Me and my Mini-E

To better (warmer) days...

2009-12-31T21:05:00.005-05:00

So here we are at the end of 2009 and I realize that it's been over a month since I last blogged about my exploits with Mini-E #339. Well, with the holidays and all... (Did Thanksgiving and Christmas really go by so fast?)

And then there was work... Don't even get me started on that! (Why is it my job always seems to get worse when the year-end holidays roll around?)

What's worse, December here in NYC has been typical: COLD! And one of the things that I haven't been blogging about is how this cold weather has really curtailed my enjoyment of #339.

But that's part of the problem. I haven't really been driving her all that much this past month.

You see, I really do love the cold. I love the fresh exhilarating feeling of a brisk wind. Not to mention SNOW! (Hey, it's "Christmas time." It's suppose to be cold and snowy!)

But while I love the snow and cold... The Mini?

Not so much.

You see when it gets cold, the Mini-E uses a wee bit more power. Running the heater during the commutes when the temps are in the 20s drains the battery faster -- much like running the A/C in summer.

So, I've been using about 60 to 70% of the battery just to get to work in the morning when I've used 339's heater. Not much of a problem, thankfully, since I've gotten permission to plug in to the 120-volt outlets at work during the day.

But even then, coming out after a long day in the office, getting into a cold Mini and "booting up"... The battery gauge that after sitting on a 120-volt line at 12-amps for 8-hours (in the cold), I'd only go from 40% of charge left (after my morning commute) to about 80% of charge.

Sure, that's more than enough to get me home -- even with the heat on and "speeding" at 70 or 75 MPH. But don't expect me to make any side trips or run errands on the way home.

What's more, connecting at the 220-volt/32-amp charger at home wasn't all that much different -- mainly because it too, is an "outside" charger.

Case in point: I left the #339 charging on the 220-volt at home for 2 days -- the coldest days just before the snowstorm that left us with 16-inches of snow on December 20th. Overnight temperatures on those two days were something like 10 or 15 degrees below 0 when you took into account the wind chill factor.

With the cold and coming snow, I knew I wasn't going to drive #339 for the next couple of days. (And I never got the chance to bring her in to the dealer to swap her regular "run-flat tires" for snow tires -- all part of the "free maintenance" for us "Mini-E Pioneers.") So, I decided to move her into the garage.

I disconnected her from the juice and booted her up on the 19th -- the night before the storm, and....

Her battery gauge read "15%" charge.

Whaaaaa....???

After two days on 220-volt, she wasn't even fully charged?

But with the coming storm, I had no choice. I immediately stuck her in the garage and left her there -- unconnected to any electrical supply since the 120-volt outlets inside the garage can't handle the 12-amp constant draw of power.

Last Sunday, I did check up on her. I guess a week inside the garage and out of the cold elements "readjusted" her sensors because when I booted her back up, #339s's battery gauge read "58%" -- and that WITHOUT being connected to any juice whatsoever.

So, for now, Mini-E #339 has become a "garage queen."

At least until the weather warms up.

Still, I really would love to see what she does in the snow.

Maybe I'll still get the chance.

Not counting on it. But... Who knows?

Anyway, six months with Mini-E #339. (It was six months to the day on Christmas!) Six months left... And I'm still learning so much about her -- even when I'm NOT driving her! :-(

Plug in payoff!

2009-11-13T09:34:00.014-05:00

I was too tired last night to post this. But plugging in Mini-E #339 at work yesterday morning really helped!!!

Take a look at these pics I snapped (with the camera on my cell phone) last night when I left work.

This is completely AMAZING!

A 100% refill!!!

Again, not that I had any doubts I'd make it home even if I didn't plug it in at work.

And I seriously doubt that 339's battery really was "100%" since the orange "battery charging light" on her dashboard was still blinking before I untethered her from that lamppost. (It's amazing how DARK it gets now, eh? And it's nearly as dark if I had left work at 5PM last night! Blech!)

Still, I cruised home smiling. I had all this "juice to spare," that I actually took a route that was a bit further out of my way to pick up my sis. Oh, and then I went to pick up some prescription drugs at Walgreens...

Again, I could have still done this without having to plug in at work. But most likely 339's (mildly annoying) "gong gong gong" chime would've gone off sometime during that evening commute, warning me, "Hey, lookit me!!! I'm only going to go another 30 miles if you keep driving like this!"

No... The ride home was pleasantly smooth, quiet (except for the radio) and yes... Even well-paced. (Wasn't madly dashing home at 60 or 70 or 80 MPH like I sometimes do. Even though, with a "full charge" and all that juice to spare... I could've torn down the highways and byways like a small, silent, stealth mini-jet fighter. Could've. But didn't. :-D)

The results when I finally pulled into the driveway at home:

Talk about going from cold-weather "Range Anxiety" to cold-weather "Range Comfort!"

Let's see what happens when it gets REALLY cold -- like 20 or 30 degrees cold!

She drinks while I work

2009-11-11T18:12:00.010-05:00

One of the things I was able to accomplish during my "radio silence" (the month of October): Arranging Mini-E #339 to be recharged here at work.

After signing a "memorandum of understanding" (MoU) with the managers who oversee the "facilities" (including the two employee parking lots) -- and showing off the car to the guys who do the actual work and maintenance -- I got official permission to plug in to one of the outdoor 120-volt outlets on the parking lot lampposts.

That's a "big" change, in a way, from when I was already jacking 339 in on the sly. (Not by much though, since the MoU basically doesn't guarantee me a spot next to one of those rare outdoor outlets. Nor can I hold the company liable if something happens to 339 when she's jacked-in.)

I no longer feel guilty about plugging 399 into "the grid" and sucking down precious electricity -- all on the company's dime... And without their knowledge. Nope. It's all "legit" now.

But why would I "need" to plug Mini-E in now anyway? After all, unlike before, I have a 220-volt charger at home now, right? My commute distance (about 30-miles each way) is still the same and with a high-voltage charger at home, "Range Anxiety" shouldn't be a problem anymore, right?

Not really.

You see, with the colder weather setting in here in New York, I've been noticing that 339's estimated range falls well below the 100-miles per charge that I got over the summer months!!

For example, on one particularly cold day in early October, 339's "warning chime" that I had less than 30-miles range went off after she and I had gone just 45 miles!!! I was on my way home from work anyway, so I wasn't really worried. (Not much, anyway.) Still....

78-miles?? Even though I had started the day with a FULL charge and didn't go any where else but to work??? Really??? C'mon....!!!

So, having 339 connected and sucking down juice while I slave away in the office might be a good thing -- especially on a day like today, where the temps are in the 50's... But it's overcast and drizzly and the wind's blowing so it feels a LOT less warmer!!! If I didn't plug in 339 during the day, who knows how far I'll be able to go at the end of the day? Or, even if I'd make it home? (Yikes!)

So, today would be a good day to mark just what plugging in 339 while at work might yield during the next few cold and wintry months!

Here's the info about my commute in to work this morning.

Started with 100% charge and 339's meter said I had "93-miles" to empty. (Huh. Well, I guess it was a bit cold last night, too!)

I drove my usual route to work -- a mix of highway and local roads. But... I never drove faster than 60 MPH. Ok, maybe one or two brief "squirts" of 80 MPH to merge onto a highway and/or pass a truck... But I never did a sustained 70 or 80 MPH. Really. I just stuck in the right-hand lane letting everyone else pass me on the left. (I've come to realize, why am I rushing to work in the mornings???)

Here are the pictures (captured by my cell phone) of 339's relevant dashboard data screens once I've pulled into the lot and parked next to my much-appreciated, work-supplied jack-in point.

This shows that I've traveled 29 miles this morning and went from a "93-mls" reading when I left home to "68-mls" reading when I got to work:

93 miles minus 29 miles does NOT equal 68 miles to empty. I'm guessing that some regen braking added some power back to the battery. Also note the temp (49-degrees F) and that I've gone over 5,770 miles since picking up 339 back in June!

This next image shows the estimated percentage of battery I have left 'til empty: 71%!!!!

And finally, this last shot shows how much efficient I was at driving to work:

From what I remember in the manual, this means that if I was to travel 100 miles at th same "pace" that I did in the last 29 miles, I would need 67-amps per hour to recharge 339's battery. (Don't quote me on that... I'm still confused at this number! But I do know that "lower" is supposedly "more efficient.")

Anyway... That was this morning.

I've now pulled in more than my 8-hours here in the office... So it's time for me to go and see what 8+ hours jacked into a 120-volt line at 12-amps has done for 339's battery!

Stay tuned!!!

Back in the saddle, again...

2009-11-08T02:21:00.006-05:00

Wow... I can't believe it's been almost TWO months since I last posted something about my Mini-E #339!!! When I first started this blog back in June (when I picked up #339), I knew there would be times like these when I just didn't have anything interesting to post—or even time to post any thing!!

Still... Has the entire month of October passed already?

Hmmm... Let's see... The Yankees won another World Series... Bloomberg has been elected Mayor of New York for another four years... All the tree leaves in Queens are dying and littering the streets... Yeah, I guess October has come and gone!

So, quick recap!! Since I last posted back in September....

Mini-E #339 went back in to have a faulty battery module replaced. The "Flying Docs" did their job and repaired everything for FREE under this "pioneer" program! And it seems like the Docs did it right. Haven't had any "bad experiences" (yet) with 339's over-night battery charging or driving range—although that last spate of "cold" weather in New York back in late September and early-October... (More on that later.)

The best thing: I had some major problems in getting 339 towed (flat-bedded, really) to BMW/Mini of Manhattan. But once again, this pioneering program really stepped up to the plate. I got several calls from BMW corporate on the day my 339 had to go back to the dealer for repairs. And the day after, I got a few calls too. Every call was to apologize for my unfortunate situation and "to re-assure" me that BMW/Mini strives "for the most excellent service" to their customers: ME!

Just "customer service" talk, you'd think, right? More "public relations" spin? Keep up a good face? Maybe... But one of the reps (I forget his name, now) ended his call with, "Well, Paul... We want to thank you for being so understanding over this whole ordeal, so please expect something in the mail soon." I didn't think much of it because...

I went on vacation the day after they finally flat-bedded 339 back to HQ in Jersey to fix her battery.

Vacation. For 10 days. To Hawaii!! Via cruise ship! From Vancouver!

Needless to say, that's why I didn't blog at all after my last post, "My Baby's gone..." Being out at sea for five days from Vancouver to Hawaii... I didn't really think much about "driving." (Although I did spend some "quality time" with her owner's manual.)

And when I did "land" on the Hawaiian islands, I really thought of--and deeply missed--Mini-E #339 on one particular occasion. On the island of Maui, I took the "Road to Hana" in a rented Mazda 6 sedan and let me tell you... The Mazda 6 is a nice car, BUT...

The Hana Highway is just a 68-mile long, two-lane road (one lane each way) with 59 bridges (49 of 'em ONE LANE only!) and 620 curves and switchbacks that passes through some of the most awesome scenery of waterfalls and coastlines and mountain rock faces...

It takes over 3 hours to drive that highway end-to-end because it's so twisty and narrow and steep up and down the old extinct Maui volcanoes!!! In other words, it's the perfect twisty, bendy to take a Mini Cooper or (better yet) a Mini Cooper Convertible! OR best still, a Mini-E Cooper convertible!!!! (Nothing like driving on a curvaceous, narrow road through some absolutely stunning natural beauty... in a tight-handling, fast, fun and eco-friendly, open-topped car!! At least that's what I was dreamin' of while working the Mazda 6's electronic gear shifter up and down during my drive! Nice!)

Seriously... If you're ever in Maui and you really really really REALLY LOVE driving... And I mean driving as in NOT "got to drop off the kids, pick up the dry cleaning, get to work, go grocery shopping, then pick up the kids" kind of driving... But real driving...

You MUST "do" the Hana Highway!!!!

I'm not one to spout deep philosophical thoughts, but... I'm convinced that whoever said, "Life isn't about the destination but the journey," must've come up with that gem after a trek on the Road to Hana!!! :-D

When I finally landed home in NYC after my high-seas and Hawaiian adventure, I picked up 339 at the dealer... Drove her home fine... And waiting in that pile of mail at home was an envelope from BMW/Mini "Roadside Assistance." Inside? Nothing but a $150 check!!! Thank you, BMW!!! Thank you, Pioneer program!! I see we're of the same mind-frame: "Talk is cheap. Action costs!" (And I didn't even ask for any type of "compensation" for that miserable tow experience!)

The first few weeks "back to reality" after that Hawaiian adventure, the weather in New York turned unseasonably colder!! As such, my battery and driving range took hits. There's no way to protect 339 from the low over-night temperatures (they fell to the 20s and 30 degree Fahrenheit at times!) since her charging station is located at the side of my house next to the driveway and NOT in a garage like many others', I suspect. Some mornings, I got in and her driving range read only "84 miles."

Another "fun" cold-weather dealing... Her TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) went off during one of my morning commutes. At first I thought I got a flat tire! (Great... and I didn't take the $300 insurance against the run-flats!!) But co-workers who own the conventionally-powered Minis said the cold temps probably affected the tire pressure.

After topping off all her tires to the correct PSI ratings and resetting the TPMS, all is well again. So far.

Winter should be fun! (Stay tuned!)
I met with and got "permission" from the facilities manager(s) at work. I can now park 339 and jack her into the 120-volt outdoor outlets on the lamp posts in my company's outdoor parking lot! So while I "slave away for The Man," 339 can get topped off with the juice being paid for by The Man!

Of course, it means I have to remember to switch 339's charge setting to "12-amps" when I get to work. (Last thing I want is to "blow" the work circuits... Or 339's portable "emergency" charger... or damage 339's internal circuitry!) And it means I have to remember to "switch back" to the "32-amps" setting once I get home, otherwise I won't have her ready to go in the morning!

So far, that's been going well, though. (More on that in future posts.)

And finally...
There's going to be a meet-up with other Mini-E owners today. One of the other "pioneers" has an Italian restaurant in Montclair, NJ. I apparently missed the first "gathering of the East Coast drivers. So, this should be fun! Stay tuned!

That's it. Sorry for the long post. But you're now all caught up.

I think.

My baby's gone...

2009-09-17T16:49:00.004-04:00

The second tow guy...("Orhan"[sp?] from Crossfire Towing, in New Hyde Park, NY) showed up... as promised at 4:30 PM.

He just left... So... After waiting almost all day...

My baby's gone... :-(

::sniff, sniff::

But we'll be together soon... One week, for your "fix"... Another week and I'll be there to pick you up!!

Feel better, 339!!

Final notes: TWICE during Orhan's visit to pick up 339, BMW called. One was an automated system. Called within the first two or three minutes to see if the tow had arrived. Five minutes after that, "Rick," the BWM Roadside manager who initially handled my call at 9 AM this morning called and made sure everything was now on track -- and to confirm that the original tow contractor ("JD Towing") is "being canceled."

Now, THAT'S what I call "customer service!!!!" Good on ya BMW!! (Finally!)

Anyway... I may... or may not enter into "radio silence" for the next two weeks. Since Mini-E #339's off "at her parents' place" (in New Jersey!) and being fussed over by the "Flying Docs"... I really might not have much to blog about. After all, this blog is about living with and driving her.

But then again, maybe in her absence I'll be able to reminisce fondly about her... and not other things. :-)

One last thought: Orhan (from Turkey) was a nice guy... Really was impressed with the car. (And naturally, while he's bummed that it only goes 100 miles between charges... was impressed with my tales of.. ah... "speed." :-))

Waiting for a tow...

2009-09-17T14:55:00.000-04:00

(As opposed to "Waiting for Gadot")

Forgive me for being a bit snarky, but...

I've got tons of things to do today before I take a two-week hiatus... From blogging... From work.

Yes, I'm taking some "down time."

And I thought this would be, then, the most opportune time for BMW/Mini to take #339 back and get her "faulty battery module #42" fixed.

