Dispelling the myth that BEVs are not fast!
Wayne Gerdes -
CleanMPG - April 17, 2010
2010 MiniE RACE in action at Nürburgring!
Now this is Green racing at its finest!!!
The infamous Nürburgring-Nordschleife race track was the proving ground for the electrically powered MiniE. The MINI E Race, a modified race-spec version of the standard MINI E, completed a lap of the legendary 12.9 mile “Green Hell” in a time of 09:51.45 minutes. The MINI E Race hit a top speed of 116 mph.
“The length and profile of the Nordschleife place extreme demands on the technology of our BEV. But the MINI E Race met this considerable challenge with great authority,” said the BMW Group’s Peter Krams, who headed up the project. “The aim of this unique undertaking was to provide an impressive showcase of the great potential of the MINI E and its environment-friendly drive concept.”
Clean and Quiet
At the wheel of the electric racer for the hot lap was former DTM racing driver Thomas Jäger from Munich. “I’ve driven this circuit many times, but never in such an extraordinary car,” said Jäger, the MINI Challenge champion in 2006. “The power of the electric motor has an incredible effect, as you can access its full reserves of torque at all times. Another element of this fascinating experience is the lack of noise from the drivetrain. All in all, that was certainly the cleanest and quietest race lap I’ve ever driven.”
MiniE becomes a race car
Extensive preparations had to be completed before the car could roll out onto the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. The MINI E Race was fitted with a special lightweight body and a roll cage in order to ensure optimum performance and safety on the track. And various other components, such as the suspension, brakes and tires, are also race specification. Other than that, however, the car relies almost exclusively on the standard technical make-up of the MINI E. For example, it shares the same 204 HP electric motor, supplied with energy from 5,088 Li-Ion battery cells. The control electronics and the software were reprogrammed to achieve an optimal driving performance for the Nordschleife. The power from the locally emission-free motor is channeled to the front wheels via a single-stage helical gearbox with a lengthened gear ratio.
MiniE Race - specific conversions
Interior
Recaro Pro Racer (HANS) CFRP seat, 6-way safety harness (3-inch), suede leather steering wheel 320 mm diameter
Roll cage
Bolt construction (lightweight) CrMo4, approx. 35 kg incl. mounting materials
Transmission
Mechanical multi-plate limited-slip differential with 40°/50° ramp breakover angle, 55 Nm preload
Engine
Adjusted engine management settings
Suspension
KW Variant 3 coilover suspension, tuned to the higher axle loads of the MINI E Race with modified damping characteristics and adjusted springs
Exterior
Diffusers, rear wing, CFRP body parts
Safety
Integration of special race ABS
Differentiated main switch concept
Linear Mode
