Category Archives: Cooper Countryman PHEV

BMW i3 and i3S 120Ah (Image: BMW Group)

Retired batteries stripped from high-mileage electric BMWs and Minis to be used in a mobile charging station for other plug-in vehicles

One of the biggest concerns about electric cars is what happens to the batteries
They are historically difficult to recycle and could result in waste mountains . BMW UK has partnered with Off Grid Energy to provide second-life solutions for batteries decommissioned from its electric cars. Batteries are being used by the energy storage firm for mobile charging stations. Prototype device has been built using lithium-ion modules from a Mini Electric.

One of the biggest criticisms of electric cars is what happens to their high-powered batteries once they degrade and have to be decommissioned from plug-in vehicles.

Not only are EV batteries expensive for owners to replace, high-skilled workforces are required to extract valuable metals inside them, and even then they are difficult to recycle – and this could lead to huge waste mountains, experts have warned.

German car maker BMW says it has found a resolution for its high-mileage electric vehicles, giving their batteries a second-life use as mobile power units to provide charging solutions for other plug-in cars.

BMW i3 and i3S 120Ah (Image: BMW Group)
BMW i3 and i3S 120Ah (Image: BMW Group)

The auto brand will supply a British energy storage firm with decommissioned battery modules from electric BMW and Mini models that can be used in mobile power units.

The aim is to provide a sustainable second-use model for the batteries, which lose capacity over time and after years of use are deemed no longer efficient for electric cars.

As part of a new partnership with the car giant, Off Grid Energy has produced its first prototype mobile charging device, which is powered by lithium-ion battery modules extracted from a Mini Electric development vehicle.

It has a 40kWh capacity delivering a 7.2kW fast charge and will be used at BMW and Mini UK events over the next year.

As more battery modules become available over time, it says it can produce combined systems with a capacity of up to 180kWh from multiple electric vehicle batteries, which will be able to provide charges at rates of up to 50kW.

‘When these units are used to displace conventional ways of generating temporary power, the battery modules will at least double the CO2 reduction achieved in their original use in the car, continuing their positive impact in reducing carbon emissions,’ says the energy storage company.

Commenting on the partnership, Graeme Grieve, ceo at BMW Group UK, said: ‘BMW Group will have 25 electrified models on the roads by 2023 – half of them fully electric.

‘We are delighted to work with Off Grid Energy to find a sustainable way of continuing to use these valuable batteries, even after they have put in many years of service in our electrified cars.’

Like many electric models on the market, batteries in BMW and Mini cars have a warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles.

After this period the battery could still retain up to 80 per cent of its initial capacity, according to the vehicle maker.

However, it concedes that it is ‘inevitable’ that as EVs get older their batteries will no longer function at an optimum level for the car.

According to battery degradation calculations by Canadian firm Geotab, the average capacity loss for electric and plug-in hybrid cars is an estimated 12 per cent after six years – essentially dropping 2 per cent capacity annually.

BMW says despite its car batteries declining in performance – significant enough to retire the unit from a vehicle – it can continue to serve a secondary use purpose as a mobile power source as part of its sustainability and resource efficiency strategy.

BMW Group ceo, Oliver Zipse, said: ‘How we use resources will decide the future of our society – and of the BMW Group. As a premium car company, it is our ambition to lead the way in sustainability. That is why we are taking responsibility here and now.’

Earlier this year, Warwick University announced it had created a ‘fast grading’ system for second-life car batteries to determine if they could be purposed after being decommissioned from vehicles, using Nissan Leaf EV power supplies for the study.

If the battery’s end of life capacity is less than 70 per cent, the report says they can be reused for less demanding second life applications such as domestic and industrial energy storage.

The university said: ‘Graded second-life battery packs can provide reliable and convenient energy storage options to a range of customers: from electric roaming products – providing electricity for customers on the move, to home storage products – enabling customers with solar panels to store their energy generated.

‘More crucially, the packs can be used for storage allowing increased intermittent renewable energy sources on the grid, without putting security of supply at risk.’

Professor David Greenwood from WMG, University of Warwick, added: ‘Automotive batteries deliver some great environmental benefits, but they consume a lot of resources in doing so.

‘Opening up a second life for batteries improves both the environmental and the economic value we draw from those resources before they need recycling.’

Read more: This Is Money

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Fuel Included BMW i3 on static display (Image: T. Larkum)

Renault Zoe Climbs To #1 In Germany

The German plug-in electric car (PEV) market grew 23% in June, to 5,709 registrations, with plug-in hybrids (+25%) and fully electric cars (+21%) growing at a similar pace. In 2018, all-electrics are reaching 1% share, while plug-in hybrids have also grown their share to 1%, resulting in a total PEV share of 2%.