But, I didn't want BMW of Manhattan to be out a loaner BWM for a WHOLE two weeks -- especially since I didn't really need a car during the next two weeks.

And, I also didn't want to go through the hassle of driving two of my cars (ok, the Mini and my sis' Prius.... Or my CR-V) into Manhattan.

So, taking a page out of my sister's book ("You know, you're paying all that money per month... BMW should be doing something to make being a 'Pioneer' worth the experience...") I asked BMW if they could just dispatch a flat bed?

It took some doing, but Aleks at BMW said, (essentially) "Yeah, shouldn't be a problem... It'll be covered under the 24/7 Roadside Assistance that BMW set up for you guys."

Hmmm... Even though there's nothing operationally wrong with 339?? I mean, I've been able to drive her and all. (Although I have noticed over the past few days that I've been getting less than 100-mile driving range readouts... Even though I've been driving "lightly" -- i.e. no faster than 60-MPH -- and giving her a full charge every night... and the "range-to-empty" meter starts the day off at "108" or "109"....)

Anyway... We "arranged" last week for a flatbed to come to my house today, Thursday 17 September.

I checked and reconfirmed with Aleks at BMW yesterday via e-mail.

We were all set.

'Round about 9 or 10 A.M., I get a call from BMW Roadside assistance.

"Hi, we're just calling to see if the tow has arrived..."

"Uh.. No..."

"Oh... Well... the tow company said they'd be there in about 15 minutes... Please feel free to call me if they don't show..."

11:30 comes and goes... I call back the BMW Roadside tech who called me initially... Got his voice mail. Left a message. "Tow's a no show. Gonna call the tow company directly (Thanks for giving it to me before!)"

Call the tow company. They answer (without even identifying themselves)... "Oh yeah.. I got a guy in near-by Elmont, NY... He should be there in like 15 minutes...."

Noon... 1 PM...

Call the tow company.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Oh sorry... My guy got a little hung up.... (Tow "humor???") "

"So?? How much longer do I have to wait??"

"Oh well, I can say an hour, but I don't know.. I don't want you calling me in an hour if he's not there. So, let's say an hour-and-a-half? And you don't have to be there, you know... Just leave the keys in a mailbox or something... You're at a house, right??"

Needless to say... it's 3:30 and they're STILL NOT here.

"Hello, BMW?" [STILL voicemail!] "I'm really... and I mean REALLY 'disappointed' with the tow service you guys are using..."

Five minutes later, the guy who first called my at 10-something...

"We're soooo sooo soooo sorry that you're still waiting... TO be sure, we will not be using this company anyore. And we'll get another company on it right away... BUT, we're also going to leave this order with the current company open... Sooo... SOMEBODY's going to get your Mini for us..."

Oooookkkkkaaaayyy...

Five minutes later, another call.. This time from another BMM roadside rep...

"Sir, we have a new tow company responding..." She gives me the details... 70-minutes.. 4:30 PM... Latest... And "Again, we are soo, sooo, sooo sorry to leave out in the lurch like that... Usually these things work much, much, much more smoothly... and unfortunately, this is one of the rare times that something slipped up."

::sigh::

Needless to say...

It's 3:45 PM... And I'm still waiting for a tow. :-(

When silence isn't golden

2009-09-15T10:06:00.006-04:00

Silent running...

It's one of the things about #339 that I haven't really decided how I feel about exactly.

On the one hand, I think it's a hoot!

How do I fully convey what it's like to be able to pull out of my driveway early in the morning -- or come home really late, like at oh-dark-thirty hour -- and not make a sound?

"Magical"??

"Mystical"??

Or when I cruise through a parking lot and the people walking in the lot that I drive by or follow (to get their parking space, of course) are just startled that this "car" is just there and moving -- and they just had no clue!

Priceless.

But then I started hearing/reading that people are complaining about all these "silent hybrid and electric cars."

Really?

OK. I can understand why blind pedestrians would be concerned about silent cars like 339. So, maybe it is a Good Thing(tm) that they're training guide dogs for the silent dangers. (Seriously!! Click the link!!!!)

And maybe under that pretense, I can understand why Japanese car-makers are considering "noisier" hybrids.

BUT... Why can't I help think this is a Stupid Idea?? I mean just look at Lotus' plan for external speakers on hybrid cars -- just so they can make noise to warn pedestrians when the car's in electric mode.

Seems extremely silly to me!!! Not to mention, an added expense and complexity 'cause now you have to program the computer to switch on the speaker only when the hybrid's gas engine shuts off.

And, oh, then you have to program it so the sounds that come out of the external speaker are loud enough at the right speeds...

And let's not forget about being able to program the "right" sounds...

Hmmm... The rumble of a V8 engine? The whine of a jet engine? Or should it be just a "beep-beep-beep-beep"?? Oh, I know... let's make it customer adjustable... You know, like cell phone ring tones!!!

Oh.

Joy.

Yet another annoying bit of noise that I would need to shut out mentally!

AND, it might come to next-gen electric cars. Fisker's already planning on it.

Still, it does seem REALLY STUPID to me. And, I'll admit, maybe that's because I'm such a "pioneer" and use to the idea of "silent running?"

I mean, I'm pretty much conditioned to rolling down my window and cranking up my radio when I pull into a crowded shopping mall parking lot. You know, so I can "make noise" as 339 rolls "silently" among the rows of cars and mindless shoppers -- those who are more intent on looking for their cars or struggling with their packages or yakking away on their cell phones or flirting and having fun with their girl friends rather than actually, you know, pay attention to where they're walking? (Honestly, you could be driving a big, rumbling, yellow, blue-smoke-belching school bus and they would be clueless that you're behind them!)

And I gotta question.. What's the point?

I mean, wouldn't a QUIETER world be an Even Better Thing(tm)?? Shouldn't we be working toward making ALL cars and other vehicles into electrical or hybrid vehicles? (You know, turning all those MILLIONS of vehicles in the U.S. into Earth-friendly transportation systems -- and "silent killers?")

And in all honesty, I can't wait for the day when I'm sitting in silence in stop-and-go-traffic because MY car isn't making noise idling (and wasting fuel!!!) AND because ALL the cars around me -- including that stupidly big, slow and ugly school bus filled with noisy brats! -- are ALSO silent because they're NOT idling and wasting fuel!!

And just try and imagine this: You're standing on the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street in Manhattan on a bright, sunny work day afternoon waiting to cross the street. And when traffic stops all you would hear is.... Silence!! No idling engines... No rumble of trucks and buses. I mean, they're there. But... SILENT!

Wouldn't New York... The WORLD... Be a MUCH nicer place???

So why are we still conditioning people to EXPECT cars to MAKE "noise"??? Why should something that is wonderful -- and wonderfully different -- be made "ordinary"??? Shouldn't we be doing the exact opposite??

But then, on the other hand... After all this "tirade" against adding noise to the silent-running electric car.... I gotta admit. I do sometimes miss the roar of a throaty V8 engine.

And to be honest, the geek in me is right now SCREAMING: "DUDE....!!! How cool would it be to be able to download a 'car tone' that makes 339 sounds like a Battlestar Galactica Viper?!?!?!?! Or maybe even like a UFO or a stealth fighter or an X-wing??? "

To make noise or not make noise??? Silent running or not-so-silent running???

I'm still torn....

Vive la difference!!!!

Why do I drive an Electric Mini Cooper...?

2009-09-11T11:13:00.004-04:00

Today, of all days, seems to be the day to answer (in part) this question:

Why did I choose to be a part of this Mini-E program?

It must be because I'm such a geek that has to have the latest technology, right?

Yeah, well... Maybe. Who else but a true geek would be happy driving a car that can go only 100 or so miles between fill-ups? Or, would be "ok" and otherwise accepting of the fact that it'll take more than a week to replace just one "faulty battery module #42?" (More on the pending repair in another, future post...)

Of course, that kind of attitude is to be expected of someone who's a dedicated "greenie," an "eco-warrior"... A person like me then, right?

::scoff:: As anyone who knows me well can tell you, I'm FAR from being a "crunchy granola, hemp-wearing, Wiccan-believing, 'Earth-child!'" Nope.

I still love my nearly 12-year old, gas-powered, CO2-emitting Honda CR-V. (Not as big of a gas suck as a GMC Suburban or a Hummer, say. But still, 20-MPG is on the low end of the mileage spectrum of "eco-friendly" vehicles!)

And if I use a Styrofoam cup for my coffee or soda or buy a disposable plastic bottle of water, I'm not whipping myself for "dissing Earth-mother Gaia" or feel I have to run out and plant 20 young sapling in remission of my "environmental sins."

Oh... well... Then, I must be the opposite! One of those rich snobs who have more money than sense and want to flaunt my "eco-ness" out of pure vanity...

"Lookit me! I'm elite!!! I have an electric Mini in this cute, distinctive livery... Available to ONLY 500 drivers... A select few who could afford to blow $850 a month on this so-very-rare, but so-very-Earthy-eco-chic car... for ONLY a year! I'm special!!!"

::scoff:: I wish... And as others remind me, for what I'm paying for #339 I could have gotten a really much-nicer, finely-equipped, lux mobile... a BMW 7-series... a Mercedes... But for a Mini Cooper??

("Boy, Mini must be/should be treating you like Royalty, then!" Hmmph!!! Another "I wish!!")

So why did I become a Mini-E pioneer?

In part: Because of Sept. 11, 2001.

I remember that day.

I worked (back then) for a news organization for one of the major TV networks. And I remember every single, horrid moment.

While many of us were glued to our TVs watching the news... It was "news gatherers" like I who were just flooded with information... TOO much information... And the sense of panic from some very "seasoned journalists" out in "the field" that day.

But of all the things I remember seeing... During those first 24 hours... And the days that seemed to drag on... Mostly, I remember:

The footage of people in certain OPEC nations... shouting... chanting... singing... celebrating what had happened to us Americans.

I also remember the week after 9/11, my sister picked up and drove home a brand new 2001 Toyota Prius.

Yes, my sister and I were "pioneers" back then too because we actually ordered the Prius back in April 2001 -- way before many folks thought hybrid technology was "ready for prime time" or worth the "extra cost." After all, gas wasn't even close to $2 a gallon!!! (Ahhh... the good old days!)

But, I was enthralled with the technology and wanted to show her how it worked by taking her to a Toyota dealership "just for a test drive" back then.

We weren't planning on buying a new car in April 2001. But after she drove it AND heard of all the advantages of (and dealer incentives for) the Prius... She was sold. ("How can I not buy this car?" I believe I remember her asking that day.)

And I certainly felt better because after Sept. 11, 2001, I truly believed in this simple equation:

Prius = less gas = less need for imported oil = less money to OPEC = less money to people who plan/carry out Sept. 11-like attacks = less need to send troops to said OPEC nations to secure flow of said imported oil = less "reasons" for people to blindly hate Americans!!!

Did we change the world? Maybe. (To say anything else would be pure hubris!)

I certainly know for a fact that for the weeks and months following 9/11/2001, we "Prius pioneers" were certainly stopped by a lot of people who asked us A LOT of questions... Does it really save a lot of gas? How does it work? Does it drive like a "real" car? Where do you plug it in? (Heh!)

And, I know for a fact that today hybrid car technology is much more prevalent among the minds of consumers and car-makers!

So, will I and the hundreds of other Mini-E pioneers "change the world?" Again, that would be pure hubris!

BUT, I do know that I'm being asked almost the same questions about #339 now as I was being asked about the Prius in 2001. (Only this time, they're asking, "Is that a hybrid? How come it doesn't have a gas cap?" Heh!)

Finally, in remembrance of this day, eight years ago...

A precious few -- despite over-whelming odds and impossible situations -- chose to stand and do what they believed was right. Even if, as was the case of United Flight 93, the outcome meant their death, that handful possibly prevented the death of thousands.

I don't know if Kennedy really said, "One man can make a difference."

But it certainly seems true.

So to all my fellow Mini-E Pioneers, electric car enthusiasts and friends... On this day, in the immortal words of Todd Beamer:

"Let's roll!"

And at the end of the day...

2009-09-03T20:41:00.004-04:00

...The grand experiment to obtain the most-mileage-yet from Mini-E #339 comes to an end.

From work to Kew Gardens to pick up sis... From pick-up to home... through some very light stop-and-go traffic....

But... Finally... Home.

339's now sitting in the driveway, sucking down juice. Her fans are whirring quietly to keep her battery's temp (which never broke 90-degrees today, BTW) in line with the ambient temps -- around the 70s -- during the charging cycle.

And the verdict?

Take a look:

That's right... 339's home with the potential for 52 miles-worth of travel. Fifty-two miles...

Add that to the 63.6 miles she and I have actually done today and you have...

115 miles

One hundred-fifteen miles, boys and girls!!!

Wow.

Seriously.

I am impressed.

Sorta.

I mean, yeah. Traveling (or "potentially traveling") 115 miles still can't compare to the range (and convenience) you can get from a conventionally-powered car. No, not even close.

But it's more than enough range for my typical, daily needs. And probably more than enough capability for most (if not all) commuters who drive to work.

And then there's the "hidden" bonuses from an all-electric car... No fumes from tailpipes... Much simpler mechanics (less maintenance)... The instant torque... The silence when pulling into the driveway late at night... ("Super-stealth mode, 339! Make it so!")

Still...

At what cost???

Driving no faster than 60 miles an hour with no heavy-footed acceleration -- even though those wonderful German engineers and eggheads designed my baby to go faster than 95-MPH?? And to be able to do so with no emissions -- except maybe a smoking trail of rubber on asphalt?

(Well, 339 could do all of that if it weren't for those pesky electronics, the speed governor and the vehicle stability control/tire-slip limiters!!! But I digress...)

Still, does being environmentally-friendly have to mean the death of speed, excitement, and good-old-fashioned-unadulterated thrill of being behind the wheel of a finely-tuned and well-designed piece of machinary that just screams, "Drive me!"???

Must we all, in order to "save the planet," give up the true joy of driving?? (Oh, the humanity, ladies and gentlemen... the humanity!)

Maybe I just need to get behind the wheel of a Tesla? After all, it seemed to knock the socks off of BBC's Top Gear host, Jeremy Clarkson.

Almost.

::sigh::

Maybe just as I've learned to (re)adjust my right foot... Maybe my "need for speed" attitude will (re)adjust as well.

Maybe now that summer vacation season is over -- and highway traffic builds back to the usual bumper-to-bumper stand-still... thanks to all those school buses and SUVs driven by multi-tasking soccer moms who just have to drive with one-hand on the wheel, head turned back yelling at the kids while gabbing on the cellphone... (But I digress...)

Yeah... Maybe once I get back into "real," everyday, New York City traffic-driving where it becomes painfully obvious that having a car that can do 100+ MPH is pretty much pointless since all you're doing during the entire commute is just sit... crawl... sit... crawl...

Oh, and all that expensive gasoline... just constantly burning away... while you sit... then crawl... sit... then crawl...

But I digress...

Anyway... Maybe I will soon have a complete attitude adjustment since school after Labor Day.

Maybe I'll be wooed once again at how 339's silent and comfy "cockpit" magically transforms those maddeningly slow "rush" hour commutes into a Zen-like experience.

Maybe.

Thankfully, I'll have about 10 more months with 339 to find out! :-)

Maybe. (Still waiting to hear from BMW about "faulty battery module #42.")

A very "rewarding" (but b-o-o-r-r-r-ing) drive

2009-09-03T09:38:00.011-04:00

I think I should probably really title today's post, "Learning a valuable lesson."

The lesson?

"Moderate right foot, go further in Mini-E."

I think. ;-)

You see, I haven't been in a "speedy" mood over the last couple of days... No compelling need or desire to get to work in a hurry. (Go figure!) Or, oddly enough, have I felt the need to rush home lately. (Very strange, indeed!)

Add to that nonchalance, yesterday's news about my Mini's "faulty battery module #42" and well... But let me start at the very beginning so you understand how I came to learn this "valuable" lesson in Mini-E energy economics.

