BMW's Mini brand was used to market the company's first electric vehicle (450 total) in what the company called an "research phase" project. According to MINIUSA VP of Marketing Jim McDowell, speaking to a group of automotive journalists, "the Mini-E was a great experiment," but he put special emphasis on the "experiment" side of the description, saying the company had no other electric applications planned. Its parent BMW is moving to the Active-E 1-Series model next (another one presented up-front by BMW as a test, not a potential production vehicle) and also is committed to producing its Megacity electric car "in several years." McDowell said that they learned with the Mini-E that a bigger vehicle is needed to be a functional EV. When Mini created the Mini-E the added electric components and batteries used the original vehicle's rear seat, leaving it as a two-seat car with limited storage space. "You need space for groceries," McDowell said.

McDowell also told the audience that they "shouldn't wait for a hybrid" Mini. He said the added weight that comes with a hybrid system literally outweighed the fuel economy benefits of the technology.

On diesels, McDowell had a different story. "I'd love to have a Mini diesel," he added. The problem he faces is the current European diesel engine won't meet California's strict emissions, so they are working on a new emissions-compliant diesel for the next generation Mini.

A version of this article was also published at http://www.plugincars.com/mini-moves-beyond-ev-experiment.html