But the most interesting story on the fuels mix is the Titanic-like drop of diesel vehicles sales. In June, their sales sank 16%, to the benefit of all other kinds of fuels. Diesel now represents only 31% of the market. At this pace, diesel sales could be tot in this market by 2021. Inconceivable? Well, in 12 months, diesel lost 9% share, going from 40% to 31%.

Fuel Included BMW i3 on static display (Image: T. Larkum)
Fuel Included BMW i3 on static display (Image: T. Larkum)

Looking at June best sellers, BMW had a 1–2 win, with the i3 scoring 509 units, a new year best, while the 225xe Active Tourer registered 500 units, a new record for the German MPV.

The Renault Zoe was 3rd, while the surprise of the month was the #5 Mini Countryman PHEV. With 300 deliveries, it had its best result ever in Germany.

Just outside the top 5, the VW e-Golf registered only 290 deliveries, its worst performance in 11 months. Is the German brand already starting the sunset mode of its BEV hatchback?

Read more: Clean Technica

MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid gets the thumbs up

I was recently lucky enough to have an extended test drive of the MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid, a car I’ve been keen to experience since I got word that the electric MINI’s were coming.

With an electric range of 24.8 miles (NEDC) this car could be the answer to fairly short distance commuters who are not quite ready to go All-Electric but want something a bit more eco-friendly and a little more trendy than some of the other PHEVs on offer.

On first impressions of the exterior I really liked it, it was sleek and just a little aggressive, it’s reasonably sized yet still manages to keep some of the iconic MINI features.

MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid

Inside I found it roomy and comfortable, the 3 driving modes made it easy to switch from fully electric (Max eDrive), Petrol use only (Save Battery) and Auto eDrive – the option where the car decides what fuel source to use based on your driving style.

There are some useful features to help you ‘keep an eye’ on your consumption and your fuel usage. The first being the trim surrounding the display, when using electric it glows yellow and gives you an indication of your remaining electric range. You can also toggle through different options on the display to show you the percentage of battery remaining and remaining range. The E-Instruments gauge is to the left of your tachometer and this shows you the status of your fuel usage (i.e. when you are using petrol and when using electric).

On usage, it breezed through my short 12 mile commute to work on fully electric – I knew it would. I used the car around town on the Saturday taking it to the DIY store where the roomy boot space came in useful, again only using electric for my short journeys.  On the Sunday I travelled a bit further, taking the MINI to Woburn Centre Parks. With a car full of family I decided to try the ‘Auto eDrive’ driving mode. It changed effortlessly between petrol and electric fuel whilst maintaining a quiet ambience within the cab.

The Navigation software was a little complicated to read, but I think this is just the style of the software, much like the BMW Navigation system. I’m sure I would have got used to it after a bit more use.

My experience on charging will be a little different to others as I don’t have a charge point at home, it was doable but I did need to charge publicly quite often which wasn’t ideal. Not having a home charge point doesn’t cause me any issue with my fully electric car because I don’t need to charge up as often but this approach doesn’t lend itself well to a plug-in Hybrid, as you do need to charge it everyday to make real use of the electric motor.

Overall I really liked this car. It was good to drive, I love the look and I can certainly see this being a top player in the PHEV market.

If the spec, look and feel of the MINI Countryman PHEV is anything to go by then I eagerly await the all-electric MINI.

See our dedicated page for MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid prices.

MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) – Part 2: Driving and Charging

Part 1 is here: MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) – First Impressions

In terms of driving I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, I have been driving electric for 4 years so am rather spoiled and hate the thought of having to go back to a piston engine.

However, fair play to MINI, the transition from electric to combustion is barely noticeable when travelling at speed such as on the motorway. The noise and vibration are kept to a minimum.

The driver’s displays and controls are nicely done – similar to those in the i3, except that the satnav/media screen is a touchscreen. You can choose to operate it with the usual MINI/BMW joystick control or just by pressing on the screen. The state of charge is indicated by a big illuminated ring around the screen area.

Charging was straightforward – it has a Type 2 socket (same as the ZOE and i3) so I was able to plug it in while parked on my drive. The charge socket is on the front nearside wing (the petrol cap is on the rear offside wing). As it starts to charge a ring around the socket flashes amber, once it’s fully charged this goes to a constant blue.

The MINI PHEV has a switch to set the drive mode – this allows you to keep it electric, keep it petrol (to save the battery for later) or let the car decide the most economic balance (much like a hybrid). I was keen to test the electric range so coming in to work this morning I put the MINI into the all electric mode.

I was pleasantly surprised to find, by keeping my speed to no more than about 60mph, that I was able to do the whole journey on electric. That’s a distance of about 23 miles so better than I had expected. Of course, you would likely not get so far if you have a heavy foot and drive fast, or in cold weather. A real-world range of 17-20 miles is probably a better expectation.

Nonetheless if you have a commute of up to about 20 miles I’m sure you could adjust your driving style appropriately so that you never need to use any petrol. Certainly I managed to drive from Northampton to Milton Keynes on 50p of electricity rather than £5 of petrol. And with charging at work your commute range could be doubled.