You see, when I stepped outside of my house this morning, I was greeted with lovely 73-degree temperatures and slightly overcast skies.

Mmmm... The perfect autumn day. Too bad, we're technically still in "summer." (Autumnal equinox is still 19 days away, kids.) But I digress...

Anyway... Stepping into 339 this fine and lovely mornin' and starting her up, I was greeted with a lovely surprise.

Battery charge = 100%

Ok, that's good, Mini-E...

Estimated range = 104 miles

What?

Estimated range = 104 miles.

Huh?? I finally got triple-digit range on the battery? How did that happen? Was it the cooler weather? (The absence of the angry buzz of 339's battery fans during last night charging was a welcome relief.) The faulty battery module? The stars and planets all in perfect alignment? What could be causing this boost into this promised land of 100-miles (and more!) in 339?

Oh, wait... That's right... I drove home at a sedate pace of 60-MPH ("Snoozer-ville" for me...) last night.

Really.

After picking up sis from her Manhattan office late last night, I drove in the right-hand lane (the slowpoke lane) most of the way home, with only occasional "squirts" into the 70+ mile per hour range... You know, just to pass the lunkheads who think even 55-MPH is too fast! (At least those really, really, REALLY slow drivers were in the correct lane. After all, everyone KNOWS the road rule: "Slow traffic, KEEP RIGHT!" Right? But I digress...)

According to page 40 of 339's owner manual, that "cruising range" readout is "calculated on the basis of the way the car has been driven over the last 18 miles/30 km and current charge status." (In other words, 339's computer uses DOPE -- a military acronym, "Data On Previous Engagement," BTW. But I digress...)

Hmmmm.... Soooo... Since I drove the car so "conservatively" last night and now that she's fully charged.... I should get 104-miles out of her today?

Really? Let's just see about that....

Unplug from the wall charger.

Reset the trip odometer.

Reset the "average energy consumption" meter -- the readout that tells me how much juice I use for every 100 miles 339 and I travel.

Reset the average speed readout.

And off we go.

Drive local streets for 5 miles to drop sis off at the train station. Never went faster than 40-MPH. Coasted to each stop light to let the re-gen braking do all the work as much as possible. (Note: I even did not "speed through" yellow traffic lights, instead choosing -- nay, forcing myself -- to physically step on 339's brake pedal to stop at the intersection!)

Get on the highway. Here, I admit, I did put "pedal to metal" in order to get on the highway... But once "up to speed" (that lowly "60-MPH" benchmark).... That speedo needle never went north of that little mark next to "60."

Nope.

I stayed in that right lane, easing off 339's accelerator when I saw cars were trying to merge in... Yes, I actually slowed down... yielding to let others to get on the highway... to get IN FRONT of me (and 339)!!!!

Yes... I even let other cars and drivers pass me... on my left...

Other.

Drivers!

Even soccer moms...

Soccer moms driving big, honkin' SUVs...

Soccer moms driving big, honkin' SUVs stuffed to the rafters with kids, dogs, beach umbrellas, and sleeping husbands/boyfriends/lovers...

Soccer moms putting on mascara, drinking their Splenda soy latte and talking on their Bluetooth headsets while driving big, honkin' SUVs stuffed to the rafters with kids, dogs...

Yessiree, Bob... I kept to the steady, 60-MPH cruising I promised I would do in this "experimental" morning commute to work just so I could prove and know for sure that "slow and steady" meant better driving range with 339.

Even if it meant I was getting passed by grandma in her 20 year old Buick... or getting bored to tears with how "mindless" this commute was getting.

(Note to BMW: Maybe it was wise that you did not put in cruise control because I certainly would've relied on it in this test -- and then allowed myself to fall asleep at the wheel because of the sheer boredom of driving at a constant 60-MPH for 20 miles! But I digress...)

Anyway... the end result? Look at this picture, taken with my cellphone camera once I pulled into the company parking lot and set 339 into rest easy mode.

Yes. That's right... After driving Mini-E "conservatively" for 31 miles this morning, 339 was telling me she was "good to go" for another 79 miles!!! A potential total of 110 miles!!!!!

On a single, 4-hour charge!!!

That is...

IF I was willing to tame my right foot!

AND endure the tediousness of life at 60-miles-per-hour in the right-hand lane!

AND accept that fact that driving at 60-MPH means practically every driver in New York will be zippin' by me on the left.

Honestly... The only thing that kept me awake during this morning's commute was that I was constantly scanning for the 1982 Yugo held together by Bondo, duct tape and baling wire that was inevitably coming to pass me! But I digress...

::sigh::

All joking and satirical comments aside... (Really... I have nothing against big honkin' SUVs, Yugos, fall weather, or "soccer moms." Well... Maybe I do have an "issue" with distracted drivers, be they soccer moms or corporate dweebs who feel the need to yak on their Bluetooth while behind the wheel. But I digress...)

Anyway... Putting all that aside...

Yes.

I know.

Driving 60-MPH (rather than the "reckless pace" I normally do) is just plain better. Better for the car. Better for the mileage. Better energy conservation. Better for the planet. Better (and safer!) for me... yada, yada, yada.

But dang it all if I can't for the life of me figure out why such "better" driving is such a mind-numbing, soul-sucking, joyless, heartless, sad experience? (Anyone care to weigh in??)

:-(

Needless to say.... Yeah, I'm looking forward to tonight's drive home.

'Til next time...

My Mini's not 100%!!!

2009-09-02T12:49:00.005-04:00

I realized I never posted what happened after Mini-E #339 went in for her check-up.

Well, nothing.

At least, I thought everything was fine until today!

I picked her up at the end of last Tuesday and Aleks, the Mini service dude at BMW Mini Manhattan, said she came back with a clean bill of health from the "flying doctors" who came in and physically checked her out.

"Just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be good to go," said Aleks. "Next check-up, by the way, is 5,000 miles later. 8,000 total."

"Super! " I said. "So, ummmm... You guys don't mind that I sometimes... ah... 'push' her a little hard??" I ask.

"No, we want you push. Drive like this Mini like you would any other."

"Really? Even if I'm a bit... ah... 'heavy-footed'?"

"Well... How 'heavy'?"

"Uhhhh... Well... I know the Mini's [speed] governor kicks in at 95 MPH... And ah, I'm not sayin' that I... uh... consciously go that fast all the time.... Or even that I really want to or need to go that fast... But..."

"Uh , yeah... Well, the car has a governor for a reason, you know," said Aleks. "Wait... Where in New York [City] do you drive where you can hit speeds of ninety-five miles an hour???"

"Uh... I'd rather not say." And I flashed him a sheepish grin. "And uh... Like I said... It's not like it's a habit for me or anything...." (at which point my sheepishness turned to a slightly mischievous smile.)

"Ummm... Ok... Well, I suppose you know you can't sustain that kind of speed for any length of time..."

(Oh boy... you don't have to tell me about that, brother! I found that out all too... ahh... "suddenly." But that's another story. Maybe.)

"Yeah, I know," I said. "But 70... 75 miles per hour... That's about normally where I cruise..."

"Oh... Well... You should be fine with that," he said. "Of course, you know, constant travel at that speed will impact range."

"Yeah, I suspect it's why I'm not getting anywhere close to the estimated 100-mile range." (Me and 339 are getting around 80- to 92-miles per charge.)

"Yep. That'll do it," said Aleks. "But if you're ok with that -- and as long as you can make it back home to charge -- there should be no problem with driving it as you have been. Just keep doing what you're doing cause BMW wants to know if these cars will handle various driving conditions."

"Super!! I'll see you in 5,000 miles, then!"

At least, that's what I thought.... Until I answered my cell phone just now.

"Paul? It's Aleks over at BMW Mini Manhattan."

"Oh. Hey. What's up?"

"When you bought your Mini over for servicing last week, the engineers did a full download... and they found a problem."

Ut oh. I haven't, for various reasons, driven her daily since I picked her up last week. And when I did (like today, to get to work), I really did do an easy commute. Really. (The fastest I drove her this morning was 60MPH. And boy... Was it The. Most. Boring. Commute. EVER. Ev-ah!!!)

"What kinda problem?"

"It seems battery module #42 is faulty."

"What? 'Battery module #42?' 42 out of how many?" I joked half-heartedly.

"I don't know. All I can say is this is what the field engineers are telling me."

"Oh, ok... So... How bad is it? I mean I drove it this morning and I didn't have a problem with it. But to be honest, I'm wondering if that's why I'm still not getting anywhere close to the 100-mile range per charge?"

"What are you getting?"

"Well, I practically left it constantly plugged in since Sunday night. And this morning, the gauge still only estimated 94 miles."

"Well, I don't know," said Aleks. "Could be. All it says in their [field engineer's] politely-worded e-mail is, 'Please advise customer to bring Mini-E in at earliest convenience to replace faulty battery module #42.' How they can tell exactly which module is 'faulty' and what's wrong with it is beyond me, but... anyway... So when can you bring it in?"

"Well, how long will it take to fix?"

"Well, we actually have to ship the car back to..." ("Uh oh," I thought. "Not back to Germany!")

"...We have to flat bed it back to them in Jersey where the engineers can take it apart and replace it and run diagnostic.... I'm told about a week."

Nuts!

"A week? Really?"

"Yes, unfortunately," he said. "But obviously, we'll arrange a loaner for you."

(Gee, swell... unlike last time?)

"I'll assume you'll want another Mini," said Aleks. "And depending on when you can bring it in, that shouldn't be a problem. But on the off-chance, I can't... I might have to give you just a BMW. I hope that will be ok?"

"Oh, well... If I have to.... I suppose I miiiight be 'ok' -- Juuuuuust 'ok,' mind you -- with a 'lowly BMW'... I mean, honestly... If that's alll you have..." I said with obvious good-natured ribbing.

"Hang on a sec," I said. "Could you find out how urgently this repair is needed? You see, I'm going on vacation soon.... And well, since I wouldn't need the car anyway...."

"Let me check and get back to you."

Needless to say... That's where things stand.

::sigh::

A whole week without 339! :-(

But maybe a whole week with a Beamer???? Hmmmm... I suppose a 128i coupe? Or a 328i sedan? dare I dream of a 5- or 7-series? Maybe an X3 or an X5?

Oooooh... How about a moto? Maybe a K 1200 LT!!!

3,000 miles later...

2009-08-25T09:25:00.007-04:00

Yes, I can't believe I. Just under two months (I picked up the Mini-E #339 back in June 25) and I've already logged just over 3,000 miles.

And I'm still lovin' every minute of it!!!!

What's more, the timing of 339's "scheduled servicing" was nearly impeccable! After driving into work yesterday morning, I logged about 9,983 miles. Since BMW of Manhattan is just under 17 miles from my work... Well... I arrived at the dealership after work with about 3,001 miles on 339's odo!!!

Near-perfect!!! :-D

Still, it meant I had to leave 339 in the "loving hands" of the BMW/Mini techs -- who are waiting for the "Flying Doctors" (the gang of specialized Mini-E techs from BMW in Germany who are servicing all the Mini-Es in the U.S.!) to do all the servicing. Fortunately, the Flying Docs were coming to BMW of Manhattan today anyway to take care of another Mini-E. (I didn't see which one, though.)

Of course, nothing in this world is ever completely perfect. :-(

Since Mini 339 had to stay with the dealer (her "parents"??), I had to drive my Honda CR-V to work today!

Don't get me wrong. I still love my 12-year old Honda. She's a good old girl and I still need her since she still does things -- haul a lot of stuff from Costco, takes me and more than one other family member to the store, goes on long trips, gets me and co-workers to lunch, etc. -- that my cute and environmentally-friendly Mini-E #339 can't do.

And driving my red CR-V to work this morning, I'm reminded of how I "missed" those traits and other little niceties. Things like cruise control (Nope, #339 doesn't have that!) which can really help me keep my heavy right foot in check. Sometimes.

Oh, and a right arm rest for the driver's seat. Even though my sister hates the arm rest and always tilts it up and out of the way when she drives my CR-V, I love it! (It really helps when you're cruisin' down the road at a nice steady clip and all you want to do is "kick back" with your left hand on the steering wheel and your right arm just... well, "resting" on the arm rest. Is that SO wrong???)

And finally... The radio. I love my CR-V's radio -- an after-market Sony ES-series AM/FM/CD/MP3-disc/Aux input head-unit with IR remote control. It's not RDS-capable like 339's audio gear. But the controls are so much simpler!! Not to mention that I have a full four-speaker set-up in my CR-V. (Oddly enough, there are "fader" controls on 339's radio. But adjust 339's audio from "front" or "balanced" to "all-rear" and... Surprise! No audio! Why? Because there's only front speakers on the Mini-E since the battery takes up all the space behind the front seats -- the place where rear speakers would normally go!)

Still, this morning was the ideal commute with conditions that I know I would've been just thrilled to drive 339 through: Sunny, yet not hot... hardly any cars on the road...

In other words, I was c-r-u-i-s-i-n' down the road... music blarin'... blue-mirrored Wiley-X shades on... windows down... cool breeze blowin' through my hair... Just enjoyin' the ride with a smile on my face -- even though I'm going to work! ;-)

Oh, if only 339 were with me this morning!! (Oh, and if only she had the double sunroof option that's available to "conventional" Minis! :-()

::sigh::

Hopefully I'll hear from the Flying Docs later this afternoon and I'll be able to post something about her "check-up."

Le Parisien, Redux

2009-08-21T11:46:00.006-04:00

So, my sister reminds me that I never posted the article on me and Mini-E #339.

My bad.

The reporter, Monsieur Pascal Giberné, was kind enough to send a PDF of the page of the Paris paper that had his article. If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can see the file here:

PDF of Le Parisiene.

But here's the snippet (a small section of the page) with me and Mini-E:

The translation (Thanks, Tara!):

Paul Eng is among just 500 people in the United States selected by BMJ to spend a year testing the Mini E, the first electric car from the German manufacturer. This 42-year-old web designer from Queens, New York, was interested in the technology behind it. Testers must still pay a monthly fee of $850. “This is the future,” points out Paul, who for that price could have rented a Lamborghini. “It’s my small contribution towards the tough challenge of reviving the automobile industry.” The Mini E (which would cost $50,000) can cover 161 km when filled up, powered by a 150 kilowatt (200 horsepower) engine. To charge his car, Paul Eng uses two lines of 220 volts and 32 amps that were installed by BMW technicians. At an estimated 18 cents per kilowatt-hour, it costs just $5 to recharge the battery. “I no longer have to worry about the cost of gas,” explains Paul Eng, who covers 90 km a day to get to work. Icing on the cake: the Mini E is capable of reaching 150 km/hr.

My Mini-E, my soul mate?

2009-08-20T21:46:00.008-04:00

Things have been too busy for me to blog lately. (Hey, I said from the git-go that I "have a life" outside of the blog-o-sphere!)

Still, I'll admit it would be a bit of a "cop-out" if all I did for this short entry is write, "Still drivin' the Mini-E #339. Still lovin' it." (Even though both statements are 100% true!)

So, let me impart one piece of insight that has struck me over the last few days:

If Mini-E #339 truly was a flesh-and-bones "she" (and not the personified "she" that I've taken to using here) I believe she would be my "soul mate."

What?

Yeah, that's right. I said it and I'll say it again...

"My soul mate."

"My match."

"My equal."

"'The one' that 'understands me,' 'gets me,' and just 'completes me' on 'so many levels' -- just like I do for her (I hope)."

Now, before you go running to call for the padded wagon and the nice people who'll fit me for that very special jacket that makes me hug myself and ties in the back, lemme 'splain...

As those of you who live in the great city of New York (and surrounding 'burbs) know, the last few days have been scorchers.

Hazy, hot and humid days where temperatures have soared into the high-80s, low-90s -- but feel more like high-90s, low-100s.

