial use of this energy recuperation feature extends the car’s range by up to 20 percent.
Signature MINI agility in a new guise.
Weighing in at 1,465 kilograms (3.230 lbs), the MINI E has an even weight distribution. Minor modifications made to the suspension ensure safe handling at all times. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system has been adapted to this model’s specific wheel loads.
The MINI E’s brake system comes with a newly developed electric underpressure pump. Its Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPS) is the same as the one used in mass-produced MINIs. Both brake and steering assistance react to driving conditions and are thus extremely efficient. Even the air conditioning’s electrical compressor only operates if desired or necessary.
Design: unmistakably MINI, undoubtedly new.
At first glance, the MINI E is obviously an iteration of the brand. But its design, which is the blueprint for the zero-emissions two-seater, has been complemented by a number of visual cues that point to its revolutionary drive concept. All of the units produced for the pilot project will have the same paintwork and bear a serial number on their front fenders.
The MINI E’s coachwork sports an exclusive combination of metallic Dark Silver on all panels but the roof, which is clad in Pure Silver. What distinguishes the zero-emissions MINI is a specially designed logo in Interchange Yellow, depicting a stylized power plug in the shape of an “E” set against the silver backdrop. It has been applied to the roof, in smaller dimensions to the front and back, to the charger port lid, the dashboard trim, and – combined with the MINI logo – to the door jamb, in slightly modified form. The color of the roof edges, mirror housings, interior style cues and seat seams will match the logo’s yellow tone as well.
Moreover, the central gauge and the battery level indicator behind the wheel of the MINI E, which replaces the MINI’s rev counter, feature yellow lettering against a dark grey background. The battery level is displayed in percentage figures. The central gauge includes an LED display indicating power consumption in red and power recuperation in green.
MINI E customers will be part of a pioneering mission.
A 500-unit, limited-production MINI E series will be manufactured through the end of 2008. The project will thus attain an order of magnitude that clearly exceeds the size of currently comparable test series. Putting the MINI E on the road on a daily basis will be a pioneering feat to which both the drivers and engineers of the first zero-emissions MINI will contribute as a team.
MINI E customers will join forces with BMW Group experts to assist in the project’s scientific evaluation. MINI E engineers accord high importance to staying in touch with the drivers on a regular basis, as this will help them analyze driver behavior besides vehicle characteristics in order to gain the most accurate and realistic picture of the demands placed on a vehicle with a purely electrical drive in the select usage areas.
Special charging station and full service for every MINI E.
The cars will change hands based on a one-year lease with an extension option. Monthly lease installments will cover any required technical service including all necessary maintenance and the replacement of wearing parts. At the end of the lease, all of the automobiles belonging to the project will be returned to the BMW Group’s engineering fleet where they will be subjected to comparative tests.
The MINI E’s lithium-ion battery can be charged using a wallbox provided to MINI customers. Only lockable garages or similar buildings will qualify as homebases and power stations for the MINI E.
Maintenance by qualified specialists.
The electric drive’s high-voltage technology requires that maintenance work be done by qualified personnel using special tools that are not included in MINI service partners’ standard toolboxes. In light of this, a service base will be set up on both coasts, staffed by service engineers that are specially trained to perform maintenance and repair work on the MINI E’s electrical components. In the event of drive malfunction, these experts will provide professional support at the customer’s local MINI dealer or the service base’s specially equipped workshop. Technical inspections will take place after 3,000 miles (just under 5,000 kilometers) and at least after six months.
Production in Oxford and Munich.
The MINI E has already gone through the major phases of product development for mass-produced vehicles and passed numerous crash tests on the way. Aspects investigated besides passenger protection were the impact of collision forces on the lithium-ion battery and finding a non-hazardous location for it in the car. The MINI E’s energy storage unit emerged completely unscathed from all of the crash tests mandated by US standards, which are especially high.
Production of the approximately 500 cars will take place at the company’s Oxford and Munich sites and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2008. MINI’s UK plant will be responsible for manufacturing the entire vehicle with the exception of the drive components and the lithium-ion battery, with the brand’s series models rolling off its assembly lines concurrently. The units will then be transferred to a specially equipped manufacturing complex situated on BMW plant premises where the electric motor, battery units, performance electronics and transmission will be integrated.
