My Mini-E, my soul mate?

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)???

Read more!

Spinning up 339 and bringin' on the grins!

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. :-) Read more!

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!!! ;-)) Read more!

Day 5: Full charge, full speed ahead!

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!!! Read more!