Days in which spot thunder-showers (intense storms that turn the skies dark and send a flood of rain for like 5 or 10 minutes) seem to do nothing but just add more steam into the air... (Honestly, what else could happen but steam when "cool" water smacks into black, sticky asphalt that has been baked for hours under a bright, merciless sun??)

I hate days like that.

And so does my baby, #339.

And here's the proof!

Note the battery temperature -- that triple-digit(!) number just above the odometer reading of "002360mls" in that small display on the bottom. (I've logged more milage -- approximately 2,830 miles total -- since I took that pic, BTW.)

113 degrees Fahrenheit...

One. Hundred. Thirteen.

That's after driving only 40+ miles at highway speed (averaging about 50-MPH) for about 40 minutes... with the "ambient" (atmospheric) temperature was a "modest" 85-degrees Fahrenheit...

...AND, without using 339's air conditioning unit!!!

(Hey, if I'm going at a good clip on the highway, I love rollin' with the windows down and feelin' the wind in my hair and lettin' the tunes blare out and hearin' the electrical whine of 339's motor spool up and down!)

Anyway...

When 339's battery hits that level of temperature (113 degrees Fahrenheit...) "pioneer" driver like me get that funny warning symbol -- that gear thingy with the thermometer icon in the center -- just under the battery charge level's needle.

And what does that little symbol mean? According to page 101 of 339's owner's manual:

"Energy recovery limited due to hot high voltage battery. Be ready to brake at all times as the vehicle is not decelerated as is usual during energy recovery."

In other words, 339 looses its "regen" capability which turns the forward momentum (during "coasting") back into electrical energy -- and the ability to slow down without using the brakes!!

So, when that little symbol pops up, it basically means I've "lost" the "magic" that makes 339 "green" and "special."

In other words, it's 339's way of telling me:

"Hey, ease up!!! I don't like workin' in the heat either, buster!!!!!!"

I'm sorry, baby. (But thanks for telling it to me in a manner that I would understand! "Too hot... Must. Go. Easy!")

I'm even more sorry that even though I get to cool off in an air-conditioned office during the day, you're just sitting out there in the hot sun... your little battery fan whirring away, draining the battery even as you're trying to cool it!

And of course, these humid and muggy nights are not much better. Although you're plugged into "the grid" and charging, you're battery fan is going FULL-TILT (sounding like an angry restroom hand blower/dryer) trying to cool the battery down even quicker!

:-(

Note to BMW's engineers: Have you thought about "liquid cooling" or maybe adding some solar panels to run a fan to cool the battery (a la Toyota's 2010 Prius?) and possible provide some juice to run "standby" electronics (the receiver that "listens" for the key fob remote to unlock the doors and lower the windows, say)???

I'm FAMOUS... in France!(?)!

2009-08-13T12:00:00.006-04:00

I've been so busy for the past couple of days that I haven't been able to blog. My bad.

But given that my last post was about how psyched I was to be interviewed for a French newspaper, Le Parisien, I thought well... Time to follow up!

The story about me and my Mini, #339, did get published!!!

See:
Les New-Yorkais testent la Mini E

The story's accessible only through subscription -- and in French, which I don't understand. (Well... Can't really blame them for that, eh? I'm just another "ugly American." Deal.)

Still, I'm in the lede (the first sentence) of the story!!! Whoooop!

I'll see if I can round up an actual copy of the story -- and a translation! After all, I provided the writer with quite a few pics of me and 339, so it would be good to see the entire page with (hopefully) a pic of me and her together. (Like the one above!) And to be honest, #339 really deserves all the limelight, not me.

And to Monsieur Giberné: I owe you one sweet ride in 339!!! So call me anytime!!! :-D

All charged up!!!

2009-08-06T11:24:00.005-04:00

It's not just the Mini-E that's all juiced... But I am jazzed too!!!!!

I just got off the phone with a journalist for a French newspaper called, Le Parisien. He read my humble little blog and interviewed me for an article he's working on regarding Obama's massive $2.4 billion government grant for automotive battery development!!!

Check out the New York Times story:

$2 Billion in Grants to Bolster U.S. Manufacturing of Parts for Electric Cars

Anyway, I'm really PSYCHED!!

I didn't vote for Obama. But I like this move to push for battery development -- even though "the other guy" proposed the same thing during last year's campaign, too!

McCain calls for $300 million prize for better car battery
John McCain, Battery Booster
Obama joins the anti-McCain battery prize league (Consider this was in June 25, 2008, several days after McCain announced his proposal. See above.)

In general, I'm not a fan of most of the Prez's politics and thinking/direction... But I'm psyched that I'll be in a major newspaper (even if it is a foreign paper in a language I don't understand!), helping to push the Mini-E project. (That's my job as a "pioneer," yah?)

Moreover, anything that promotes/advances electric cars and revitalizes the U.S. auto industry (which, according to the NY Times article, has a big opportunity in this still-very-level playing field!) and lessen our dependency on fossil fuels from countries that hate and want to kill us....

That, my friends, is a Good Thing™.

Now, excuse me while I run out to the company parking lot with a few of my friends/co-workers to take pictures of me and #339 to go with this fellow's article for Le Parisien!

Stay tuned!!! ;-)

Spinning up 339 and bringin' on the grins!

2009-08-04T09:57:00.004-04:00

Last night, my nephew (Dan) came down from his home in Conn. for a job interview here in the big city.

After a night out with his friends, he arrived at my house at midnight to spend the night rather than face a 2-hour drive back to his parents' home in Conn.

Needless to say, since it was the first time he met Mini-E #339, well... we just had to take her out for a late-night spin. And needless to say, we were both THRILLED to be zooming -- and I do mean ZOOMING!!!! -- down the highway after midnight, when there's no traffic!!!

"Whheeeeeeeeeee....!!!" went all three of us as we sped down the highway!!!

And like every other "guest rider" in 339, "I cannot believe how awesome this car is," said my nephew (who, BTW, will soon be taking delivery of a 2010 Prius).

He was also impressed that we were able to rocket down (about 60 MPH) a broad local road without the usual ICE-powered roadster racket that would've disturbed every one of the sleepy little houses that lined the street!

Even more impressive, we crept back in to my own home at about 12:30AM without disturbing a single soul on my block or in the house, thanks to 339's "silent stealth." (Ahhhh... the blissful peace of an all-electric car at 2 or 3 MPH. )

That little high-speed sprint of about 5 or 6 miles cost about 10% of 339's charge that night. But it was well worth it just to see the grin on my nephew's face. :-)

Nissan's Electric "LEAF"

2009-08-03T15:45:00.003-04:00

Two milestone have passed. It's been over a month since I've taken delivery of Mini-E #339. And last Monday was my 42nd birthday.

I could wax poetic, nostalgic or even philosophical about these two "milestone" dates. How amazing is it that I'm still part of "the future" when it comes to transportation? I mean, I can still remember when I was a kid and I thought the year 2000 seemed "so far away"... How I'd be "old" at 33!!! But of course, so optimistic about the future!!!

"By then, we'll be vacationing in space and driving flying cars," we all thought!

Well, #339 is far from a "Magic Carpet" ride... But she comes pretty close.

And while I still think "flying cars" (a la "The Jetsons") is still pretty much a pipe-dream, I can't help but still smile when I get in #339 and thihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnk, "Yes, this is the future of cars! It HAS TO be!"

Don't believe me? Consider these links and pictures:

(LA Times) Nissan's greener-than-chlorophyll EV: The LEAF

(Pop Sci) Test Drive: Nissan’s Leaf, The Electric Car’s First Shot at the Mainstream

So, by "late 2010" Nissan will have a 5-door electric hatchback that seats 4 and gets about 100-miles tot he charge. (Highly encourage readers to follow the above links to get the full story and to see pics of the LEAF -- essentially a battery-powered Versa.)

Best part: Nissan thinks it'll street at just "under $30K" -- and that's BEFORE any government incentives!!!

Of course, this spurs a LOT of questions in my mind -- one of which, in light of this development, shouldn't BMW/Mini EXTEND the Mini-E program beyond the one-year lease to us "pioneers"??? (I mean, hey, you gotta stay competitive out there, no???? Keep the fact that THEY -- BMW -- had an electric car out there BEFORE the Nissan, right???)

IN any case, it certainly shows to me that "electric cars" will have a big(ger) presence in 2010 and hopefully "jump start" (sorry) the future of cars.

Now if we could only work on that "vacation in space," thing....

From 0 to 100% battery capacity... in TEN MINUTES?

2009-07-23T09:47:00.002-04:00

Yeah, that's the goal of the egg-heads at MIT. Check this out:

From Engadget
Video: MIT working on rapid recharging for electric vehicles

Wow! I wish WE could charge the Mini-E in 10 minutes!!!

Here's the MIT blog on the project:

http://mit-evt.blogspot.com/

And here's their latest video!

Mini-E #339 and the rain

2009-07-21T09:43:00.008-04:00

My morning commute this morning was the first time I've had to take my #339 through a steady driving rain. She came through with flying colors (a "rainbow?" ;-)), naturally. Still, in the back of my mind, there's always that "Electricity-and-water-don't-mix" kinda thinking.

One of the "nifty" things I discovered about 339 in the rain, the "quirkiness" of some of the controls is actually quite cool.

Take the wipers for instance. (Please! [drum roll: Ba dum dum dummm...])

It's not as high-tech as the "rain-sensing" wipers found on the luxo-mobiles from BMW, Infinity, Lexus or Acura. But there are still some niceties.

To turn on the front wipers in intermittent mode, just push in the button at the tip of the stalk.

Raining harder and need the wipers on permanently? Flick the stalk up once and the front wipers go at normal pace. Need speed? Tap the stalk up one more time and they go super-fast.

Need the rear wipers? Turn the "ring" on the middle of the stalk once and the rear wiper goes on intermittently only.

But here's the "cool" thing: The "intermittent" mode for the front wipers is sorta smart. How?

Let's say you start out with the wipers in intermittent mode. (Like I did this morning, because pulling out of say, just because it's only "misty" but not really raining big drops of rain.) But then you need to "switch" to a steady-on state, just tap the stalk up and let go. The wipers will go at "normal" speed -- until the car comes to a stop! That's when the wipers go back to their intermittent beat. Start moving forward, and the wipers pick up the pace and go back to constant on!

OK, so you might not think it's cool or a big deal. And I have a sneaking suspicion that this is "normal" operation for all wipers on all Minis. (But I have no idea since this is my first Mini.)

Still, it's a big deal for me since I have to deal with stop-and-go traffic -- especially when it rains here in NYC. (It's like a little water on the road and everyone forgets how to drive. Sheeesh....)

It was (almost) like having "speed-sensitive" wipers... Come to a stop and the wipers automatically slow down because you don't need the wipers slapping away (and make all that "chattering" noise) at just a few drops of water on the windshield. But pick up speed and the water is hitting the window at a faster pace (and it becomes more important that you're actually able to see the road and the cars in front of you) and the wipers pick up the pace.

They won't "kick up" a notch to super-fast speed... and they won't slow down until you come to a complete stop. (At least, as far as I know.) But still, the 339's front wipers are still "smarter" than the ones on my 12-year old CR-V!

Now, if only the rear wiper was as smart... (I really hate it when after sitting still in rain, all that water collected on the top of 339's flat roof comes pouring down the back window the minute I tap the accelerator to go forward!!!) :-(

Over 1,000 miles!

2009-07-17T09:02:00.003-04:00

Yup, sometime during this morning's commute to work -- probably as I was crossing over from da Bronx into Westchester on the lovely (and very rarely traffic-free) Hutchinson Parkway -- I hit that milestone.

1K today!

Wow!!! Just slightly over four weeks of "owning" Mini-E #339 and I've logged 1,009 miles.

Yea, yea ok... technically "I" didn't do all those miles since when 339 and I first met, she already had 30 miles on her. (I suppose someone had to drive her around the UK where she was "born." And then onto the cargo ship to get her across the Atlantic... then off the ship in Jersey... then onto the truck carrier to ferry her across the Hudson... and then into the BMW/Mini Mahattan dealership... Whoa... So how many people are we talkin' here who might've been behind 339's wheel before me?!?!? ;-))

Anyway... There's probably plenty I can write about on this momentous day with my Mini-E. But since I gotta do my "day job," really quickly:

PRO:

339 is still very much fun to drive!!
Driving by the neighborhood gas stations and watching the price of gas fluctuate is now more "amusing" than "frustrating"
I'm remembering how a "small car" can be a super plus bonus when trying to fit in a NYC parking space
More people at work are noticing how quiet and "special" 339 is -- AND stopping me in the lot or in the hallways asking for more details... AND rides!

CONS:

No more "new car smell" (although that might be a "good thing.")
A month into my 12-month relationship with 339 and I still ha`ve to get use to some "quirky" controls
Have yet to see "100-mile" range on a 100% charge ("94 miles" was the best estimate I've seen on her gauge -- and then actually travel about 80, and still have the "estimate-to-empty" gauge read "22-miles." Go figure.)
I have only 48-weeks left in this grand "experiment" with Mini-E. (Could BMW/Mini really take these beautiful cars and destroy them after we've driven them for a year? My heart breaks at the thought!)

Oh and to "celebrate" our milestone achievement together, I may be getting some nifty shirts.
Robert Ballard, who runs a nifty Mini blog called TwistyBlitz, has set up a shop of nifty Mini-E "swag." (Is it really "swag" if you have to pay for it? ;-))

Still, they're very cool shirts -- made of "organic materials," too!

And what will 339 get out of it? Hmmm... Maybe a nice, professional (hand) car wash and detailing. (I'd have done it earlier, but it's been raining off and on most of the weeks here in NYC. And this weekend seems like it's going to be perfect, sunny days!)

A gathering of "pioneers"

2009-07-14T22:21:00.007-04:00

Yes, that's me and my Mini-E #339 and if you can see behind me (HA!), there's a whole slew of other pewter-colored Mini-Es!!! (Click to enlarge.) [ Photo: DK ]

So, I've been too busy at work lately to blog. (Some really tense moments at the office, thanks to potential "staffing issues" -- i.e. "layoffs.")

And for the moments I'm NOT thinking about work... Well, I'm just REALLY enjoying my time with my Mini-E #339!!!

There's something really special her... And she still delivers. The silence I get while driving 339 in the company lot -- and away from the madness of the office -- is REAL relaxation... Almost as if I've entered into a mobile Shangri-la or Nirvana. ("Auto-topia"???) Not to mention, the 339's ability for near-instantaneous speed... (Wheeeeeeeeeee!!!!!) How could 339 NOT bring a smile to my face and let the stress of the work day fade as quickly as the image of the office building in her rear-view mirror???

What's more, ever since the completion of my 220-Volt charger last Thursday, I've been enjoying this amazing little car on a much more regular basis. Being able to completely charge the car to 100% every night so it's completely ready for the next day's driving tasks is just comforting. There's a peace of mind -- and great joy -- in knowing that the next day, I'll have the ability to experience a commute with the quiet hum of a steady cruise or the "Vrreeeeee...!!!" of a high-speed "gotta get there" pace or (more likely) something in between the two all over again!

Tonight, a different thing spurred me to (finally?) blog, however.

A couple of nights ago, I got an e-mail invite to a "Mini-E event" -- a cocktail party in Manhattan (@ a place called Environment at 18th Street and Broadway) for pioneers. A "mixer" so we'd get to know each other -- as if we haven't already through our many blogs!

Dirk (on the left) and I, hamming it up with my Mini-E 339 and her "stylized plug-in logo" on her hood. (Dirk's a big fan of cool stuff, and 339 is definitely cool!) (Click to enlarge.) [ Photo: DK ]

Now normally, I really hate cocktail parties, especially thrown by "corporate types" centered on a theme I might not necessarily cared for. And this one was almost no different. Lots of people, small bits of food, noisy, hot... And I don't do well in those situations.

Still, a coupla things made it "bearable."

