Looks like he gives a passer by the two finger salute about midway through as well?!

Link: Jay Leno's Garage (http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/video_player.shtml?vid=1052621)

:rolleyes: I just can't get excited about electric cars... even if it is a MINI. :redface:

I think the driving is quite amusing, just the sheer lack of any bends more than anything. Look, you can drive down some straight streets, then you can drive on a straight highway, and if you're feeling really crazy, you can do a partial skid and turn on a straight street....

lol That's the only thing that worries me about my possible move to the USA after my PhD... a distinct lack of fun roads. :o

Well there goes any chance of it being a cool car:rolleyes:

That guys such an overpaid cock, and what is with that chin of his, its almost as big as his ego:eek:

His "ze German accent ya.." weird pieces to camera were terrible.

Its just like driving any other MINI, but with no noise apart from a distant whine and tire noise, but the torque delivery is astonishing. If it could be de regulated tuning wise so that the available power could be transferred to the tarmac, it would be awesome. With this new quick charge battery technology thats just been announced it could well be the future of motoring ;)

lol That's the only thing that worries me about my possible move to the USA after my PhD... a distinct lack of fun roads. :o

Yup, straight and wide, that's daily driving in the US. Except for whipping around a few curving off ramps a bit faster than I legally should my MINI doesn't really get to be a MINI (if you follow me) during my normal commute. But don't despair once you head out of the city/burbs you can find plenty of winding MINI friendly roads. Just tends to be more of a weekend thing.

I really would like one- I don't really care about the noise of a car- no damage to the planet, so no guilt, and you can still drive a MINI!

I have to speak up in defense of yank roads ... he lives in a city. So, roads laid out on a grid like most cities that don't date back past medieval times. It's also a CITY.

Not everyone in the US lives in cities. We have some fab mountain ranges and rolling hills with plenty of twisties. In fact, when I drive to leave my car at my parents' house for the summer, I get twelve full hours of driving through twisties in the mountains. :D


I really wanted to get a Mini E lease for the special programme they were running. But you have to be in LA or NYC. Drat!

I really would like one- I don't really care about the noise of a car- no damage to the planet, so no guilt, and you can still drive a MINI!
No damage to the planet?

Where does the electricity come from? Burning coal, nuclear power stations etc. Its not the solution whilst electricity is still made this way:rolleyes:

Far less than petrol/diesel. If we go that far, the part where the car is built is the biggest polluting thing..

Far less than petrol/diesel. If we go that far, the part where the car is built is the biggest polluting thing..
But you said that electric meant no damage to the planet, not that its less damaging, its just as bad as petrol and diesel.

Ok i did say no damage- but anything with regards to transport damages the planet that little bit more, the MINI E is a step in the right direction.

Ok i did say no damage- but anything with regards to transport damages the planet that little bit more, the MINI E is a step in the right direction.
But its not a step in the right direction is what I said because of how electricity is produced:rolleyes:

Until there is another way to get the electricity or to recharge the batteries then its not the future.

Then we come into the part you talked about, the materials and production of the vehicle too being environmentally friendly.

I have to speak up in defense of yank roads ... he lives in a city. So, roads laid out on a grid like most cities that don't date back past medieval times. It's also a CITY.

Not everyone in the US lives in cities. We have some fab mountain ranges and rolling hills with plenty of twisties. In fact, when I drive to leave my car at my parents' house for the summer, I get twelve full hours of driving through twisties in the mountains. :D


I really wanted to get a Mini E lease for the special programme they were running. But you have to be in LA or NYC. Drat!

Yes, but if you want to do a piece about a car and mention it's handling and how it drives, it seems a bit half baked to drive around a suburb, then on a highway, and do a half turn in the road... Surely there's some great roads nearby, even if you had to trailer the car a short while to get there.

But its not a step in the right direction is what I said because of how electricity is produced:rolleyes:

Until there is another way to get the electricity or to recharge the batteries then its not the future.

Then we come into the part you talked about, the materials and production of the vehicle too being environmentally friendly.

Ok then, lets just sit tight and do nothing. You know what I mean, it is, for a time at least, the way to go. There will be something bigger and better along the way.