Naturally as a premier car the MINI Countryman PHEV has some nice features. I liked the independent climate controls for driver and passenger. My children liked the so-called ‘puddle light‘ that comes on at night by the driver’s door – and looks rather reminiscent of Batman’s famous Batsignal!


Overall I was impressed with the MINI Countryman PHEV. While it’s electric range may be poor compared to an all electric car it is still far ahead of a conventional combustion car or a hybrid. It could work really well for someone with a commute of up to 20 miles who could do most of their driving on electricity, but then revert to petrol for holidays and other long trips.

Prices are here, and a form to get a quote: Prices for the Mini Countryman Plug-In Electric Hybrid

If instead you’d like us to calculate the Total Cost of Ownership of a MINI PHEV compared to a fossil car or another electric car then go here: Total Cost of Ownership

For some quick videos see: MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) electric car videos

Our thanks go to Wollaston BMW for the loan of the car.

MINI Countryman PHEV (Image: T. Larkum)

MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) – First Impressions

We currently have a plugin MINI Countryman on loan (technically it’s an “F60 MINI Cooper S E ALL4 PHEV Countryman AUTO” but that’s too much of a mouthful) and I was lucky enough to get the first go with it last night. What’s special about this MINI is that it has a conventional petrol engine driving the front wheels and an electric motor and battery driving the rear wheels.

This means it can drive entirely on electricity for up to about 20 miles and then go over to petrol for longer journeys (300 miles or so). Also, it can act as a hybrid like a Prius to get good economy. Finally, the drive layout means it can be used in four wheel drive mode – very useful in rain and snow.

I drove it home, had use of it for the evening, and drove it back to the office today.

The first thing that struck me when I was it was the size – this is not a small car! Having grown up with the original Mini (my Dad had a series of them) I was surprised just how big the new MINI Countryman is.

It is intended, of course, for families with children so its size shouldn’t be a surprise. The upside is that it has a lot of interior space and feels very roomy.

In fact, I took a number of passengers in the back and they all remarked on how much space there was, and in particular its high ceiling.

It also has a pretty big boot.

Part 2 is here: MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) – Part 2: Driving and Charging

 

MINI Countryman Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) electric car videos

We are lucky to have been lent one of the new MINI Countryman plug-in hybrids for a couple of days.

This morning I took the opportunity to do some quick videos around the car to give a taste of what it’s like.

Prices are here, and a form to get a quote: Prices for the Mini Countryman Plug-In Electric Hybrid

If instead you’d like us to calculate the Total Cost of Ownership of a MINI PHEV compared to a fossil car or another electric car then go here: Total Cost of Ownership

First try of an electric mini

We are lucky today to get the loan of the new plug-in electric hybrid Mini Countryman for the weekend from our friends at BMW. Jo, our sales and business administrator, drew the long straw and will  get to enjoy the new car until Monday.

It shows an electric range of up to 22 miles (25 if you drive really gently), so the average driver won’t need to switch on the 1.5l engine.

Looking forward to lots of fun with an iconic car.

MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, Arrives In June

MINI has released full specs, further details, and an extensive photo gallery ahead of the launch of its first production plug-in hybrid –  the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid.

The MINI Countryman PHEV (which is the name we are going with from here on out), begins sales in Europe and the US and in June.

In UK prices (without plug-in car grant) start at £31,585 OTR (‘On-the-road’).

MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4

MINI Countryman PHEV quick specs:

  • all-wheel drive with 1.5L 3-cylinder TwinPower Turbo Technology petrol engine (100 kW/136 hp), 6-speed Steptronic automatic transmission and 65 kW (87 hp) electric motor. System output of 165 kW/224 hp and 385 Nm.
  • up to 42 km (26 miles) of all-electric range NEDC – one can mostly likely expect around 28 km/17 miles EPA
  • Combined power consumption: 2.3 – 2.1 l/100 km (average fuel consumption of 134.5 mpg); combined CO2 emissions: 52 – 49 g/km
  • 7.6 kWh battery
  • 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds
  • top speed in all-electric mode of 78 mph (125 km/h)

Read more: InsideEV’s

2014 Minis - not plug-ins

AWD Mini Plug-In Hybrid Expected In 2015

An all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid version of the Mini Clubman is on it’s way in the second-half of 2015.

2014 Minis - not plug-ins
2014 Minis – not plug-ins

The PHEV Mini Clubman is slated to get the same powertrain as the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer:

  • Plug in version will likely feature a a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged (borrowed from the BMW i8) engine with a “high-performance” electric motor (likely borrowed from the BMW i3) and a lithium-ion battery.
  • This setup will crank out somewhere in the neighborhood of 190 hp, which will propel the production vehicle from 0 to 60 mph in 7 seconds.
  • Top speed will be approximately 125 mph.

Read more: InsideEVs