Credit: Mini Ready or not, electric cars are coming. Mini is the latest brand to join the kilowatt club with a clever conversion called - minus Verne Troyer's blessing - the Mini E.
At first glance, the Mini E looks like something you could build at home. In place of the carbon-spewing 1.6-liter four-banger, you bolt in a 201-hp AC motor purchased off the shelf from AC Propulsion of San Dimas, California. In place of the back seat, you snap in 5088 lithium-ion batteries. (They're available from online suppliers for less than $10 apiece.) Rejigger the tachometer to register state of charge, wire up AC Propulsion's power electronics box, plug your project into any handy 220-volt socket for a three-hour charge, and you're ready to commute in the green lane. Read more >>
Base Price Est: N/A
Vehicle Style: 2 seater
Range Est.: 150+ miles
Top Speed Est.: 95 mph
Availability Est.: N/A