My sis, who came as a "guest."
My co-worker, Dirk, who happened to be in the 'hood at the time. (And yes, thanks to sis, we managed to get him in to the party despite the "Private Event. Invite Only" sign on the front door and a very "serious, no-nonsense-looking, private security dude"-- an ex- or moonlighting cop, judging from his height, demeanor and swagger -- at the door.)
And finally, the sight of seeing a whole line of Mini-Es parked on Broadway!!!

That last point was a pretty impressive sight. More so, when you think about the string (and moola!) BMW must've pulled to get NYPD to set aside an enter block just for Mini-E drivers!

And naturally, it was REALLY easy for BMW (and the event organizers) to "spot" us Mini-E drivers coming. I (and my sis) in 339 was just pulling up alongside the line of other Mini-Es and immediately one gal and a guy was out on the curb, moving the cone that "reserved" the space, while someone else was snapping away with a digital camera.

"Can I take this space?" I ask?

"Of course you can," said the woman, "You're obviously a Mini-E pioneer!"

("Wow, what gave it away?" I thought. But dang it if I still didn't first think, "Wow! Just like a 'rock-star' or other celeb!")

Anyway, I wish I could say I enjoyed the rest of the event. But like I said, mixers aren't my thing. And I have opinions about how the thing was arranged. (Let's just say, BMW/Mini really need to get better event organizers!)

And of course, being a totally dense geek I can be at times (such as tonight), I did NOT have a digital camera with me to snap a pic of the sight. But hopefully Stuart Greenburg -- the owner/operator/pioneer of Mini-E 277 AND the guy who was snapping the pics of me and Mini-E 339 pulling up to the event!! -- will post his pics on his blog (My Mini E) soon.

Dirk captured some of the line of Mini-E when he snapped the pic of me and 339 (above) using his iPhone. (Dirk is obviously a MUCH more "with it" guy than your truly. One of those pics made it up on his Facebook page within minutes of his snapping it, again, thanks to his iPhone. Thanks, Dirk, for "outting" me here and on Facebook! ;-))

Until next time...

- Paul

Wheeeeeeee-k two!!

2009-07-09T20:24:00.007-04:00

It's hard to believe that today marks the 2-week milestone of my adventure. Technically, only 50 or so weeks of my time with Mini-E #339 remains.

But... It still feels so "exciting and new!"

And there's nothing more thrilling than coming out to 339 this morning and hearing...

NOTHING!!

And that, my friends, is a good thing because not hearing any fan noise from 339 this morning means she's full of juice. (Or so I hope.)

A quick unplug (Have I mentioned how freakishly GIANORMOUS this 220-volt cable is?), then hop in 339, insert the key, push "start" and...

100%

Hehehehe... And boy, did I use that 100% battery charge to good use today. Like the last time I had 100% charge, I really felt like I could drive my Mini-E without "worry" about having to "nurse" her so she would have enough strength to get back home.

Just ask the intern. I mean there was one stretch of our morning commute where I went from a steady cruise of about 65-mph to an "insane" 80- or 85-mph at a neck-snapping pace in order to past a "rolling road block." (Why is it that some drivers in the left-lane feel like they have to drive at the same freakin' speed as the guy in the middle lane for like MILES at a time?)

But during my "high-speed" sprint, I noticed a yellow icon of the electric motor pop up on the dash briefly -- 'round about the time the needle on 339's speedo went pure vertical ("80 mph") and over. From my many hours of reading the Mini-E's manual, I remember that little steady yellow icon was listed in the "Troubleshooting" section as "electric motor issues" and drivers can "continue journey at reduced power to electric motor."

Hmmm... Ok, so 339's fast.. and I only needed this "burst of power" to pass these drivers who feel like they're the only cars on the road... so absorbed in drinking their coffee or putting on their makeup or whatever that they can't see the line of cars piling up behind them... Whatever.

But in any case, I don't want to "strain" 339 too much, sooo... I backed it down to a gentle cruise out of concern for 339 -- and for the intern.

"I think this is a fun car for a driver, but for the passenger," said the Intern, "maybe not so much..."

Heh. Kid's too polite.

CHARGE!!!!!!!

2009-07-08T23:35:00.004-04:00

In my last post, I lamented over the fact that I had the wall charger installed at home, but no cable to connect it to my Mini-E #339...

And then I come home... Only to see this HUGE, orange-colored cable coiled underneath the wall charger at the side of my house!!!!

It's here!! It's HERE!! Pat, my electrician, came and installed it!!!

I quickly parked 339, shut her down and ripped out the key, unlocked the doors (which also unlocked the "recharging port"), got out, flipped open the port as hurried to the charger, unwrap the cable.. ("Man, this thing is THICKER that the 110-charger cable... Talk about Frankenstein-ish!") and then a piece of paper flutters down...

Ut oh...

"Remember to reset the car... 32 Amps"

Oh, right!! Thank you, PAT!!!

Coil the cable back... fish the key fob outta my pocket, get back in 339, stick the key in, push start... scroll through the options... press to set the charging current from 12 to 32 Amps... (HO BOY!!!)

Shut down 339, push then pull the key out, get out, close the door, reach for the cable, plug it in, and....

"Fffffffffffffaaaaa....wwWWWWHHHHHOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The fans kick in, the little charging light just above the steering column starts to blink while the "charging" light on the wall box turns on a SOLID green.

WHHHOOOO Wee!!! WE are in business!!! My little 339 is sucking down juice like she's meant to -- through a nice BIG straw with twice the voltage capacity and nearly thrice the umph!!

Good thing, too. Although I started the day with about 80% battery capacity, by the end of the day, I drained it to about 10% of charge after about 60-miles of driving.

But now that she's plugged in to a 220-volt line, as proper...

Who-weee!!!! I can't wait to drive her tomorrow, exactly two-weeks after first picking up Mini-E #339 from BMW/Mini of Manhattan. She'll have a full charge and I won't have to worry or have that range anxiety anymore!!

WOW. I can hardly sleep!

Hail, 339! Hail! (No, really!)

2009-07-08T10:15:00.004-04:00

Hail!!

As in, perilous icy precipitation!!!

Take a look at the embedded pictures. This is what I saw driving to work in Westchester this morning...

At first, I thought that white stuff on the ground was "foam" or something. I mean, it couldn't be snow, right? It's JULY... the start of summer... the DOG DAYS of summer!!!

Then I got closer to my building...

Wait... A front-loader in one of our parking lots?? We usually use those to plow and pile-up winter... SNOW...?? Like that big pile right over there...???

SNOW?

In JULY?!?!?!

[sigh]

Apparently the weather in Westchester was verrrrrrrrryyyyy freaky last night!!1 The co-workers who live nearby said it was extremely high wind, driving rain that flooded up to the car doors and hail.

Hail the size of mothballs and golfballs!!!

Pictures don't lie!

Wowzers!!

Thankfully, the Mini made it through the road mess with no problems.

And of course, it made it through last night's 110-volt charging fine, despite the hard -- but very brief -- rainstorm we had around midnight. Still, even after nearly 11 hours of constant juice, I started out today with only 80% battery capacity.

[Another sigh]

I really need that 220-volt charger cable! :-(

An Odd Day...

2009-07-07T23:49:00.003-04:00

...So, I must be driving my CR-V!

Heh.

Seriously, as noted in yesterday's post, I drained 339's battery down to less than 5% capacity. And when I checked in the morning... Yup.

After 12 solid hours of continuous 110-volt, 12-amp charging, My Mini-E went from about 5% to only 46% charge -- a total estimated range of just 44-miles.

Wonderful. :-(

So, back to driving my "old faithful," my wonderful, red '97 Honda CR-V.

And, it's not bad -- except I have to consciously REMEMBER TO STEP ON THE BRAKE when I want to stop!!!

Oy!

Good thing those first few minutes back where I'm back in the saddle of my CR-V, I'm only in my driveway!!! (Phew!)

And then there's the engine noise during acceleration on the highway on-ramps and while passing.

I forget how wonderful, natural and oddly "comforting" that sound can be. Sorta like the point that's being made in this Volkswagen commercial, I s'pose:

Still, for all the "sound and fury" my CR-V's 126-horsepower 4-banger cranked out while I was driving today, I think, "Boy, we sure don't seem to be going as fast as it sounds like we should be!!!"

And yes, while even a eco-friendly Mini-E won't get the MPG equivalent of the VW TDI, I sure am "won over" by her speed and power. (As if you couldn't tell from my previous logbook posts! ;-))

Even with just over a week of every-other-day driving of 339, I've been spoiled by her electric motor, which puts out the equivalent of 201-ponies!!! She's easily the "fastest" and "most powerful" car I've ever owned.

I've "driven" faster cars -- like the NASCAR racers on the Richard Petty raceway in Orlando. But to actually own one that I can drive everyday?? (Ok, ok... yes, I don't "own" 339... And I can't really drive her everyday. Not yet, anyway. Not until I get my 220-Volt charger completed with the specialized cable I need... But you get my drift, right?)

Still, verbal technicalities aside... 339 will undoubtedly not be good for my pes pedis plumbum condition. (That's Latin for "lead foot," folks. I think.)

On an ending note: I came home to a real puzzler.

Even though I left 339 home and charging (essentially, plugged in since Monday evening @ around 8pm), I came home around 8:30 tonight and checked her SoC. ("State of Charge." C'mon people... keep up!)

54%

HUH?!?!?!?!?

I'm pretty sure after I did the "two car shuffle" (moving 339 so I can get the CR-V in front of her and ready for the day's commute) this morning, I had replugged her in. AND, I was pretty sure that her "charging light" was blinkin' before I left her. Sooooo.... "Whot happon, looocie???"

I honestly don't know. Obviously there was some charging going on if 339's SoC jumped from 46% to 54%.

Did the charger trip my home's circuit box? No. All the circuit breakers were "on."

Perhaps the "spot" thunderstorms in my home's neighborhood shorted something in 339??

Maybe. I did note that the charging light was NOT blinking when I got home. And it took several plug-unplugs of that huge Frankenstein-ien connector into 339's "recharging port" as well as an "engine start" (or more accurately a "power up") of 339 before the blinking charging light came back on.

Hmmmm... Just curiouser and curiouser. I'm going to have to find time to search the Web or other Mini-E blogs to see if any other "pioneers" experienced the same (or similar) problem.

And I really do hope the rainy weather had nothing to do to my recent charging woes because as I write this, it's raining hard...

And 339's plugged in -- to hopefully give me enough juice to drive her round trip tomorrow.

We shall see.

P.S. If the VW Jetta TDI diesel gets 58 MPG and has a 14.5 gallon tank... that means it has a range of 841 miles per tank -- 8x the range of Mini-E. But even if you go by the Jetta TDI's "true" specs: 40MPG x 14.5gallons = 580 miles/tank or 5X 339's range. :-(

Another Manic Monday

2009-07-06T23:09:00.005-04:00

So, the weekend's over... And one of the most important things I forgot to mention was that, Pat, the electrician, came over last Friday and installed the 220-Volt wall charger for my Mini-E #339!!! Woooo hoooo!!!!

Right?

Not really! :-(

Pat did a great job installing everything inside the house, in the basement, with the electrical panel, running that "long length" of cable out to the part of the house where I wanted the box -- which I neglected to take pictures of... again..

While he put everything in place and drew me thaaaaaaaaaaat much closer to being actually able to feed 339 through a fire-hose of electricity, it seems I'm still the "victim" of BMW/Mini's woes.

The cable that's needed to connect the wall-mounted charging box to the Mini-E wasn't in sight. Pat said they were still slow in coming. His office might have gotten a shipment of cables, while he was out installing my box AND tending to 3 other "jobs" [customers] today [Friday]. But he said that if the cables were in the office, he'd come back on Saturday or Sunday to do that "one last thing."

Needless to say, he never came back! :-(

Still, I gave him a ride in the 339 -- and it was his first time in a Mini-E! (I guess despite all the installations he's done for other "pioneers," he never got offered a ride! Huh!) And, he was absolutely THRILLED with the ride and wished he could actually buy one. (Hmmm an electrician wanting an electric Mini... Whodathunkit? ;-))

Anyway, the lack of a 220-volt charger left me pretty much in the same predicament as the previous week.

Drive, ride, operate, use 339 past the 50% charge capacity and you might as well right it off from using it the next day.

So, after charging (and driving) my Mini #339 off and on over the three-day weekend, I started Monday with about 88% charge and roughly a 73-mile range. More than enough for my usual roundtrip commute. And it was pretty much the "usual."

About the only thing different today:

I gave another co-worker a "joy ride" -- up a nearby (and very "aggressively up-sloped") hill. She, too, was impressed by 339's speed and agility -- and a wee-bit apprehensive of my...uh... "zealousness" to operate 339 to its full potential.
On the way back in to the company lot after this short little coffee run (which produced no coffee, BTW. Stupid Dunkin' Donuts' "Coolata" machine was busted.), two more co-workers stopped and asked, "Is that the electric Cooper?" One of the co-workers also owns a conventional Mini. He sat in it and said it was exactly like his.
I made a run, after-work, to BJ's Wholesale Club. Didn't buy anything outrageous. But it was nice to know I could fit a few "bulk" items in "the boot" if I had to. (That is, if you count 4-lbs of sugar, a box of Twix (36-bar count), and a "brick" of coffee (4 one-pound, vacuu-packed "bags" wrapped together).

Anyway, not much to report -- other than all this drained 339's battery down to like 7% and 9-miles range... Which means I'll be back to driving my CR-V for Tuesday. :-(

2009-07-04T11:40:00.008-04:00

Happy 4th of July, everyone!!! Never forget those who fought and died for our freedoms in America, and honor those who today, sacrifice their lives to protect our great country!!!
[Photo courtesy of: Dani Simmonds]

Happy 4th of July to anyone and everyone reading this! (And if you're reading this, why aren't you at a parade remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free? Or, at the very least, shouldn't you be at a friend's or neighbor's barbecue?)

Just a quick update... On Thursday (July 2) night, I drove home from work in my CR-V -- still a "comfortable runabout vehicle." And it was one of those weird commutes home, made stranger by the weather.

NYC had been suffering from the usual, "sunny and humid during the day with chance of showers/thundershowers in the afternoon. And that night was no different. Leaving Westchester, I had some sun, but with dark, ominous-looking storm clouds on the horizon. In fact, sis (who "worked from home" that day) said it had rained heavily earlier.

We "rotated" the cars, "retiring" my CR-V to the garage (its windshield leaks, so I wanted to protect it from any forthcoming storms) while the Mini was the "last car" in the driveway -- plugged in and charging. (Because of the spot -- but HEAVY -- showers, I've been hesitant to leave 339 jacked in during a deluge.)

I'd no sooner plugged in, came in and started watching some TV, when the dark clouds I'd been racing home finally arrived. And it brought the rain... AND the thunder and lightning....

CRASH!! BOOOM!!! And the TV and fans go out.

Ut oh... Did my Mini cause that? Wait... It's the whole HOUSE that's without electricity!
Ut oh.. Not just the house... The whole BLOCK!

Oy.

The Con Ed crew was quickly on scene to rectify things. (Apparently, the lightning strike took out a high-powered transformer on a telephone line.) But since it was getting dark and we really had nothing else to do, sis and I hopped into 339 and took a spin to Ralph's.

Mmmm... Nothing like some Mint Chip, sitting in an A/C'd Mini... Better yet, I can keep the A/C "on" in 339 (while I'm sitting in the lot, in 339, finishing off my ice) without having to run any "engine" or worry about polluting the stifling humid air outside, just for my (and my sis') comfort.

Anyway, I just wanted to note that this short run added about 4 or 5 miles on the 339's odometer. And during this short jaunt, there's not much to add, outside of perhaps this was the first time I drove 339 at night, and had to use the lights.

