Moin, MINI: Electric driving fun on the North Sea coasts.

Munich. City traffic is really its forte but
sometimes the MINI simply has to get out and about. Enjoying some
fresh air, shaking off the everyday blues – a day’s excursion or a
weekend trip generally does the trick. In northern Germany, the MINI
is usually drawn to the coast, a region where “moin” is generally the
right greeting whatever the time of day. There’s almost always a
refreshing breeze, and large numbers of wind turbines are making a
significant contribution to the energy turnaround. In this landscape,
the first all-electric model from the British premium brand is
naturally enough a particularly good fit. And thanks to the latest
battery-cell technology, there’s no impediment to taking the new
MINI Cooper SE (combined fuel consumption: 0.0 l/100 km; combined
electricity consumption: 16.8 – 14.8 kWh/100 km; combined
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km) on the short trip from the Hanseatic
city of Hamburg to the island of Sylt in the North Sea.

In fact, with its range of between 235 and 270 kilometres, the new
MINI Cooper SE is absolutely ideal for getting out of town, and
enjoying local zero-emission driving fun through the surrounding
countryside. Powered by its 135 kW/184 hp electric motor, the car only
reaches its limit on fast-moving motorway stages at 150 km/h – an
artificial limit established for reasons of efficiency. The energy
required for this is provided by a high-voltage battery designed
specifically for this model and with the latest cell technology
delivering gross energy content of 32.6 kilowatt hours. It is made up
of twelve modules arranged in a T-shaped configuration deep in the
floor of the new MINI Cooper SE. The volume of the luggage compartment
of between 211 and 731 litres is consequently just as big as in the
conventionally powered MINI 3-door automobile.

The trip to Sylt, or “to the island”, as it is known by local people
from Hamburg, can commence with fully charged battery and comfortably
stowed weekend luggage. A journey of just under 200 kilometres takes
you from the Hamburg city limits to the holiday island located at the
top left-hand side of a map of Germany, although the all-electric MINI
will not have to do the last leg of the journey under its own steam.
In Niebüll, it is loaded onto the Sylt Shuttle run by German Rail. The
train rattles to its destination on the single-track causeway along
the Hindenburg Dam. The mud flats can be seen stretching for
kilometres on end to the right and left, while the remaining kilowatt
hours stored in the battery of the new MINI cooper SE can be saved for
an introductory foray across the island.

Naturally, enough electricity is also available on Sylt. And contrary
to a lot of other things, power is no more expensive than on the
mainland. The most valuable commodity here is time. Every minute on
Germany’s northernmost island deserves to be savoured. And the best
way to enjoy that time is to embark on an excursion among the
wonderful world of dunes. There are no electric sockets for miles and
miles but the energy generated by the waves and the wind is a very
real presence.

Anybody who wants to get to know Sylt needs to experience both sides
of the island. There is the dune landscape with kilometre after
kilometre of sandy beaches stretching from Hörnum in the south to the
“Elbow” spit beyond List in the north. Then there is the side of the
island bordering the mud flats with their lush green meadows, the
fashionable Hanseatic town of Keitum and picturesque harbours like
Munkmarsch. The busy streets of the island’s capital of Westerland,
the stylish bars and traditional restaurants in Kampen, and the
untouched natural world on the Morsum cliff are best explored on foot,
while the MINI Cooper SE is connected to the power grid to have its
batteries charged for the return journey. Three and a half hours
connected to a wall box are sufficient for a full charge – but nobody
wants to be in a hurry on Sylt. A conventional household electricity
socket is also sufficient. And if you happen to be in a tearing hurry,
the battery of the new MINI Cooper SE can be recharged to 80 percent
at a quick-charging station with power of up to 50 kW in just 35 minutes.

Most visitors can never get enough of the fresh air on the North Sea.
A diversion is therefore selected for the trip back home. From List, a
ferry takes visitors back to the mainland. It makes a stop on the
Danish island of Rømø. Insider information: A charging station has
been installed on board the “Sylt Express” and this allows the
MINI Cooper SE to recharge its high voltage battery with electricity
right “to the brim”. The crossing lasts 40 minutes and is quite long
enough. The additional charge of electricity is included in the price
of the crossing.

Recharged with new vigour, the MINI Cooper SE rolls along the
causeway that connects Rømø with the mainland and then travels south
across the border between Denmark and Germany. The all-electric car is
particularly economical in its GREEN+ drive mode. Additional range can
be gained with the accelerator response optimised for efficiency and
deactivated heating or air-conditioning. Just before the Dithmarscher
Geest motorway parking layby, a wonderfully long right-hand bend on a
slight ascent encourages a rather higher speed. Ultimately, the
vehicle’s low centre of gravity means that the MINI Cooper SE hugs the
road. Otherwise, it cruises along and on the descent from the bridge
over the canal between the North Sea and the Baltic, the batteries can
even undergo modest recuperation.

The car then continues its journey to the centre of Hamburg. A
multicoloured sea of light along the Reeperbahn entertainment mile
gives the impression that electricity is limitless. Conversely, it’s
about time the MINI Cooper SE was recharged. Fortunately, the
Hanseatic city has a relatively good supply of charging stations and
it’s easy to find a parking space with a charging point, with a bit of
luck near the harbour. You never know, maybe the driver would like to
breathe in a bit more bracing sea air.

In case of queries, please contact:
Press and PR



Matthias Bode, Press Officer Production
Communications MINI
Phone: +49-89-382-61742
E-Mail:
matthias.bode@mini.com

Andreas Lampka, Head of Communication MINI
Phone: +49-
89-382-23662
E-Mail: andreas.lampka@mini.com