http://editorial.autos.msn.com/landi...=328&GT1=10652

 

At $65,000 for an electric Mini Cooper, it better come with a supermodel in the passenger seat...

 

Here you go

 

I think using the MINI "...to try and sell people on the idea of an electric vehicle, but rather to show them how much fun they can have in electric versions of their favorite cars." is a cleaver idea.

Wouldn't want to change the batteries tho'.

 

Just found the same article. For sale at WALMART of all places? Doesn't that in itself degrade the brand name? How can BMW corporate let this fly?

 

Don't fret Wagnbat, it's not like they're selling them on Guam or anything.

 

0-60 in 6 seconds? isnt that Cooper S territory?

 

Why not. If they sell a retro kit I'd strip my engine out in a heart beat and plug in my MINI at night.

 

it would be the only way to have a reliable Mini

 

They should call it a Wal-Cart.

 

I sure wish they had not partnered with Wal Mart as I am not a fan of the way they do business but I understand the appeal of the exposure they can get from that store. The EV is interesting but with 120 miles between charges it limits it as a city vehicle only which is great if you live in large city and that is how you drive 90% of the time. The main restrictor of this idea is the battery technology which has advanced a lot since the first EV and I'm sure it will continue to do so. When they find a way to get 300+ miles on a charge and way to rapidly re-charge the system so that you could take one of these on a real road trip that will be something truly revolutionary.

 

my biggest concern (as with hybrids) is how long will the battery last, not the range. if the 120 miles is only good for a year, it isnt worth it. if you can still go 120 miles 10 years after buying the car then it might be a nice city commuter

 

There's no way thats a real story.

Out of all the places to try and sell electric cars at a premium, Wal-Mart would be the absolute worst place to do it.

 

I never read anything in my owner's manual that prohibits me from modifying my MINI to suit my tastes. Why shouldn't someone be able to buy a new MINI from BMW, modify it, and then sell the modified version?

If this was somehow wrong, then most of us here are in big trouble for all the things we have done to our MINI's.

And Wal-Mart is not really trying to make a buck here, they are using this as an obviously successful advertising ploy to show how much they love the environment. They'll get a lot of attention for it and in the end they will sell more lead-laced plastic crap from China.

 

This community never fails to show its snobbish attitude.

 

I'm going to Wal-Mart today to pick up my photos. I can buy all the cheap consumable crap I need around the house and be able to save money for the quality MINI-related stuff I want. I'll probably check to see if they have any die-cast MINI's there while I am at it!

I'm simply not in the financial situation where I can afford to pay extra for my laundry detergent on principle.

 

The batteries will go bad eventually and I'm guessing how fast depends on how much driving you do and how often you recharge. Then you replace them and start again.

 

after 37K mine has been quite reliable. My wife has 45k on hers with no problems. The only issues we have had have been things like the rear window scratching from not being adjusted properly, motor mounts and the convertible roof having wear spots, but the dealer took care of these. It starts every day and runs well, so what more can I ask.

 

yeh, plus how do you dispose of those dead batteries anyway?

 

Wal-Mart customers will know what to do, trust me

 

Sam's Club is selling it for $60K, I believe. And this is ON-TOPIC, so I am moving it to General MINI Talk.

 

Explain.

How many people shop at Wal-Mart to find well-made, long-lasting products? None. Why? Because Wal-Mart isn't marketing to those people. If they sold Kia's in Wal-Mart I could totally see that working. But selling a $65k electric MINI there? LOL.

On top of that, if Wal-Mart really is going to push this as a "green" marketing ploy, I would hope that the majority of people would see right through it.

 

It was on the front cover of the Sams Club ad I got a couple of weeks ago, but if you look at the fine print, Sams isn't actually selling them. The send you to the seller who is not affiliated with Sams, Walmart or MINI/BMW.
120 mile range in Vegas is fine if you don't want to leave town. 120 miles from Vegas in any direction is the side of the Interstate in a desert.

 

Agro: Bring a little Honda generator. And some gas...
...heck, just bring a gas Honda Civic.



I am actually finding ways to avoid WalMart and not get kicked in the wallet. It takes some ingenuity (and conscious avoidance of buying "crap" I don't need) but similar prices can be found elsewhere, sometimes with generics.

 

Apparently i must clarify

These comments are just some examples of general snobbish attitude that is quite rampant in the MINI community....perhaps by nature of the brand I guess....I bought a MINI because it simply offers the the best driving experience for the money. but there are a bunch of beople around here that think that a name or an image is something to shell out money for....

wal-mart is a retailer, they dont make crap, they sell crap ....they sell much the same crap that you buy at target or whatever "boutique" you choose to shop at....the only diffrence is the label, price and the people who you stand in line with. The notion that a product is too good to be offered at any retailer reveals an ugly bias about the type or kind of market...err the people that the store caters to! so the point is, that comments like this are found in many threads around here, and it is simply snobbish.