This is the first car I've "owned" that uses Xenon headlights, and wow...! I gotta say, they are bright! And having often been on the "wrong end" of those lights, I use to really hate them. But now that I've actually been in "the driver's seat" behind those lights, I don't think I can go back to plain old headlights! (Of course, I don't feel bad for the other cars that are in front of me... It's not like I'm in an SUV where these incredible lights are boring right into their skulls ... )

I'm also liking the interior lighting. The soft glow of LED lights makes the "cabin" seem more like a "cockpit." I also like the fact that you can change the colors of those soft ambient lights -- from red to amber to a softer red/almost orange to soft blue. That was a feature that I thought was a bit "hokey" when Catherine first showed it to me in the dealer lot.

And, those soft LED lights aren't just in the "overhead" lights up by the rear-view mirror. No, soft LED light "glow" around the door panels -- right behind those trim panels in "interchange yellow" -- and underneath the dashboard, too. "Wow... This is really cool..." It makes the "cabin" feel more like a "cockpit" -- especially if you choose the "red" LED lights!

All in all, a very "cool" first night-time run of 339... (Imagine, a ghostly silent car with the headlights off, but a very eerie soft-glowing cockpit... Hmmmm... I think I'm driving a ground-based stealth fighter!!! ;-))

It's been a week? Already?

2009-07-02T10:51:00.002-04:00

It was exactly one week ago today that I began this journey and adventure with Mini-E?

Really?

Just 7 short days ago, I was filled with excitement -- to the point of being speechless. ;-)

Now? Wow... I'm really part of "the dream team"... The few.. The chosen... The 500!

I surely wish I could share this moment with my Mini-E #339. But as I mentioned in my last post, Tuesday was a cruel day of bad judgment on my part. So, she's home... Resting... Out in the rain. :-(

More thoughts to come later. (I do have a "day job" ya know....)

Day 6: 'Range Anxiety' Redux

2009-07-01T22:27:00.011-04:00

It was my fault, but my driving experience on Tuesday was a day of "Range Anxiety." Would I make it home with the little charge of energy my 339 had left? What a gamble!!
[Photo courtesy of: B S K]

Well, Day 6 of my 365-day affair with Mini-E #339... And already, I've come "full circle."

Last Friday, my second day (but first "full day") with my 339, and I suffered a very mild case of "Range Anxiety." And the lack of a 220-volt wall charger left me stuck without the use of 339 for nearly the entire weekend since she had to suck down a LOT of juice -- through a "thin" 110-volt line -- to regain her (battery) strength.

But two days of "rest and recharging" for my Mini-E meant she got a full -- 100%!!!! -- charge and allowed me to have a VERY carefree day of driving on Monday!

Round-trip to and from work... AND a trip to the supermarket... All without worrying "Does 339 have enough juice to...?" It was just like driving a conventional Mini -- but then again, not really. She may look, feel and maybe even "act" like any other Mini... But Mini-E #339's got her own style, grace, sotto voce, (and dare I say this?) "soul" and... well, "needs."

But of course, my cavalier attitude -- especially towards her needs, which admittedly are veeerrrry few (for now) -- would come back and bite me in the butt on Tuesday...

First, the data:

The numbers, in short:

Odometer mileage, start: ~ 208 miles

State of Charge (SoCs), start: ~80% (Eh....)

Odometer mileage, end: ~270 miles

State of Charge (SoCe), end: 3% (Oyy...Yes. EXACTLY THREE percent!)

So? What happened?

In short:

Started Mini-E #339 that day.
Battery capacity: 80%. Est. range-to-empty: 70 miles.
("OK... I really should've gotten home earlier than 7:30 last night. 12-hours of charging at 110-volts is not enough -- esp. since I came home with just 38% capacity. Still, technically 339's got enough juice to get to work and back...")

The usual morning commute: Drop off sis, pick up intern, drive to work, park the car. One hour total drive time. Est. range-to-empty: 34 miles.

"Whoops. A little too heavy-footed this morning! Still, technically got enough juice to get home. Plus, I can always secretly jack into the company's power via the "hidden" outdoor outlets on the parking lot lampposts. But, later. Right now, I gotta rush to my morning meetings."

Lunchtime. Ooops! Gotta run to the post office and mail some important NYC paperwork! Hop in 339, climb up a looooonnngggg, winding hill to get the post office ("Oooo... That's gonna hurt my mileage!"), do my thing with the postal guys, hop back in 339... regen alllll the way back down the hill ("Ooooo.. that's-a-nice!!!") and when I get to the company parking lot's gate...

Est. range-to-empty: 32 miles.

"Whoa... Now would be a good time to find a parking spot next to one of those lamps and plug in. But, ooops. No joy. No slot. Well, technically, I can still make it home. Maybe. I'll try and sneak out again mid-afternoon and find a spot to jack in."

3p.m. Sneak out, wander the lot. "Ooo, lookee! Someone in the back row is leaving! (Slacker!)" Pull 339 into the slot... "Hmmm.. juuusssttt close enough to the lamppost." Jump out, run the 11o-volt charger from the lamppost outlet to... "Dang, juuuuuuuuust thiiiiiiissss SHORT!!! Hmmm... If I park 339 jusssssssst a liiiiii-ttle bit closer to the car on the right..."

Hop in... Adjust... Hop out... "There, perfect!" Plug in 339... Check inside... "Charge" light is blinking... "PERFECT!" Lock her up. ("Ooooo... if the owner of that car on the right is one of those that leaves before 5..." [wince!])

Walk.

A. Way.

Quickly!

4p.m. Skies darken. "Ut oh. I remember what happened last time!" Hurried walk back to 339...("Phew... The car to the right of 339 hasn't left or moved!" :-)) Approach 339, look inside... "Ut oh... How come the charging light isn't on? Worry later. Pack up (before someone sees you) and get moving!" Wrapping up the charger... "Ut oh.. The charging light on the charger isn't on either! Did I short something? The lamppost's circuit? My Mini-E?"

Hurry! Pack! Before someone really sees you!!

Done!

In 339!

Key in, step on brake, press the "start/stop" button.

Lights pop on normally ("Pheww...") but...

"30 miles??? Huh? NO CHARGE at all? Uttttt...oooh....."

Drive 339 closer to the building... Get back to work and... right on cue at 5p.m. Crash! Boom! The heavens open up and the rains come on down. But this time, I have an umbrella!! And I reach 339 (which is closer to the building than last time) only slightly drier than last time! :-(

Me and the Intern are in 339. "Ok, Intern. Here's the situation..."

Intern: "Oh... Ummm.. Ok... " [Smile] "But I'm confident. We'll make it. I'm positive."

"Ok. Just wanted to let you know. If we don't make it, it's just going to be you and me sitting on the side of some highway somewhere, waiting for the 'rescue' from Mini's 24/7 roadside service..."

And off we go, where during the entire trip home, I'm practicing the best hypermiling techniques I know... And nervously watching the range-to-empty readings... 30-miles... 20... 18... 15... ("Did we pass the 'half-way point,' distance-wise yet?")... 12... 13... 11...

339: "Gong!!"

Me: "Oy.. 'Estimated range-to-empty' is now 10-miles, Intern... And we're just getting off the Bronx highways to the Queens-bound bridge!!"

10... 9... 8... 7... 8... 7... 6... 7... 6... We reach the Intern's house.

Intern: "See?! Told you we'd make it!"

Me: "Correction. You made it. I still gotta get home!"

"Oh... well... You'll make it too!"

"Yeah... I'm confident." [Est. range-to-empty = 5 miles] "My house can't be that far from your's here..." [Or can it?]

I go home via local roads, just to be on the safe side. ("At least if 339 give up the electrical ghost, I can coast to a curb and out of harm's way... I hope.")

Est. range-to-empty: 4 miles.

339: "Gong! Gong!"

3-miles...

Mini-E: "Gong! Gong! Gong!"

"Yes, I know honey... work with me here... I recognize the streets... We are sooooo close to home... Work with me here... please..."

4-miles! (regen-ing from a small hill! Whee!)

339: "Gong! Gong!"

"Yes, dear... I promise... I won't forget how special you are... How you need to be fed on-time -- and with enough juice..."

3-miles....

339: "Gong! Gong! Gong!"

"Come on, baby... Just a little bit more... We're allllmost home... Really..."

And indeed, shortly after that... We're stealthily sliding up my home's driveway... Stop, park, handbrake... [Exhale a BIG sigh of relief!!!!!]

Friday, Pat (the Clean Fuel Connection's local contractor) and that 220-volt wall charger can't come soon enough! :-P

Day 5: Full charge, full speed ahead!

2009-06-30T10:33:00.019-04:00

This is a stock image of Mini's Mini-E #001 and not a picture of my #339. (I'll try to take some more pics of 339 this weekend.) But I thought this stock image was a good representation of how I felt (and drove) my 339 today! (click to enlarge)

After two days of "rest and recharge," my Mini-E 339 had a 100% charge (Yipeeeeee!!!!) and was ready to go for a full-day of "testing" on Monday (June 28)!!!

Yaaaaayyyyy!!!

The numbers, in short:

Odometer mileage, start: ~ 130 miles

State of Charge (SoCs), start: 100% (WOW!!!!!)

Odometer mileage, end: ~208 miles

State of Charge (SoCe), end: ~38% (Ooops...)

Travelog:

With her first ever (at least, the first I've ever seen since getting her 4 days ago) completely full charge, I felt 339 was really gonna get a hard real-world test.

That is to say: A full-charge means, 339'll go (roughly) 100+ miles before her batteries cry "Uncle!" More than enough for my usual 60+ mile round-trip daily commute. So, on this Monday, the whole "Range Anxiety" limitation -- which I had the thrill of experiencing last Friday -- was pretty much a non-factor.

And since I no longer had the whole "Will I have enough juice to...?" thought process that apparently becomes the mindset of most electric-car owners, I could really focus on how my 339 drives.

In other words: Could 339 fool me into believing "I'm in just an ordinary, petrol-powered Mini?"

The answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! (And that's a negative answer in a GOOD way!! Read on!)

First... a side note!

This is the Ralph's Ices store/corner stand near my house where I ran into a fellow Mini driver who commented on 339. (Ralph's, by the way, makes the best Italian ices EV-ah!! Check them out on the Web: http://www.ralphsices.com

I took 339 out on Sunday, when it was only 95% full, to run some local chores. We made a small detour to Ralph's Ices (Mmmm... Italian ices... just the thing for a bright, slightly humid Sunday!) and both of us were recognized!!! The total opposite of what happened at the end of Day 1, when I took 339 home!!

A dude in dark shades, sitting in 339's near-twin (a two-door Cooper S in a flatter gray, and of course, without the distinctive "E" appliqués), was waiting for someone to come back from Ralph's stand. I parked 339 next to him on his Mini's passenger side. As I was getting out of 339, his passenger (Wife? Girlfriend? With a cup of Ralph's icy goodness!!! Mmm....) was getting into his Mini.

He lowered the passenger window, looked right at me (past his passenger) and said: "Hey, is that a Mini-E?"

To which, I (wearing my Wiley-X SG-1 wraparound shades and probably the biggest grin I've had in a long time) looked at him and said (in a Barney Stintson kinda way) : "Why, yes... It. Is..."

"Wow, man... You won the lottery? I mean, they actually chose you?"

"Yup."

"Wow, man... I applied... But... $800 per month??? That's a lotta money, man... I couldn't afford it." [Did I detect a subtle nod to his passenger? BTW: the monthly lease cost is $850, dude. :-( But, whatev.]

"Yeah, I know... It's real steep. But it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, bro. Sometimes you just gotta be a part of something big because... ya know, you only go around once, yea?"

"Heh. Man..." [Again, another sub-conscious head-tilt to the gal seated to his right?] "How's she [my 339] drive?"

"Only got her last Thursday. so I haven't driven her much... But so far, pretty good. Fun. And I never drove a Mini before, but friends tell me a Cooper S -- like yours -- is a pretty sweet ride. So, I'm thinkin' this here Mini-E is prooooob-a-blllyyy not that far off from drivin' like yours." (Sh'yeah... right! But I had to say something, cuz it was clear that his "passenger" was more than just... and she appeared to be getting a little bit annoyed at what looked like a long, drawn-out "big-boys-and-their-toys" kinda chat -- something I didn't want to start with an "unbeliever" in the middle! Not to mention, I wanted some Ralph's of my own... ;-))

"Ah, well... She [339] looks beautiful.... Good luck, man!"

"Thanks, man. You have a good one, too, yeah?"

(Well, ok... 339 was recognized. Me? I was just the lucky schmuck to be her "driver/owner." Although can any of us "pioneers" truly be considered "Mini-E owners" since in just 11 short months we all know our great affairs will be over?)

Anyway, having said what I said on Sunday about 339, how well would my statements hold up on Monday? Not well, really.

You see, during Monday's commute, I really did try to think of 339 not as being an electric, battery-powered Mini. "Just drive like you normally would, Paul," I thought. And to some extent, 339 does behave (I think) like an ordinary Mini.

Driving my sister to the subway, merging onto the highway, picking up the intern, powering up steep and curvy up-grades... 339 behaved pretty much as anyone would expect of a normal car. It was easy to maneuver -- slaloming 339 between bigger, slower moving cars and buses; nudging her into tight spots (say, between two big SUVs to get to the curb and drop off sis) -- and responsive to my right foot. ;-)

Small, nimble, quick... "Go-kart performance," I believe, is the marketing term the fine folks at Mini use to describe these Coopers. And 339 seems to live up to that image. (Again, I never drove a gas-powered Mini, so I'll just have to assume that my experience in a conventional Mini would be similar.)

BUT as hard (or easy) as I may try to "not think" about 339's electric-only nature, it is hard to ignore. Specifically:

The regenerative "braking." The moment you lift your foot, easing the pressure off the accelerator pedal, the Mini-E's motor turns into an electric generator. The energy of the car's spinning wheels is captured by the motor-now-turned-generator to create electricity that's sent back to the battery. (This energy would normally be wasted as heat and friction when you step on the brakes.)

There are some pioneers and professional car reviewers who say the Mini-E's regen braking is "aggressive" or "intrusive." And I suppose it can be. Lift your foot off and switch to "cover" the brake as you would in a car with automatic transmission and the Mini will seem to "lurch" or "jerk" backwards while your head lurches forward -- as if your sitting in a car with a very bad driver!

While I'm no stranger to regen braking (my sis has a 2001 Gen-1 Toyota Prius), I initially did find 339's regen as... "strong." To counter the herky-jerky driving style that would make it seem I was a "novice" driver, I began "driving" the Mini-E like I would a car with manual (stick-shift) transmission -- something I was fortunate to learn back in the '80s with my sis' Renault Alliance(!)

With a manual, you "down-shift" and use the lower gear ratios to "absorb" the forward momentum of the car, pulling it back and (in effect) slowing the car down. That means giving yourself a lot more stopping distance but the trade-off: You use your brakes a LOT less.

In fact, using this method, I've very rarely had to actually step on 339's brake pedal during local road driving -- or, even when sitting in stop-and-go highway traffic. And the Mini-E is "smart" enough to know that if you're lifting you foot off the accelerator, it probably means your desire is to slow down. So, to prevent the car behind you from becoming your new "backseat buddy" (i.e. "rear-end you") the car automatically lights up the rear brake lights. Nice...

Seemingly instant acceleration. At the other end of the speed spectrum, my 339 feels -- and is -- fast. As I posted on the first day, I haven't experienced any problems in leaving pricey sports sedans and even sports cars behind when we're all coming off the line of a stoplight.

Now naturally, I'm not sayin' that the 339's electric motor (rated as equivalent to a 201-HP engine?) will beat out a sports car like a Camaro or "super-cars" like a Porsche or a Bugatti Veyron in a standing quarter-mile run. But, I found that it was easy -- maybe a little too easy -- to "kick" the 339 "to the next level" during highway cruising.

During Monday morning's commute, there were countless times where I'm cruising at 60 or 70 MPH in the left lane, passing cars on my right at a leisurely pace. But then I'll have some idiot in a big honkin' (and powerful) SUV or "sports car" come roarin' up behind me in the left lane. And yes, I know the left lane is the passing lane and if I'm not passing the cars on the right "fast enough" for the jerk behind me, then...