We’ve already told you about ethanol-based E85 fuel-85% synthetic gasoline, made essentially from fermented corn. Certain vehicles available now can run on either this new E85 or the usual 87-octane gas we’re used to; so-called ‘Flex-Fuel Vehicles’ (FFVs) have been on the road for a while-and the Big Three are leading in the field.
With public interest growing, we requested a Flex-Fuel Dodge Caravan SE from the press fleet to see what living with one of these corn-burners would be like. Our first surprise came when we realized how little difference there is between the FFV Caravan and the normal minivans we’ve reviewed. There’s not even a badge or logo anywhere on the thing to advertise that this people-mover can run on fuel made from harvested crops. Even the owner’s manual doesn’t mention alternative fuels-other than an inconspicuous green sticker that reads E85 under the fuel-filler door, you’d never know, from a visual inspection, that this is a Flex-Fuel Vehicle.
And you wouldn’t be able to tell from driving it, either. Ethanol-based fuel actually produces higher octane, which could translate into more horsepower-but only if the engine is optimized for E85 only. Building an FFV that can run on either gas or E85 is only slightly more expensive than a standard fuel-burning vehicle, but you lose a few percentage points in both power and efficiency. Still, the Caravan we lived with drove just like a normal minivan, with plenty of punch from its 3.3-liter V6 and no extra weight slowing it down.
The 3.3-liter V6 is the mid-level engine option in the Dodge Caravan lineup, between a 150-horse 2.4L four and a 240-hp 3.8L six. The 3.3L is the only engine with FFV capability. Rated at 180 horsepower and 210 lb./ft. of torque, it’s good for acceleration we clocked at about 9 seconds to 60 m.p.h. More importantly, it feels strong in almost any situation-keeping up with traffic is no problem in this hauler. Also assisting in acceleration is the four-speed automatic transmission; for a minivan’s slushbox, it’s remarkably willing to downshift-and it’s plenty smooth, even while revving the engine to red-line.
In fact, the driving experience in our FFV Caravan was little different from the normal Caravan Limited we like so much. Although a fleet-spec vehicle (meant to be purchased in bulk by large corporations or government agencies), it was well-equipped with fold-in-floor “Stow-N-Go” seating for the middle and rear seats, and power-opening doors on both sides. It’s a lot of minivan for $28,600.
It’s interesting to note the differences between a fleet vehicle, though, and one built for the public. Although the days of AM radios, rubber floormats, and roll-up windows are largely gone from the fleet market, corners are still cut to keep prices down. For instance, our Caravan, while equipped with power locks and windows, still sported the most basic door panel design you can imagine. Nothing like the gussied-up consumer models, it’s all hard plastic and functional shapes. Niceties like fake wood, lighted switches on doors and the steering wheel, and alloy rims don’t make the cut, either. Dodge must’ve cut corners on the sound deadening, too-the noise from the motors that open and close the sliding doorsis jarringly loud; much more so than we’re used to. Still, an eight-speaker CD stereo was installed, as well as an overhead console with trip computer, thermometer and compass. It’s an interesting mix of basic functionality and creature comforts.
None of that relates to the Caravan’s being an FFV. In fact, the flex-fuel capability demands awful little alteration from your average internal combustion-powered vehicle. Alterations to the fuel lines, tank, pump and so on are the major requirements-nothing that takes up space or adds weight. Not only did our tester FFV Caravan perform like any other, it actually weighs several hundred pounds less than the Grand Caravan with the bigger motor, and thus felt just as quick. Even better, Dodge doesn’t charge an extra dime for the flex-fuel-capable 3.3-liter.
It is worth noting, however, that although they’ve been selling FFVs for eight years, Dodge and Chrysler is mainly offering the flex-fuel option on only fleet vehicles for the 2006 model year-thus our tester’s fleet model status. That’s a new phenomenon, and fortunately other automakers have not regressed in the same manner. Ford offers flex-fuel capability in the Crown Victoria, Town Car, and F-150 lines this year, while GM makes the technology available in most of its large SUVs and trucks. Even DCX’s own Mercedes brand offers an FFV C-Class, and Nissan has been selling an FFV Titan since 2005.
