MINI E – be a UK tester

It’s nine months since we reported that MINI were going to let the public shake out any problems in the MINI E by leasing them out in small numbers to ‘Field Testers. Initially the plan was to do this in the States and Germany, but MINI has thrown the UK in to the mix, and are now accepting applications for MINI E testers.

But don’t think it will be a freebie. It may be far more advantageous to MINI than the Test Driver, but MINI are charging around $850 a month in the US for the privilege of testing the MINI E so, although MINI hasn’t released details of cost in the UK, you can bet it will be a similar amount.

Still, people like to feel special, and an electric MINI is something ground-breaking. It comes with a pretty impressive 200+ bhp and will do 60 mph in around 8.5 seconds. But the range isn’t great at around 100 miles. It’s also not exactly a family car. There are no back seats because that’s where MINI has shoved the big bank of lithium-ion batteries the MINI E needs.The MINI E also only comes in LHD.

If all this hasn’t but you off paying to work for BMW, there are a few more obstacles ro overcome. You’ll have to have a suitable garage to park the MINI E in as BMW will fit a high-capacity charging system for the car. You’ll also have to live in the South East, as that’s the only area the trial covers. And there are only going to be 40 MINI Es in the UK test, so even if you decide to apply there’s probably not much chance you’ll be successful.

Still, if you fancy having a go hop over to the MINI E Field Trial site and get your application in.

Update 1/9/09: It’s taken MINI a while to catch up with our story, but today they’ve sent us information to clarify the monthly least cost for MINI E Field Testers in the UK. Although we were on the nail with the $850 – which equates to around £550 – MINI say that because of a grant from the Technology Strategy Board the actual cost of the lease in the UK will be £330. So now you don’t have to pay as much to work for MINI/BMW. That’s good.