Study: Most Mini E drivers adapt to their electricvehicles

[Rania Elhoseny]

While the battery-powered Mini E certainly has some limitations – like two seats instead of four and a real-world driving range that's well below 100 miles – it seems that the vast majority of Mini E drivers have adapted to the vehicle's shortcomings and are extremely pleased with their electrified rides.

In conjunction with BMW, the University of California, Davis Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Research Center compiled testimony from a subset of "more than 40" of the 450-odd drivers who took possession of their Mini Es back in June of 2009.

Among other things, the year-long survey revealed the following:
All of the respondents agreed that electric vehicles are fun to drive and practical for daily use
Respondents claims that the Mini E met 90 percent of their daily driving needs
71 percent of respondents drove less than 40 miles a day; 95 percent drove less than 80 miles a day
88 percent of respondents showed a strong interest in buying a plug-in vehicle within the next five years
By the end of the lease period, Mini E drivers overwhelmingly thought that the electricity used for charging their vehicle should come from renewable energy sources.
More importantly and perhaps a deal breaker for some, several of the Mini E lessees "adapted their driving around the capabilities of the vehicle." For example, the reduced range due to running the heater or A/C led
some drivers to make do without those comforts. Would you be willing to make such sacrifices?