Besides the limited models available with the technology, one factor stunting the popularity of FFVs has generally been the availability of the fuel itself; since Flex-Fuel Vehicles can run on normal gasoline, owners mostly fill ‘em up with regular. We got nearly 19 miles per gallon in our tester Caravan-enough so that we didn’t need to refuel it during our assigned week-but visited an E85 gas station just the same. We found that mixing E85 with regular gas, in the same tank, did not alter the character of our Caravan at all.
In fact, driving a FFV is probably the easiest “green” thing we’ve ever done. It required no sacrifice in performance or usability, and not much extra cost. Hugging the trees even tighter, the FFV Caravan is rated as a Low Emissions Vehicle. And yet for a whole week, we cut our consumption of non-renewable fuel by 75%! (Remember E85 still contains 15% petroleum-based gasoline, and factor in the fact that most gas sold in America already contains 10% ethanol.)
Using an E85 pump is familiar as well, although there are no octane choices. E85 is currently selling for around $2.86-about 12% more than regular gas-but otherwise filling up was no different than ever.
Well, no different aside from the fact that the station we visited-near the Pentagon in Arlington, VA-is technically a military installation although it looks just like a normal CITGO. Most stations nearby-there are about 14 in the Washington, DC metro area; lots more in the Midwest-are attached to some government facility, but they keep the E85 pumps open to the public. Still, buying gas surrounded by government operatives does take a little getting used to.
In fact, we were told it was illegal to take photographs in the area-thus the surreptitious shots accompanying this piece. There was even a sign on the station door prohibiting members of the general public from purchasing anything but alternative fuel-we suppose the rarity of local E85 vendors is responsible for the exception, but we doubt they’re doing much to encourage civilians to drop by.
Still, the federal government’s Energy Policy is pro-ethanol, and tax benefits for growers and station owners hint that we’ll see more both E85-carrying stations and FFVs in dealer lots. Eventually, it may make a real dent in our reliance on foreign oil sources.
That seems especially likely now, given new developments in making E85 from crops other than the usual corn. Switchgrass, a weed that grows all over the continent, yields 500-1,000 gallons of ethanol per acre-which, at current prices, makes it the most profitable crop available to farmers.
Further fuel-saving technologies can be combined with flex-fuel technology-note Ford’s recent development of a FFV version of the Escape Hybrid, fitted to run on gas or E85; since flex-fuel engines are still standard internal combustion engines, they lend themselves to hybrid power rather easily. However, hybrids add a lot more expense to each vehicle’s bottom line, flex-fuel capability does not. If more new cars and SUVs were built as FFVs-GM has put 1.5 million on the road-and more gas stations carried the fuel, perhaps we wouldn’t need hybrids at all. Synthesizing the basis of our fuel source from a renewable, agricultural crop would itself allay concerns about declining oil production and dependence on the Middle East. Additionally, depressed agricultural communities would get a boost, the government could cut farm subsidies, and the overall trade deficit would improve.
The problem of what to do when the oil runs out-or when our enemies use it to hold us hostage-is a complex one. There are economic issues to consider regarding both the cost of vehicles and the money it’d take to be sure they can be conveniently refueled. There are environmental issues, especially as some technologies require using more energy than they generate. And for some of us, there are emotional issues as well; many Americans demand powerful engines, good acceleration, and/or plenty of room in their vehicles, no matter what they run on. Electric cars were one possible solution, but it turned out that the costs in energy and money of making and fueling them were untenable-plus, they’re heavy and slow. Vehicles running on hydrogen, or natural gas (compressed or liquefied), are slightly cleaner but require a hefty infrastructure investment-and still didn’t promise much fun. But with America’s new-car emissions as low as they now are, and FFV technology being just as clean, we’d venture to say that a widespread adoption of ethanol production and use represents the ultimate economic and environmental solution to the transportation problem. Fortunately, we can now also say, from first-hand experience, that the ethanol solution isn’t going to eradicate driving enjoyment. If Dodge can make a minivan that runs on E85 with no compromises, there’s no reason all of our favorite models can’t be engineered as FFVs without sacrificing power, handling, or space.
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