[scottp7]

Has anyone got any news that Mini will ever release a Hybrid version? I would be extremely interested if they did and wondered if anyone had any news about one in the pipeline?

Thanks

[dukesantos]

It's a small car to find space for electric motors and batteries without giving up your load capacity. I suspect that plus the added cost will limit your high mileage choice to the diesel for awhile.

[zyo]

Electric Mini: 0-60 in 4 Seconds: It Has Motors In Its Wheels (TreeHugger)

This has been around for a little while. I am not a tree hugger but it was the first link on google

[scottp7]

Quote: Originally Posted by zyo (original)

Electric Mini: 0-60 in 4 Seconds: It Has Motors In Its Wheels (TreeHugger)

This has been around for a little while. I am not a tree hugger but it was the first link on google

Hi, ive seen this one before. I was more looking for Mini introducing genuine Hybrid models like Lexus already has and Porsche doing in the very future such as 2010.

[Irlmin]

I don't think you will ever see a hybrid MINI look at the present MINI D with an emissions level of 102g/km which is the same as Toyotas Prius , the MINI doesn't have poisonous batteries which have to be disposed of in about 7 / 8 years .
G

[scottp7]

yea thats a good point that its very clean, but im not the only one that thinks diesel is expensive to purchase per litre. And its not going to get any cheaper. At least electric would be cheaper to charge

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by scottp7 (original)

yea thats a good point that its very clean, but im not the only one that thinks diesel is expensive to purchase per litre. And its not going to get any cheaper. At least electric would be cheaper to charge

I think that is part of the point. It may save you dollars in the beginning but you will spend big money to replace those batteries later. I have a friend that had two accidents in her prius and had to replace batteries both times. Total cost was half the price of the flipping car. Most people are now just starting to see a 7K dollar replacement cost on a battery pack and dealers have told owners of 2001 models to just scrap the car.....

You'll pay now or later.

As for green? Don't even get me started. Hybrids are a farce on this topic.

[Irlmin]

I totally agree , this whole 'greenie' agenda and their blindness to the real facts is just amazing , We here in Ireland have 2 government ministers from the ( very) minority part of the coalition government and these idiots are being driven around in Prius state cars ,the irony is the Audi A8 tdi and Mercedes cdi's the other Government ministers are using are more environmentally friendly when battery production and disposal as well as the whole carbon footprint is taken into account , BUT 'beardie with the Bicycle ' is blind to anything only His way . as regards the cost of diesel that is a taxation issue and if the government were serious about things they would reduce the taxation for 'friendly' fuel , you also have the option of Bio diesel which is being rolled out . as regards the world running out of Oil !!!!!!! talk to the People that work in oil exploration and I think you will see its again 'smoke and mirrors' and down to price manipulation . oh Yes when the stone age ended did We run out of Stones ? do a google on Prius conjob and have a look where it takes You .

[DaFlake]

I wouldn't call it the "greenie" agenda as I consider myself green friendly. We do need to take action, but the course of actions that we have right now are just not up to what they need to be. Bottom line is that we can't trade off one evil only to adopt another. Hydrogen is probably the closest that we have gotten to a real alternative fuel but it also has its own issue like trying to actually get it.

That being said, there is a difference in people just trying to get better MPG over being a green solution. It seems like a lot of the response are more in favor of protecting their wallet.

[Irlmin]

You can be environmentally aware and yet not subscribe to the fundamentalist 'greenie' one sided policies , yes of course we need to control emissions , yes We need to clean up Our rivers and lakes , yes we need to deal with the recycling of Our everyday refuse and Yes We need to embrace technology to find better ways to fuel transport , take recycling as an example we all need to recycle more of Our everyday packaging etc but what happens to what we can't recycle ? well here in Ireland we have a long running problem with the Experts telling us we need perhaps 3 incinerators built to the best international standards BUT Greenie dosen't agree and has blocked planning consent for years by using every court and appeal in the land while Our refuse heads off to China !!!!!!!!!!!!! what is the point of that ? the bloody stuff has to be transported half way across the world .but greenie is happy He has stopped the incinerator but He has no problem with what happens in China and has no credible alternative that would work in the real world . My point is a 'fundamentalist ' green will say Planes , cars , trucks etc etc are BAD but the same individual has no problem with Cows backsides which is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gasses in Our part of the world !! of course we also have the economic and social consequences of taking on these policies too quickly especially here in Europe. Yes Our products will be competing with goods produced in areas of the world where old methods which are perhaps 20 years behind ours are used with archaic factories fueled by fossil fuels spewing out tons of waste into the atmosphere and of course the problem for us is by the time these areas are brought into line Europe will be an industrial wasteland .
Therefore when I refer to greenie don't think I am referring to responsible People who would like to see a better and cleaner world what I am refering to is the 'extermist' view with no credible alternative being offered . anyway I am happy with My MINI and its 128 g/km and we are looking at a Clubman D for August as well with 102 g/km and I think if credible incentives are offered and a focus on technological solutions we don't need greenies interference .