A simple tap on the accelerator and my 339 easily jumps up another 10, 20, 30 MPH (leaving the butt kisser eating my wake) so I pass the cars on the right faster and then I find an open slot in the middle lane, slip in, ease off the accelerator (and the regen kicks in slowing me down just as quick as the speed up) and watch that "speedy" tailgater (finally) catch up and then pass me. (Hehehe... So much fun to see them SPEED by... "Trying to justify something, fella?" I think, "Trying to reassure yourself that the all that money you spent on that burly, beefy, gas-guzzling super car/SUV -- which just got left in the dust by a tiny electric Mini -- really is still 'powerful' and zippy?" I love it! :-D)

There are many other tiny aspects that make it hard to forget that when I'm driving 339, I'm not in "an average Mini."

The no-noise, stealthiness of the car when going slow -- like when going through a parking lot -- or even at a complete stop. I find that for a short time, you're reminding yourself, "Yes, the car's 'on.' It's ready to move at the slightest tap of the accelerator."
How the radio's volume is just that much softer. (Again, since it doesn't have to "fight" the "growl" and roar of a big, thirsty gas-engine, the radio just has to be "loud enough" to drown out the minimalist "road, tire and wind noise.")
And the distinctive "wheeeeeeee" sound of the electric motor as it spins up to pull the Mini to the speed you want. It certainly doesn't make as much noise as a conventional car -- especially in the "passing" situation described above. It's kinda freaky. More so for someone outside of the car. It looks like any other Mini, so you expect it to go ""Vrrroooooommmm..." But all you hear is this ghostly whine...

I had the opportunity on Monday to give a co-worker (and BFF here at work) a hop/demo ride from one side of the parking lot to the other. (Had to move my car to be closer to the building.)

As usual when I get in the car, I reached for my seatbelt. She said to me: "Uhh, we're just staying in the lot, aren't we?"

"Oh.. Yeah... No need for belts.... Right." [It was just us and the lot was devoid of pedestrians or other moving cars...]

So... Step on the brake, insert key, press "start" button, drop the manual parking brake, click/shift from "P" to "D"... Tap the accelerator...

(Soft "Rrrrrreeeerrrrr..." from 339's motor...) as we pull out of the parking slot...

"Whoaaa..." says my friend.

I tap the switch for the driver's window to slide the window down all the way. (It was stuffy inside since 339 sat in the sun all day...) Then, I tap her accelerator a little harder cuz I had to make it up a longish, winding parking ramp...

"RRrrrrr... eh-wheeeeEEEEEEEEE..." goes 339's motor while her tires are noisly grabbing for more road...

"HOooooo...!!!" my passenger yelps as she reaches for and grips the door's grab bar.

We mount and climb the ramp under 339's steady "Wheeeeeee..." sound... crest the ramp onto a flat stretch of pavement and her motor switched from "Wheeeeee... " to "Eeeeeennnnnnnnn..." of a steady paced "cruise" on to the building...

"Holy smokes!" my friend says. "I expected it to be quiet and such... But wow... it's like, it's like..."

"One of those fancy new roller coaster or other thrill ride at Disney that sorta just 'launches' or 'shoots' you out of a gate?" I suggest.

"Exactly!!! That's what I was thinking of... Wow... This is totally Awesome!!!!"

That pretty much sums up day #5... A full charge meant pretty much a "carefree" day of just "motoring" with my unique Mini-E #339.

And that, my friend, is pretty awe-sum!!!

My first weekend with 339

2009-06-29T20:22:00.008-04:00

Here's all the "other stuff" that came with my Mini-E #339. Clock-wise from the top left: Card with the list of Mini-E dealers in the Metro NY area, a "leather"(?) pouch to hold the books (and insurance papers, registration, business cards for dealer's sales and service people), two "smart" wireless keys, manual of "safety tips," quick "Getting started booklet (pages produced by my dealer using a color printer/copier), a folding "booklet" on how to operate the radio, a guide to service and maintenance, the full 116-page owner's manual, and (finally) a "Mini-E Insider's Guide." (Click to enlarge for a cruddy image. Sorry. Only have my cell phone camera!)

So, it was a beautiful (if muggy) weekend here in Neuva York. But alas, I couldn't drive 339 since I drained it so much after Friday's commute from hell. :-(

Given the sticky weather (and my own laziness), I really didn't want to go anywhere anyway. (Now if 339 were a convertible Mini-E... ;-))

Anyway, I spent some time with the fairly substantial (116-page!) owner's manual. A LOT of time! Wow... BMW/Mini really tried to cover EVERYTHING in a pretty substantial manner. Everything except that burning question I had yesterday:

Could I have charged 339 in the rain yesterday without worrying?

There's nothing in the manual about it, at least not about the 110-V charger.

I suppose that the cluegy charger wouldn't be covered in the manual. It is, after all, called the "Occasional Use Charger." (Uhhh.. it takes 26+ hours to charge a Mini-E with it. I'd call it something more accurate -- if a bit politically incorrect!)

No, BMW wants us all to be using the 220-Volt charger since it could completely recharge a dead Mini-E's battery in just 4 or 6+ hours.

Speaking of which...

I got a call from Clean Fuel Connection, the folks who are coordinating all the contractor work that needs to be done in pioneers' homes.

The good news: The local contractor wants to come over and install the box (and 220-V line) this Friday, July 3rd!!!

Woo hoo!!!!

This is the 220-Volt "wall box charger" that will (supposedly) be installed by my local contractor, tapped by Clean Fuel Connections to do the work. I don't know if this "Clipper Creek" box will be actually installed on the outside of my house. But it seems to be the wall box other Mini-E pioneers are blogging about (Click to enlarge.)

That's quite symbolic, now that I think about it... On the day I have time off from work (for the Saturday July 4th celebration of our nation's independence from tyrannic British rule), I'll be getting a box installed that frees me from the high price of gas and taking a step that might help our nation end our dependence on foreign oil!!!

More personally (and immediately) satisfying: Pat (my local contractor) will finally put an end to the whole mess that plagued me from nearly the beginning of the Mini-E program.

Will my house support yet another 240-volt line running 40- (or even a 32) amps? And will BMW/Mini pay for it all? The answer, thankfully, is "yes"... To BOTH questions! YAY!! (There were, as late as mid-June, questions about BMW's commitment to paying for the "long run" of cable to go from my electrical panel to where I want the wall charger. But we got that all worked out, too!)

Yes, getting that box will really free me -- especially from insufficient charges due to manually stopping the 110-V charger way short of the 16-26+ hours it really needs to juice a Mini-E's battery.

BTW: I didn't get a "100%" on 339 until Sunday. That's not to say my Mini-E needed a continuous 48-hours to recharge from 8% on Friday!

I spent some time during Saturday trying to isolate an indoor 110-V outlet with enough amperage to charge 339 without tripping a breaker. And, it had to be accessible from the outside. Thankfully, I found one in the basement laundry room that was close enough to my driveway (through a cellar window!) So, 339 spend almost all-day Saturday and all night Sunday, drinking down juice without "sharing." (Really, no one in the house could do laundry this weekend! What a shame! ;-))

Still... I can't wait until Independence Day!

Day 2: How NOT to feed 339 on 110-Volts @ 12 Amp

2009-06-28T21:37:00.012-04:00

This is my Mini-E's "scuttle," or "badge on the side of the car, showing it's #339 of the 500 Mini-E's built in Germany and assembled in the UK. Mini-E #339 and it's all mine!!! (Click to enlarge.)

I was really psyched on Friday. It was going to be the first full day where I'd be able to test my 339 in its abilities (and capabilities) as a daily, zero-emissions, commuter car. I mean, my "first day" was fun. But is navigating the mean streets of Manhattan or sitting in infamous NYC rush hour traffic a true test of 339's capabilities?

I. Don't. Think. So.

First, the data:

The numbers, in short

Odometer mileage, start: ~ 66 miles

State of Charge (SoCs), start: 80%

Odometer mileage, end: ~124 miles

State of Charge (SoCe), end: ~8% (Yes... That's right... Eight percent! Read on!)

Travelog:

This is the 110-Volt charging "cable" Mini provides to all of its pioneers. Does anyone else think this looks a bit clugey(sp)?"
Click to enlarge.

OK, so Mini tells us pioneers that it'll take over 26-hours to fully recharge a depleted battery using the 110-Volt charger. Unfortunately, that's all I have. (I'm still waiting for the contractor to come and install the wall-box.) And while I haven't completely drained 339's battery, I did drop it down to less than half (47%) capacity. Worse yet, I had less than 12-hours of charge time -- came home @ after 8 p.m. Thursday and I need to leave ay 7 a.m. or so for my usual commute to Westchester.

Surely, even using the 110- charger for 11 or so hours, I'll be able to get a decent amount of juice into 339 for my 60-mile round-trip commute, right? Well... Sorta.

First off, 339's feeding (which pulls 12 amps of juice) popped the circuit breaker twice during the night. Apparently, the outlet outside my garage wasn't an isolated circuit, but a shared one... Shared with my home entertainment gear! (And a dehumidifier in the basement.) But thankfully, much of my more sensitive gear is on an uninterruptible power supply so there was no harm done to my 57-inch HDTV. (At least I hope not!)

But watch TV... Or feed the Mini? Wow... tough choice! (How do you parents decide among your favorite children?? ;-))

This is what's behind the Mini-E's gas cap. And the "port" where you plug in the cable (see next picture) is HUGE. And take a look at the plug in the next picture. (Doc Brown of Back to the Future would be so proud! Also, check out the "No fuel" sign. Ha! If Electricity isn't a "fuel," I don't know what it is! (Click to enlarge.)

Well, it was getting late... And it was going to be a big day for me and my Mini-E #339!! Our first true test... What will it be like driving 339 at highway speeds -- maybe even faster, given my condition: pes pedis plumbum ("lead foot")? What will my friends and co-workers think? This will be both our "trial by fire!" Ooo... Big day indeed.

Little did I know just how "big" a day me and my little 339 would have!

First, on Friday morning, I discovered that despite the overnight feeding, my 339 got only an 80% charge! That's barely double the capacity I had before connecting her up!! I guess 339 really got about only 7- or 8-hours of uninterupted feeding the night before. (And no, she didn't trip a circuit while I was sleeping. The UPS would've woke me up if 339 was "fighting" my other "children" for juice in the middle of the night!)

A bit disappointing, but the "range-to-empty" gauge still read "78 miles" -- more than enough power to get me through my commute.

So, I thought.

The first five or so miles were on major (traffic light controlled) local roads, taking my sis to the Jamaica subway terminal. And again, 339 was still all smooth, all quiet. BUT it was a humid day... again! And since neither my sis or I love oppressive "stickiness," the A/C was back on. By the time I dropped sis off, "range-to-empty" dropped to 70-miles.

"Ok," I thought. "Still enough power to get me there and back -- with a 10-mile 'safety net.' And maybe I'll catch some serious re-gen once I get up on the highway."

And the next 30 miles were mostly highway, although I did a small local road detour to pick up a summer college intern who lives nearby.

And here's where the 339 really passed its first test: The "wow factor."

We spent the entire 35-minute ride discussing the "green" factor of the car and how cool it was to be driving/riding a car that "sounded" and acted so high-tech. And since he was a computer science major, we talked a lot about laptops (lithium batteries) and programming -- how "smart" is my Mini that it does all the range calculations... on-the-fly?

Speaking of which... By the time I parked my 339 in the company lot, range-to-empty was just a shocking 32-miles! Huh?

Oh yeah, I forgot how "hilly" some spots are on my daily commuting route. And we ran into a "spot shower" that morning... So, I had to "cycle" the A/C rather than leave it on. (Note to Mini: How come you didn't equip the "E" version with a smart climate control system? One that keeps cabin temperature constant?) But then again, I also had to use the defogger (which uses the A/C, right?) and wipers because we ran into a "spot shower."

Anyway, so there was a real danger that now that I got to work, 339 might -- just might -- leave me and the intern "high and dry." (The irony of this phrase will hit you as you read on.)

I ran into one of our "car guys" (one who knew I was becoming a "pioneer") and explained the situation to him. He hooked me up with one of his "engineers" who was very much interested in seeing my 339. So, after a brief "peek-under-the-hood" -- Sorry, I mean "a peek under 339's bonnet and boot" (boy, that sounds "dirty!" ;-)) -- the engineer says, "Well, if you need a charge, let's see if I can hook you up at the Utility shed."

So, we take 339 all the way to the far end of the parking lot, toward the back of the company property where most of the "support facilities" are located. And my Mini-E finds an outlet and jacks in. (Good thing I packed the 110 charger!)

All is well, I thought... Except after lunch, I find out from the engineer that he had to unplug 339 from the outlet because other engineers had to use the Utilities shed's power. And, I had to move 339 out of Facilities' way. Great...

So, I move 339 back into the employee lot... and as I'm driving (very quiet, again thanks to the all-electric nature of Mini-E) I noticed that practically all the lamp posts in the employee lot have an outdoor outlet!!! Hmmm...

I park 339 near a lamp post at the farthest, most inconspicuous part of the lot. I jump out with the charger and jack in 339. Success!! And I walk away at 3 p.m., happy yet a bit anxious. Will even just 2 hours or so on 110-Volts @ 12 amp give my 339 enough juice to make it home? Or will I be testing the special roadside assistance number?

I lose myself in work, until I noticed the ambient lighting in my office waning. Ut oh... Did the forecasters predict rain today? I hurried to finish my work. But the skies got darker and just as I shut down my computer...

This is the plug on the 100-Volt charger that goes into the Mini-E. This thing is GIANORMOUS and looks like something Dr. Frakenstein would've loved! Still, it feels VERY solid (like I could kill somebody with it!) and that's probably a "Good Thing!"
Click to enlarge.

Crash! Boom!! And the skies opened up in a massive summer thunderstorm! And right on cue at 5 p.m.!!! Great...

Oh wait, is the 110-charger water-proof? Will the downpour of water short out the charger? 339? Is the lamp posts properly grounded against lightning? Will I be zapped trying to unplug 339 from the lamp post? How much juice is coming out of that connector into the Mini-E anyway? Will I be safe touching it while standing in, say a flood of rain water?

Well, only one way to find all this out, I thought. That, and why didn't I bring an umbrella into the office today?

A mad dash to the far end of the lot. I'm soaked. I unplug the connector to 339. Good! No mind-numbing, death-inducing electrical shock!! I unplug the other end. Again, no shock. GREAT! I throw everything back into the Mini, unfortunately on top of the battery cover inside -- where you're NOT suppose to put anything. (Safety hazard. If you stop short, anything on top will slam right into your head. Tough. I'm soaked and not gonna stand out in the rain to properly pack everything.)

I call the intern on my cell ("Bring towels... I'm soaked!"), pick him up and off we go.

Range-to-empty: 40 miles. The wipers are slapping out a ten-fold of water... The A/C (defroster, actually) is humming cuz our soaked condition is pumping out the humidity to fog all the 339's windows.

Will we make it home under these conditions?

We hit the highway near work and just five minutes into the commute home... It stops raining!! It even looks like the skies clearing! Even better, it looks like there's not a lot of traffic -- amazing because, typically, once water hits NY-area highways, traffic just comes to a crawl!

The result: I got home, after dropping off the intern, with just 8% battery charge capacity left!! Getting the big red "!" on the dash was not fun. (Practically, "Danger, danger! Warning Will Robinson! Danger, danger!")

Still, 399 "passed." Barely! :-(

In summary:

Talk about having "Range Anxiety!"

Pros:

Mini-E 339 is a "head-turner" among the geeks. (Ahhh... My peeps!)
Good, quiet near-immediate acceleration on the highway. (Passing cars on the highway was a breeze!)
"Stealthy" driving in parking lots

Cons:

"Range anxiety"
Wiper controls. (Although I suspect if I spent more time reading the manual...)
Clunky 110-V charger

Yet undecided:

When will I get my 220-Volt wall charger???