Ok then, lets just sit tight and do nothing. You know what I mean, it is, for a time at least, the way to go. There will be something bigger and better along the way.
Its not a case of sitting tight and doing nothing, its a case of realising that its making very little difference except shifting the 'I'm not doing any damage' to those making the power which you put into the car:rolleyes:

Up, up and away – the hydrogen car is here (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/features/article2744803.ece)

Hydrogen/Electric cars are the future, no need to charge the car up, self recharging by means of a fuel which produces nothing but water as waste.

Its not a case of sitting tight and doing nothing, its a case of realising that its making very little difference except shifting the 'I'm not doing any damage' to those making the power which you put into the car:rolleyes:

Up, up and away – the hydrogen car is here (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/features/article2744803.ece)

Hydrogen/Electric cars are the future, no need to charge the car up, self recharging by means of a fuel which produces nothing but water as waste.

Now I realise I must be missing something but how do you make hydrogen? Isn't the most common way hydrolysis of water which makes it one big chemical battery? I appreciate that it in most ways, it is a battery that is fairly efficient in terms of space and weight, unlike lithium batteries (in the MINI E and Tesla).

It is possible that the combined efficiency of a power station, battery and a motor is more efficient than burning petrol in an internal combustion engine but I agree it's not terribly convincing.

It also depends on whether your goal is reducing pollution in cities, reducing co2 production or saving the fossil fuel stocks. Obviously electricity produced from nuclear power is co2 "clean" but 3mile island and Chernobyl stiill influence my concern about this as an option. I can't see wind/wave power being a significant energy source in the near future.

However I have swapped my 22mpg car for a 50mpg (fuel of satan) car and nice Gordon Brown has given me 30% of the cost so I'm feeling doubly angelic at the moment despite the fact that it's a real effort to keep it in the power band. I have to say I quite fancy a MINI E but only to offset my guilt at also wanting a 300bhp 4wd MINI-but I don't think MINI have any intention of selling me either

ps yes I know you can also make hydrogen from natural gas but this seems pointless-why not burn the gas in the first place and I suppose you can make hyrogen from biological sources but this is along way off. I also know that there is an awful lot of hydrogen in the universe just not any bit that is close by.

The big question is where are you going to get the hydrogen for your car from? There are a couple of hydrogen fuel points in my area (not for public use obviously), but that's it. It isn't clear to me how hydrogen can compete with gasoline and electricty which already have huge existing networks for distribution.

Well yes there needs to be a hydrogen distribution set up and this will cost billions but this would happen if it was otherwise viable/sensible. "if you build it they will come"

There is of course billions being made by fuel companies already so assuming that they have no wish to stifle competing technology (!!) investment is possible in such fuels.

However until we can get algae to split water I can't see that hydrogen can be seen as anything other than a potentially explosive battery.

Well yes there needs to be a hydrogen distribution set up and this will cost billions but this would happen if it was otherwise viable/sensible. "if you build it they will come"


I'm not so sure. The pro-hydrogen crowd always point to the development of the network of gas stations as proof that the demand will develop the network, but gasoline powered cars had no real alternative while hydrogen powered vehicles have to compete with conventional cars, hybrids and possibly electrics.

Yup, straight and wide, that's daily driving in the US. Except for whipping around a few curving off ramps a bit faster than I legally should my MINI doesn't really get to be a MINI (if you follow me) during my normal commute. But don't despair once you head out of the city/burbs you can find plenty of winding MINI friendly roads. Just tends to be more of a weekend thing.

I have to speak up in defense of yank roads ... he lives in a city. So, roads laid out on a grid like most cities that don't date back past medieval times. It's also a CITY.

Not everyone in the US lives in cities. We have some fab mountain ranges and rolling hills with plenty of twisties. In fact, when I drive to leave my car at my parents' house for the summer, I get twelve full hours of driving through twisties in the mountains. :D

I'll have to get you guys to show me some fun spots when I get over there then. ;) :D

Anyhoo... back on topic. :o

I'll have to get you guys to show me some fun spots when I get over there then. ;) :D

Anyhoo... back on topic. :o

West Virginia. :D :D :D