[oldnell]

It actually really difficult to be green. Although you might get a new car with lower emissions than your old one, do you actually know how much energy is used in manufacturing and what are the waste products? How does your saving in fuel and reduction in emissions balance against the environmental costs of a new car being made?

There are so many unintended consequences of every decision you make.

I'm not for a second saying that that's a reason to just carry on regardless, but very often the knock-on effects of the choices we make are very difficult to know.

Oli

[oldnell]

Quote: Originally Posted by Irlmin (original)

My point is a 'fundamentalist ' green will say Planes , cars , trucks etc etc are BAD but the same individual has no problem with Cows backsides which is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gasses in Our part of the world !!

Now, it's been a good few days since I was last called a pedant, but cows actually do not produce very much greenhouse gases from their backsides. They do, however, burp lots and this is where 95% of their greenhouse emissions come from.

Oli

[DaFlake]

OK, I do get what you are saying IrImin no need to raise your blood pressure.

There is no easy solution to being green, if there was we would already be doing it.

I do know this. Even if we cut everyone over to an electric car, it would only reduce our CO2 emissions by a little less than 15%. My point was that there is little benefit other than saving you at the pump right now. Even the Hydrogen 7 (BMW) is getting beat up right now due to the thirst the thing has.

FWIW, your rant sounds like you have subscribed to the far right of the "greenie" argument.

Oldnell is right, the CO2 is from the front side.

[Irlmin]

Not having spent much time examining the exit points of cows I am happy to bow to your superior knowledge of the subject and admit I was wrong about the primary point of exit of these gasses , it still is relevant however that Cows produce more than their share of co2 and this fact is not seized upon by 'greenie' . if You read My post You would realise I don't belong to the anti green lobby in fact I would consider Myself to be pro active in ensuring I do My bit to make life better by embracing cleaner ways to dispose of my refuse , use technological advances in insulation to insulate My home to the latest best practice , to drive a fuel efficient and low emission car as My primary transport etc etc , BUT I will not be dictated to by a bunch of fundamentalists who offer NO practical alternatives and any alternatives they do offer when pressed on the subject have no place in the real world . this problem is like many facing the developed world where it is now 'politically incorrect ' to offer any alternative view to the vocal minority even if their views are not standing up to scrutiny , I will use Ireland as an example again over the past 10 Years many companies have been trying to get planning consent for wind farms here in a country with a good supply of raw material from the North Atlantic winds BUT it takes Years to get past the appeals and court challenges before anything can be built and costs involved in fighting these appeals make the return from these investments take years longer or eventually the projects are shelved , who is appealing ? yes 'beardie ' with the bike because He dosen't like the look or sound of the wind turbines , We have NO nuclear power plants here which personally I feel We don't need anyway if the power of the wind and waves are harnessed and resources managed correctly BUT Greenie 'Irish style ' is quiet happy to import electricity from UK etc where it may be produced By nuclear power stations , I could go on and on but I think what We need in life and indeed in transport moving forward is 'balance' not fundamentalist hysteria . oh let me also say there is no problem with My blood pressure and I am sure I can continue to make My humble opinion known without any problem . life is too short for that .

[DaFlake]

Can't speak for your country but what you have there is not a green fundamentalist (as I know them) as they would be willing to jump all over wind versus nuclear (so would I). In fact I totally support the building of wind and solar farms.

As for cows; (I consider myself somewhat of a tree hugger) we can't do anything about them. The idea of being green (in my opinion) is to produce less of what we can produce less of. In other words, I don't want to make more trash, so I stop using things like paper towels and use rags instead that I can wash with hopefully a green powered washing machine and biodegradable detergents (Seventh Generation fan here). I also prefer electricity from a cleaner power source like wind and elect to get it there when I can. Thus I took slight offense to your use of the term "greenie". I now see how you are using it and that I am not.

It is sad to hear your frustrations, but you are not alone as I am right beside you as are others in your plight. I just didn't know how you were using the term, that is all. Sorry if I offended you.

[CC07ERS]

Where do you put the batteries?

[dalboyne]

Quote: Originally Posted by CC07ERS (original)

Where do you put the batteries?

In all that extra space created in the Clubman, of course!

Oh, and why not a solar panel roof and bonnet to help top the batteries up, while we are at it?

Ian

[Melkhior]

Quote: Originally Posted by dalboyne (original)

In all that extra space created in the Clubman, of course!

The clubman's too big for me, but there's plenty of unused space between me (the driver) and the boot. Just remove those useless backseats. But that's not a current manufacturing option :-(

Quote:

Oh, and why not a solar panel roof and bonnet to help top the batteries up, while we are at it?

If BMW was to release a Cooper H using a parallel hybrid drivetrain, and solar panels to recharge the batteries, I'd be back at my dealership to buy one on the day of release w/o looking at the pricetag.