2nd Gen E UC Davis Study Highlights Results of all Electric MINI E Field Trial

Discussion in '2nd Generation: 2007+ R55 through R61' started by Nathan, Jun 13, 2011.

  1. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

    Mar 30, 2009
    25,144
    10,052
    113
    Writer
    Short North
    Ratings:
    +10,069 / 0 / -0
    Davis, CA – June 13, 2011…The University of California, Davis and the BMW Group today released the largest publicly available study of electric-car users ever conducted – including over 120 families who drove the fully electric MINI E automobile more than 1 million miles in California, New York and New Jersey from June 2009 to June 2010. The report shows that the participants found the cars to be fun yet practical, easy to drive and recharge, and many said they would buy an electric car in the next five years, according to UC Davis researchers.

    As battery electric vehicles (BEVs) enter the commercial marketplace for the first time, the results of this year-long study by the UC Davis Plug-in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center provide valuable insight into new ways that consumers value BEVs.

    Through online and telephone surveys of the participating households, and diaries and in-person interviews with a subset of more than 40 households, the UC Davis MINI E research team examined user behavior, infrastructure use, costs, environmental benefits, and other aspects of electric driving.
    Among the key findings of the study are the following:

    • 100% of respondents said BEVs are fun to drive and practical for daily use
    • Respondents said the MINI E met 90% of their daily driving needs
    • 71% of respondents drove fewer than 40 miles/day; 95% drove fewer than 80
    • 99% of respondents said home charging was easy to use
    • 71% of respondents said they are now more likely to purchase a BEV than they were a year ago while only 9% said they are less likely.
    • 88% of respondents said they are interested in buying a BEV or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in the next five years

    By the end of the lease period, MINI E drivers overwhelmingly thought that the electricity for charging their BEV should come from renewable resources such as solar, wind and hydropower, and were strongly opposed to using coal to generate electricity for their vehicles.
    The UC Davis study is part of a whole set of studies being conducted by the BMW Group on electric vehicles, which includes research in China, Germany and the U.K.

    Compelling combination of “clean and funâ€
    UC Davis Plug-in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Research Center director Tom Turrentine said the study highlights three new and potentially significant ways that drivers value BEVs. First, the MINI E meets drivers’ desire for a vehicle that is both environmentally friendly and fun to drive. Drivers loved the vehicle’s quick acceleration and quiet operation.

    “What we heard over and over again in our interviews is how fun it was to drive. That’s in part because it’s a MINI and in part because of the feel of electric drive,†Turrentine said.

    Second, drivers find value in using electricity as a fuel and in mastering their individual energy use through efficient driving behaviors. “The combination of limited onboard energy and extreme efficiency make BEVs the premier appliance for people to experience energy use,†says Turrentine. Additionally, the drivers learned to appreciate the car’s powerful regenerative braking function, which returns energy to the battery and allowed them to drive using a single pedal for acceleration and braking.

    Third, drivers like to develop their clean driving territory. “Drivers start talking about the MINI E as a special way to explore their region. They of course can go anywhere in their gas car, but they like to talk about where they can go in their MINI E,†Turrentine says.

    “Range anxiety†not a big issue for experienced MINI E drivers
    While range is often held up as a limitation of BEVs, the MINI E’s range of around 100 miles was acceptable to most drivers most of the time. “We found that households adapted their driving around the capabilities of the vehicle and even explored ways to maximize the use of the MINI E,†said Turrentine.
    By studying the MINI E drivers’ usage patterns and need for range, researchers were able to determine that strategic placement of charging stations could allow drivers to reach most of their desired destinations using a BEV that has a range of 90 to 100 miles. Most charging occurred at home, at night, and 99% of respondents said home charging was easy to use.

    BMW Group prepares 2nd phase of its EV strategy with BMW ActiveE
    “The MINI E studies are extremely valuable for us as they show that electric cars are already today offering an attractive mobility solution to a broader spectrum of customers. While reducing the tail pipe emissions to zero, the MINI E provides the fun that users expect when driving our products. The results of the UC Davis study have a direct impact on the development of all BMW Group electric vehicles to come,†says Ulrich Kranz, head of project i, BMW Group. “BMW Group now is developing the next generation of full electric cars, with the BMW ActiveE test fleet coming into the market in 2011 and the series production BMW i3 following in 2013.â€

    The all-electric BMW ActiveE will be available in select US markets beginning in late 2011, for a two-year lease at $499/month, with a $2,250 down payment. Details can be found at Uniquely BMW - Efficient Dynamics - Explore ActiveE - BMW North America. Join the growing conversation about the future of mobility at BMW Activate the Future.
     
  2. Zeyk_Shade

    Zeyk_Shade Member

    Oct 14, 2010
    89
    7
    8
    Ratings:
    +7 / 0 / -0
    I'd drive one. I only have to drive about 20-25miles a day. Would work out quite nicely for me. We already signed up to get a portion of our electricity from Wind Power as well. Would be nice to know that your electricity bill would go up but with the price of premium gasoline as high as it is, Electric is starting to make sense.
     
  3. Eric_Link

    Eric_Link New Member

    Sep 28, 2015
    46
    20
    0
    Ratings:
    +20 / 0 / -0
    Drove one... Very nice. All that instant torque. Would have bought one of if available in TX. And don't care about emissions so much but with tax credit also a great deal.
     
  4. Stefanie

    Stefanie Well-Known Member

    May 8, 2014
    545
    804
    93
    Staff Microbiologist/hematologist at UC Davis
    Sacramento, CA
    Ratings:
    +804 / 0 / -0
    #4 Stefanie, Sep 29, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2015
    I find it interesting that this study was conducted at UC Davis. The majority of the population in this town is comprised of tree huggers. I feel I can say this because I went to school at UCD and now work here... ;)

    Having said that, I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I just believe it skews the findings somewhat.

    Personally, the range of 100 miles is too limited for me to consider it. Also, this statement bothered me:

    As if having a limited amount of fuel in your tank wouldn't be motivation to "master individual energy use through efficient driving behavior"? Assuming someone cares about energy efficiency, does it really matter where said energy comes from (at least in the context of driving a vehicle)?

    Anyhoo...back to my coffee...
     
  5. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
    Staff Member Articles Moderator Supporting Member

    Jul 31, 2009
    11,163
    6,169
    113
    Male
    Ratings:
    +7,874 / 10 / -3
    Well said Stefanie! I have nothing to add, Back to my coffee also:biggrin5:
     
  6. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
    19,424
    10,031
    113
    Retired old fart
    Hooterville Ohio USA
    Ratings:
    +11,656 / 2 / -0
    An appliance not a car..... :prrr:
     
  7. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
    Lifetime Supporter

    Sep 18, 2010
    7,820
    3,327
    113
    Retired CAL FIRE Battalion Chief
    The Great Irrigated Desert of Central CA
    Ratings:
    +3,328 / 0 / -0
    Stefanie, thankyou for sharing your insiders perspective. It didn't surprise me that this study was conducted within arms reach of Gov. Moonbeam.
     

Share This Page