Trials of the all-electric Mini E have started in Oxford after 40 members of the public received the keys to their trial cars.
The trial is the first of two that will run back to back in Oxford over the next year. BMW will be monitoring the psychological, social and technical aspects of living with an electric car during the tests.
The normal lease cost for a Mini E would be £550 per month, but this has come down to £330 with a national government subsidy.
“This is a historic day for Mini and for the BMW Group” said BMW’s UK managing director Tim Abbott in the handover ceremony. “It is fitting that the brand with its inspiration in the oil crisis of the 1950s is again at the forefront of energy efficiency with a car that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.”
BMW is partnering Scottish and Southern Energy in the trial. Part of its brief is to see what burden charging electric cars has on the local electricity network.
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council are also partnering BMW in the scheme, as the area aims to become a leader in developing electric cars, securing more local jobs in the process.
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Re: Mini E trials begin in Oxford
So much Labourite hogwash... does cloud cuckoo land not have newspapers or television?
Re: Mini E trials begin in Oxford
SO, SEEDA (an RDA...each region has one) that WAS set up by the current gov. to help develop each area is backing the electric car scheme with a scheme that was set up by the current gov for development of the infrastructure and capacity (no pun intended) for electric vehicles NOT ONLY running but maufacturing and design; THE current GOV did that...well done Lab, well done GB and Mandy...cannot argue with that.
it makes ECC and some of the comments about the current gov. from yesterday look very out of touch..as they are totally out of touch.
As for the Olympics thing, it should have still been awarded to Nissan as Nissan will have the Leaf in the UK launched and that would have accelerated not only this perspective BMW aspect (they may place design and develop of electric cars here in the UK) but also helped companies like ECC.
The Olympics decision was still shameful in all respects, if they had gone with Nissan it would have pushed all these benefits right across the country much faster and better; CapsLock ws right in my opinion and the wider implications of the Olympic award should have been considered and acted upon; i like CapsLock do not believe they were.
Still it shows that the current gov. (the LAB gov) are placing all the wonderful items in place if BMW (IF) BMW place the design and development of electric vehicles here in the UK that is brilliant for the UK....a well done to the UK government for supporting the UK, our jobs and giving us these wonderful opportunities....as said, the ECC decision looks bad at the side of this