Notes of Day 1 with Mini-E-339

2009-06-26T02:17:00.006-04:00

I was going to post some of the things I learned from Catherine Clark (CC), who walked me through the particulars of Mini and getting me acquainted with 339 (my 3-3-9!) while we sat in the dealership's garage.

But I figured I better put some thoughts and actual "logbook" type data down now that my very first day with my 339 has come to a close. (And before I forget!)

The numbers, in short

Odometer mileage, start: ~ 30 miles

State of Charge (SoCs), start: 96%

Odometer mileage, end: ~65 miles

State of Charge (SoCe), end: ~44 or 47%

Travelog

Picked up from Mini of Manhattan (58th St. & 11th Ave.) @ approx. 16:00, after 15-min. of paperwork and 45-min. or so of "orientation" -- included several "laps" around the dealership and Manhattan's West Side.

Approx. first 9-10 miles traveled within NYC (inner-city, stop-and-go traffic) -- from dealer to sis' office (near Holland Tunnel) then back to dealer. (Sis has to drive my beloved '97 red Honda CR-V while I drive 339 home.)

339 took potholes well... Even some of the cobblestone streets of the Village, where I ended up thanks to a roundabout detour! How could I forget they closed off Time Square to vehicle traffic!! Even to COOL cars like my Mini-E!!! Grrrr!!!' And not that I don't know the City, but... it's been a while since I drove thru midtown and can't remember which streets go through and which just dead-end. Not having my Garmin didn't help... and note to Mini: You didn't give us GPS (not that we could use!)... Or Bluetooth! (Note to self: "Dialing and driving" is illegal in NYC and there are TOO many traffic cops and NYPDers watching!!)

Speaking of cell phones... Need to be TRIPLY cautious around NYC pedestrians and bikers. Street walkers too busy yapping away to even be aware of noisy internal combustion engine (ICE) cars... Bikers weavin' in and out... Neither will be expecting my 3-3-9, which makes practically NO discernible noise which could serve as awarning -- that is, if they were even paying attention to anything but their own little world...

BTW, I LOVE their startled looks when I accelerate from the stoplight and all "they" hear is the rising "WhhhirrrRRRRRRRL...." noise (see embedded Jay Leno video!) made by the 'lectric motors as they instantly pull me off the line!! (Eat that you jerk in the white Porsche 911 with Florida plates!)

Still, oddly enough, not one pedestrian or onlooker has asked me "What kinda Mini is that?" despite the distinctive (if minimalist) badging -- the stylized "e" plug on the hood ('scuze me, "on the bonnet" as Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear would say!), on the roof and "gas" cover.

Next 30-odd miles, stop-and-go rush hour traffic on BQE, LIE, GCP... Amazingly, car interior VERY quiet despite crawling alongside big diesel tractor trailers and "ricers" with their tricked out, rolling "boom boxes." (Sheeesh... I hope they go deaf when they hit their 30s!) Proof of good sound-insulation, shielding and solid body fit-to-frame in my 339, methinks.

Downside: I feel VERY small -- esp. since it seems like the truckers' tires alone seem "taller" than my Mini-E. Also, making it hard to adjust: I use to be in one of those "high-riders." (Yea, ok... CR-V is only "modestly" taller but seeing my sis behind me... She looked a lot "taller" in the CR-V. She confirmed later: "Weird seeing how your Mini's roof is below my eye-level when I was following you. And it looked like those bigger SUVs would crush you!")

Last 5 or so miles of the day was through local neighborhood, suburbia streets running errands. Again: AMAZINGLY shocked at how quiet the car is on local roads. No radio on, no cars or other traffic on the streets... and all you hear is 339's tires as we roll. A true stealth mobile!! (I'm sure my neighbors would love that for the times I come home late -- as in, "in the oh-dark-30 hours." Hehehehe...)

Noticed how low SoC became. "44 or 48%??? Huh?" Means I'd barely get 60 or 80 miles before 339'd need to limp home!! Oh yeah... Bright sunny day (after DAYS of rain) in NYC, sitting in rush-hour traffic -- With the A/C blasting full on the coldest temp. Yeah... Makes sense.

Plugged into 110-volt with special charger provided. Won't get full 12-hours of charging in. (Plugged in after 8PM... Need the car by 7AM tomorrow...) Let's see how well it goes.

Final thoughts for the day

Pros:

Very quiet
Feels solid and soaks up bumps, potholes and usual NYC road conditions well
Good A/C
RDS radio (Love seeing what 'PLJ is playing at the moment)
Comfortable seat(s). (I haven't ridden in the passenger seat... yet! ;-))

Cons:

"Idiosyncrasies" with the controls. (Why is the main radio volume control lower on the dash, while the knob just under the display is used to control switching between the radio's presets? Huh?)
Not "thrilled" with the gianormous "speedo" on the center of the dash. (I don't like to "advertise" how fast I'm going. Also, is the glass face of the gauge polarized? When I wear my polarized sunglasses, I see one nickel-sized black "dot" right in the middle of the LCD line that shows the radio info. :-( )
The horn. Sounded a bit wimpy for the car. Also, the steering wheel control for it takes some getting use to?
No Bluetooth? Oddly enough, there's a "phone handset" symbol on the dash... Pressing it does nothing... Except give your finger exercise. ;-)

The "Undecided yet" bits

Overall exterior/interior styling. Ok, I "get" it's suppose to look like any other Mini. But part of me goes, "But I want other people to see it and go, 'wow, that's different...'" I want acknowledgment that here stands before you something -- and someone! -- "special"... a "one-in-500" kind of special... (#339 of 500, in fact! ;-))

See my Mini-E... Bow in adoration and acknowledgment of me and my 339's vast technological prowess, our commitment to a better Earth and our overall awesomeness... Love my Mini-E... Love me, dang it!

That's all I want!! ;-)

LOL!! JUST kidding. (I really am NOT that vain... Really... :-D)

How I met Mini-E #339...

2009-06-25T21:06:00.008-04:00

I took half-a-day off from my job (in Westchester) to pick up my Mini-E from Mini of Manhattan today. I left a little later than I wanted... then got stuck in traffic. (Traffic? In New York? During the mid-day? What was I thinking? Not, obviously.) And if I was going to make the usual 30-minute trip -- even though I left 15-minutes later than I liked... Well...

Anyway... I met my Mini-E "sales consultant," Catherine Clark, just slightly later than the 3 o'clock appointment we set-up last Monday. And this was our first "face-to-face" meeting -- even though we've known each other since January/February, when she called to let me know I was among "the chosen."

Catherine, in a word, is just super!!! She's been through this whole Mini-E leasing thing with nine other NYC pioneers already, so she's got it all down pat! The "paperwork" (the DMV stuff, the insurance papers, the checklists, the lease agreement... all the legal mumbo-jumbo, bureaucratic stuff I think everyone hates!) went like a breeze.

In short, she's GREAT!! (I regret that I didn't take her picture to share here... 'Cuz I'd certainly buy a car from her again and would recommend her to anyone looking to buy a Mini in metro NYC!)

Anyway, with paperwork -- and first payment ($1,901 including tax and tags.. Owie!! :-P ) -- all signed, done and accounted for... It was "time."

Time to meet "her." Wow... My heart was beating!!!

I'm really doing this, aren't I? I'm really now part of a very small group of people on a grand (hopefully) year-long experiment. I'm really committing myself contractually, financially... But... What will happen?? How will this Mini-E perform as my daily 60-mile (or thereabouts) roundtrip work commuter car? Will it be better than my current vehicle -- my very beloved red '97 Honda CR-V SUV -- which obviously has been a more than able (and cherished) daily driver?

Then, walking through the dealership's indoor garage... those "first steps" toward this year-long commitment...

Ooo... All those Minis!!! A sea of similar... "smallness" yet... So many colors... So many body styles... the squeal of virgin rubber tires on the garage's clean and painted concrete floors... the smell of new paint... the shine of freshly-polished and flawless metal surfaces... like mirrors...

But where's the one that's looks like pewter?? The metallic-gray colored body with the stylized plug on the roof? You know... ?? The one... that "special" one... The one with the unique "numbered badge" that signifies it belongs to me and only me??? (Well at least exclusively to me for a year...) And what was its number?

I kept hoping it was a "cool" number, like #111 that was given to Peter Trepp -- the first Mini-E lessee (a "pioneering pioneer?") on the West Coast. (See his blog: Peter's Mini E)

"911" would've been cool -- if there were more than 500 Mini-Es made. Of course, that meant the "lucky" Asian number ("888") was out, too. Ditto my birthday since I was born after May -- unless you write dates with the day in front of the month. (And I woulda been ok with that...)

All these thoughts were running in my mind... And just as I was thinking, "Nines... A number ending in '9'...." Catherine and I turn a corner and...

Catherine: "There she is, Paul."

My eyes quickly take in its "smallness"... its smooth curves... The low-key pewter color, broken by accents of very-noticeable green... And then I catch the small "scuttle" badge on its side...

Me: (Gasp...) "Nine... Three three nine... "
Catherine: "Something wrong?"
Me: "No... Just that I wanted, to some extent to be 'surprised' by my Mini's number..." (We had traded e-mails about practically all the other details of "my" Mini-E. But not its actual number -- the one that signified my "place" among the "pioneers." ;-))

Catherine: "Uh-huh... And....? You don't like this one...?"
Me: "No, no... Just... I mean... '3-39'... Mini-E... Mini-E-Threeeee-three-nine... "3-3-9... And she's alllllllll miiiinnneee!!!!"

We laughed and as we got in... into the one-and-only "3-3-9"... my 3-39... my Mini-E... I thought, "Yea... Here's to the start of an interesting next-12 months..."

Next up: How 30 minutes with Catherine in the 339 (my 3-3-9!) got me through my first 30 or so miles!

2009-06-25T14:41:00.001-04:00

On my way to get my Mini-E!

The future of liquid fuel-based cars is... "Grass"???

2009-06-24T23:55:00.006-04:00

So, I'm sitting here after a long day of work -- made more difficult as with each passing hour, the little voice inside my head going: "You're thaaaaaaaat much closer to getting your Mini-E...." (Needless to say, concentrating on any one particular work task was just... ahhh... "slightly affected!" ;-))

It also didn't help that through-out the day, I'd get the "Hey, so I hear you're getting a Mini tomorrow...??" from several co-workers (fellow "car buffs" and "techies"like me) and office mates -- the "gang" that I hang out and go out to lunch with and "do stuff" with cuz, ya know, we're really all good buds and actually like each other's company. :-)

Of course, when you get stopped and asked that, ya can't help but stop and go, "Oh no... It's not just a 'Mini Cooper,' it's a Mini-E which means its a..." (And I wonder "Where did the day go?" ;-))

Anyway... I'm home, "rewarding" myself with some Popeye's fried chicken (my fav... Mmmmmm...) after having completed a fun -- but very "demanding" -- task yesterday. I then turn to some reading material and see the latest issue of Scientific American. And lo, what's on the cover?

The headline: "Grassoline"

The cover language: "Forget ethanol from corn. New fuels made from weeds and waste could halve U.S. oil needs.

Hmmmm... Turning to the article, the deck (the stuff after the article's headline) says:

Scientist are turning agricultural leftovers, wood and fast-growing grasses into a huge variety of biofuels -- even jet fuel. But before these next-generation biofuels go mainstream, they have to compete with oil at $60 a barrel.

Check it out here: Grassoline: Biofuels Beyond Corn

Among the article's key points:

Second-generation biofuels made from the inedible parts of plants are the most environmentally friendly and technologically promising near-term alternatives to oil.
Most of this "grassoline" will come from agricultural residues such as cornstalks, weedlike energy crops and wood waste.
The U.S. can grow enough of these feedstocks to replace about half the country's total consumption of oil without affect food supplies.

Hmmmm... The second bullet caught my eye as I munched on the delicious, golden-fried, crunchy, goodness of a juicy, meaty Popeye's drumstick. (Mmmmmm...)

"Wait a sec... So, if we all demand and eat more chicken, farmers will have to have to raise more chickens to be butchered... Which means, there will be more demand for "feed corn" to "feed" (duh!) the increased number of chicken... Which means that other farmers will have to grow more feedcorn... which leads to more "agricultural residues" (like cornstalks)... which leads to more source material for cheaper, clean biofuel!!! (Not to mention, an increased amount of "fry oil" from all those fried Popeye's chickens, which can be used as a clean bio-diesel!)"

Hmmm... More fried chicken = more "agricultural residue" and more used fry oil = more "U.S.-made," clean "grassoline" and bio-diesel (AND) = LESS money for petroleum from foreign countries that hate us and would use our own money to buy more weapons and sponsor those that would kill us!!!

WoW!!!! A win-win-win-win situation!!!

C'mon people! Smell the grease!! Eat more fried chicken! The environment as well as the security of America depends on it!!!

Just kidding...(But still, check out the SciAm story! Good stuff!)

And OBVIOUSLY this is proof that I need to stop eating greasy fried food late at night and get some sleep!! But can I?? In less than 14-hours or so, I'll be behind the wheel of my very own Mini-E!!! How can I sleep?? (Especially if there's still some Popeye's left in the house?? ;-))

Less than a day to go

2009-06-24T18:51:00.002-04:00

I can't believe in less than 24-hours, I'll be part of something so "unique" that I'm literally one of only 500!!

Kinda mind-numbing for a shy and timid geek. (Really, I am. Just ask my non-existent friends! ;-))

More later... Maybe.

Almost here...

2009-06-23T22:36:00.000-04:00

(...which is more than I can say for this blog!)

Well, tomorrow–Thursday June 25, 2009–is the Big Day... The day I get my Mini-E!!!!

But...

Who am I?
What's so special about this Mini-E?
Why am I doing this?
How did I become (or "soon become," really) one of these few "Mini-E pioneers?" (Only 500 Mini-E's leased... worldwide?!?!?)
and
Why should you, dear reader, care?

I can't answer that last question... But I s'pose I shoulda addressed the other points back when I registered and created my blog (which was weeks ago) rather than procrastinate 'til now... Two days before I'm suppose to go visit my local Mini dealer and pick up my very own Mini-E! (Number unknown.)

And yeah, there are plenty of other pioneering Mini-E bloggers (Google Blog search for "'Mini-E' pioneers") who are already sharing their experiences with the vast 'Net. (Yea, yea, yea... They're obviously much more psyched, vocal, Web-savvy and organized than yours truly... So? Sue me!)

But in my defense, I do have a "day job," ya know... And believe it or not, it's with an organization that does a lot of testing of consumer products–including cars! And like all of the other "Web editors" in my organization, I'm busy blogging about what we do!! (More on that later... Maybe!)

So, a bit of warning... This blog will be very much a "work-in-progress" kinda thing, which means there's no telling what kind of posts you'll find here—or when!

I'll try to do a weekly post, even if it's just to say:

"Wkly Log: +600 mi. Odo tot.= 3K. All's well. NOTE: Mini-E 2 quiet! Con: Turkey pop. -1 bird. Pro: Free meat 4 me! (Mmmm... Turkey!) Is "Pro" & "Con" reversed? Rolling on..."

Or something like that... Maybe without the (20-something year old's) Net short-hand. (But no guarantees!)

After all, I have no idea what I will be experiencing over the next year or so with this high-tech, unproven electric car, which is just a little bit less exclusive (but not by much!) than say, the $100,000 Tesla roadster! (And did I mention that I have a day job–and a life outside of work... and the Net?)

So, think of it this way: If you follow my humble little blog with its eclectic posts, it'll be like you're sharing my "adventure" into the unknown...

Anyway, as they say on the Mini site...

Let's motor!

P.S. - A shout out to my friendly colleague (and Mini owner) who started me down this path. (More on that later... Maybe.) Anyway... Thx, "Magnum!" You ROCK!!!