Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

Electric Mini


  • Please log in to reply
51 replies to this topic

#1 Haynes

Haynes

    Speeding Along Now

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 484 posts

Posted 22 February 2019 - 01:28 PM

Apologies if this has already been posted, this was in my local paper as its a company in Swindon.  I started reading and thought yey if it was around same price as a BINI I could stretch to one as a daily but then read further down to see the actual price!

 

https://swindonpower...om/uk/news.aspx

 

https://www.express....K-price-Swind-E

 

 



#2 unburntfuelinthemorning

unburntfuelinthemorning

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,914 posts
  • Location: Bedfordshire

Posted 22 February 2019 - 02:11 PM

I'd be impressed if it was a hybrid which kept the A series engine! 



#3 Anchoright

Anchoright

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 127 posts
  • Location: Los Angeles

Posted 22 February 2019 - 03:27 PM

Super expensive! I’d be interested in seeing the specs of the engine. My build has more range, power and speed. Even though I keep it under 80mph usually. I’m afraid it won’t stop in time faster than that!

#4 Anchoright

Anchoright

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 127 posts
  • Location: Los Angeles

Posted 22 February 2019 - 03:29 PM

Actually I take that back, I have the same range.

#5 mab01uk

mab01uk

    Moved Into The Garage

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 11,776 posts
  • Local Club: Mini Cooper Register

Posted 22 February 2019 - 03:40 PM

An Electric Mini Kit here:-

http://www.theminifo...conversion-kit/



#6 Anchoright

Anchoright

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 127 posts
  • Location: Los Angeles

Posted 22 February 2019 - 03:45 PM

This is a good kit! Cheaper than what I ended up paying!

#7 Icey

Icey

    One Carb Or Two?

  • Traders
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,490 posts
  • Location: Wiltshire

Posted 22 February 2019 - 04:57 PM

I've mentioned this in discussions with others but I can see there being a very real risk that the market for electric-converted classics could be destroyed with a single piece of regulation/legislation.

 

It will take only one catastrophic battery failure and death to cause a clamp-down on the retrofitting of large, high-density battery packs to cars that don't have the appropriate crash protection around them.

 

Our fire services are equipped to deal with petrol and the usual hazards of RTCs but throw a damaged, badly protected battery pack containing 100s if not 1000s (in future) of aHs into the mix and I can see the whole industry going pear-shaped.

 

It may just be my rubber-insulated tin-foil hat but I would be very, very hesitant buying into that market both as a customer or an investor. Annoyingly, I love the idea of retrofitting electric running gear to cars and the Mini I can imagine being great fun but putting huge Li-Ion batteries on the public roads is very different to tinkering in your garage with a few lead-acid batteries.


Edited by Icey, 22 February 2019 - 04:58 PM.


#8 MalcolmB

MalcolmB

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 121 posts
  • Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Posted 22 February 2019 - 10:03 PM

Those are very valid concerns Icey. I've been following the DIY electric conversion scene for around 10 years and there have already been several fires. These have mostly happened during charging, due to an electrical fault or lack of battery management system. The risk varies with battery chemistry, but is greatest when people reuse the likes of Tesla batteries without replicating all the safety precautions that Tesla takes.

Looking on the brighter side though, when batteries are damaged they tend to burn much slower than petrol, so you have more time to escape. Those involved in the growing conversion business are also keen to avoid killing off their customers, so most take serious precautions, including sophisticated battery management systems, tough metal enclosures, battery cooling systems and fire retardant insulation. It's definitely an area I'll be looking at closely when I get round to converting my mini.

#9 CityEPete

CityEPete

    Up Into Fourth

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,920 posts
  • Location: On my soapbox....

Posted 22 February 2019 - 10:43 PM

You might want to look into how lithium ion batteries burn!

#10 MalcolmB

MalcolmB

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 121 posts
  • Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Posted 22 February 2019 - 11:39 PM

You might want to look into how lithium ion batteries burn!


Sure, there are plenty of scary videos, but even the most volatile batteries don't burn as fast as a container of petrol - that's why it took so long to put out the fire when Hammond crashed the Rimac car.

#11 CityEPete

CityEPete

    Up Into Fourth

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,920 posts
  • Location: On my soapbox....

Posted 23 February 2019 - 06:32 PM

But they can burn far more easily even when just being used correctly which is what most of us will be doing.

#12 MalcolmB

MalcolmB

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 121 posts
  • Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Posted 23 February 2019 - 07:07 PM

If the risk was that great I doubt so many of us would be carrying around lithium batteries in our pockets or leaving them on the bedside table. We've all heard stories of mobiles and laptops going up in flames, but the percentage of cases is tiny in relation to the number of devices in use.



#13 Mito

Mito

    Speeding Along Now

  • TMF+ Member
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 377 posts
  • Location: Hull

Posted 23 February 2019 - 07:11 PM

There's a university in the UK which is working on solid state batteries. They demonstrated how you could bash it with a hammer and even pierce it with a screw driver multiple times without anything happening. It could even still supply power once it has been damaged.

I think battery tech will evolve massively over the next few years and decade as demand for safer batteries increases.

Looking forward to be able to convert my mini to electric one the technology is mature enough.

#14 mk1leg

mk1leg

    Crazy About Mini's

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 9,341 posts
  • Location: Jersey
  • Local Club: Mini Club Jersey, MCR

Posted 23 February 2019 - 07:18 PM

I would rather pay a little more and get a remastered mini



#15 CityEPete

CityEPete

    Up Into Fourth

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,920 posts
  • Location: On my soapbox....

Posted 23 February 2019 - 07:27 PM

If the risk was that great I doubt so many of us would be carrying around lithium batteries in our pockets or leaving them on the bedside table. We've all heard stories of mobiles and laptops going up in flames, but the percentage of cases is tiny in relation to the number of devices in use.


They are tiny in comparison to an electric car battery though, it's safe to carry a cigarette lighter but you wouldn't want a fuel tanker parked on your drive would you.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users