BMW builds electric Mini for California
By
BETTINA MAYER, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
MUNICH BMW plans to export nearly 500 electric versions of its Mini
car to California, company sources said.The electric Minis are being built at the Mini factory in Oxford, England, without engines, gearboxes or fuel tanks, then shipped to Munich, Germany, where they are being fitted with electric powertrains.BMW sources told Automotive News Europe that 490 of the Minis will be leased to
selected customers in California and 10 will be used as show
cars.The electric Minis are painted silver and have yellow roofs, the sources said.BMW engineers working on the electric Minis are part of a new division called Project i established by the automaker to develop low-emission city cars.The electric Minis will help BMW to meet new California regulations that will require carmakers selling cars in the state to offer zero emission vehicles.Mini spokesman Cypselus von Frankenberg did not confirm that BMW is building electric Minis."BMW will announce whether it will build electric vehicles or not later this year," he told ANE.Other carmakers are developing electric cars.Volkswagen, Daimler, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen and Renault have all announced electric-vehicle programs in recent months, joining several U.S. and Japanese automakers that are working on the technology.This article was last updated on: 07/09/08, 10:52 et
Electric mini
