A PLUG IN MINI, WHY? 3 views... Part 1

The participants...

Recently I asked 3 MINI E lessees if I could come and talk about their MINI E's and if they would answer my questionnaire; all agreed. David Middlesworth, Pacific Palisades, Ca., Peder (Peter) Norby, CarlsBad, Ca., and Mark Winkworth, Pasadena, Ca. Let me say that all these guys were very gracious in allowing me to invade their homes and time. I no longer am amazed at the friendliness MINI owners.

My intentions...

My intentions were not to involve my own beliefs but to have a conversation about theirs.

Originally this was going to be an all in one post but as I look over the answers given, I think 3 parts would be better. My questionnaire consisted of 22 questions. Questions 1-4; name, city, age and occupation are covered early in this post.

1st meeting...

My 1st meet up was with David. He has a very eclectic car collection... MINI E, SMART Car, MINI Clubman, GEM-E4 and a Ford Flex.

Right off, David, age group 50-60, does not believe in Global Warming. He decided on a MINI E more out of a "Saving the Planets Limited Resources" philosophy. David is a venture capitalist; at least I think that's what he called it.

The Questions 5-22...

5. why did you choose it... David likes new techie things, loves the MINI, "Someone has to try new things, and I like to be that one."

6. how has yours experience been, so far... "GREAT!!! The car handles much better than expected, as did the acceleration."

7. how do you charge your MINI E... David charges every thing at is home by the sun. Check out his solar equipment in the gallery!

8. if using the standard power grid, how much has the "E" added to your electric bill... since David uses solar exclusively, he tells me he actually makes more power than he can use.

9. are you concerned by the usage of coal in our power grid... he sees it as a minor concern and believes we will, through science, be able to lessen it's impact, his answer was "A little."

10. is solar power a future possibility for you... for him it's already happened.

11. how long does a FULL charge take... from 0 - full about 5.25 hours.

12. how far have you gone on a full charge... 110 miles.

13. how do you find the fit and finish of the MINI E... "GREAT!!"

14. what are your views on batteries in landfills... David suggests he doesn't like the current state of our recycling in this country but thinks we are learning more as we do it more.

15. would the battery replacement cost of $30,000 dampen your enthusiasm... He feels battery technology will grow as more cars like the MINI E get built and that will lower battery costs.

16. have you ever owned a MINI or Mini classic before... his 1st foray into MINI madness was a 2009 Clubman.

17. compare the MINI E motoring experience to your other cars... "it's a great driving experience, similar to my Clubman but with a different accelerator pedal feel."

18. will the scarcity of Lithium hamper the advancement of these batteries... "Maybe, but we have 3 times as much lithium as we did 3 years ago."

19. do you know about "Carbon Offsetting"... he directed me to this website as his answer... www.terrapass.com

20. do you feel electric vehicles will overtax our energy grid... "I wish!!"

21. should our government have done more to make us less dependent on foreign oil... "Of course."

22. If the MINI diesel came to the USA would you still choose the MINI E... "Yes, because I have my own solar power plant."

Thanks again David for your time and graciousness... and of course that amazing bottle of wine, still unopened.

I will be doing a recap of all 3 MINI E posts at their end.

PEACE... RB

Next Up: Mark Winkworth

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