[daz_2k_ad]

Hi,

Hope every one is well and healthy after such a very strange 18 months, I have just purchased a Mini Ev and start the long wait for the ever increasing lead time on new vehicles.

My question being what are the best Apps, web sites etc to get for things like charging etc? I am in the UK and have got Zap-map. Are there anything specific to mini ?

Any and all tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jbrando2]

I thought this one was interesting: MINI Cooper SE charging cost and time calculator

 

[daz_2k_ad]

I thought this one was interesting: MINI Cooper SE charging cost and time calculator

Thats super handy, Thank you

 

[Jbrando2]

Not sure about the UK for charging, but I purchased a Grizzl-E home charger for the US. I did quite a bit of research on various chargers and options, and kept landing back on this one. I'm in the same position as you; have placed an order and now waiting.

Home products – GRIZZL-E

 

[daz_2k_ad]

Not sure about the UK for charging, but I purchased a Grizzl-E home charger for the US. I did quite a bit of research on various chargers and options, and kept landing back on this one. I'm in the same position as you; have placed an order and now waiting.

Home products – GRIZZL-E

I have gone for a smart charger, In the UK if you buy a smart charger then you have the option for special electric tariffs, it will cost me about £1.40 to charge from flat to 100%

 

[Jbrando2]

Nice!

 

[MiniFootPrint]

Welcome to the forum @daz_2k_ad

What cars have you owned and did you consider any other vehicles before deciding to go with the Mini EV?

 

[bob_rich]

Hi Daz

Had our mini EV for just over2 months. Very pleased it is a great drive!!
I have a very old iPhone and as a result cannot get the official Mini EV AP- but am not a great fan
of smartphones anyway. For charging I had a local Electrical contractor ( trusted him as always gives good service and
installed my solar panels 8 years ago) install me a nominal 7kw charger. Made by Hypervolt at Rainham in Essex. This contractor did all the paperwork for the UK grant (£350) and importantly for me at least allowed me to install the wire from main fuse box to the outside of the house. Did not want an Electrical contractor labour rates to drill holes and rip up carpets and floor boards--I can do that! He then did all the electrical work once I had placed the cable in in less than 2 hours. It seems to work well. and I charge up overnight when car down to 50% or so on a off peak tariff 9.9 p/kw-hr. We have a economy seven meter which gives around 7 hours of lower rate. Enough to charge the car while asleep. There were no electrical issue with my property and the charger does not need a separate earth rod outside the house.

I have programmed my charger via the Hypervolt web ap to charge only during off peak time and have set the current limit to only 20A but can set in to up to 32A but prefer to charge as gently as possible.

One thing I was uncertain of is that the Mini EV has its own charge setting but other than telling it to charge only at the off peak time I have not set any other parameters so charging is done via the Hypervolt so far it seems fine but I did wonder about a clash of commands between two computers, but not a problem it seems

anyway hope that helps best of luck

Bob

 

[daz_2k_ad]

Welcome to the forum @daz_2k_ad

What cars have you owned and did you consider any other vehicles before deciding to go with the Mini EV?

Hi, I have owned numerous cars over the years, performance sports cars to saloons, The mini elec is a second car for the family, I recently looked at a Tesla for the main family car but decided to continue with a Petrol car and have since turned to the mini elec for the second car option.

 

[daz_2k_ad]

Hi Daz

Had our mini EV for just over2 months. Very pleased it is a great drive!!
I have a very old iPhone and as a result cannot get the official Mini EV AP- but am not a great fan
of smartphones anyway. For charging I had a local Electrical contractor ( trusted him as always gives good service and
installed my solar panels 8 years ago) install me a nominal 7kw charger. Made by Hypervolt at Rainham in Essex. This contractor did all the paperwork for the UK grant (£350) and importantly for me at least allowed me to install the wire from main fuse box to the outside of the house. Did not want an Electrical contractor labour rates to drill holes and rip up carpets and floor boards--I can do that! He then did all the electrical work once I had placed the cable in in less than 2 hours. It seems to work well. and I charge up overnight when car down to 50% or so on a off peak tariff 9.9 p/kw-hr. We have a economy seven meter which gives around 7 hours of lower rate. Enough to charge the car while asleep. There were no electrical issue with my property and the charger does not need a separate earth rod outside the house.

I have programmed my charger via the Hypervolt web ap to charge only during off peak time and have set the current limit to only 20A but can set in to up to 32A but prefer to charge as gently as possible.

One thing I was uncertain of is that the Mini EV has its own charge setting but other than telling it to charge only at the off peak time I have not set any other parameters so charging is done via the Hypervolt so far it seems fine but I did wonder about a clash of commands between two computers, but not a problem it seems

anyway hope that helps best of luck

Bob

Bob

Thanks for the reply, very helpful and informative. Can I ask what kind of driving have you done with the mini and what kind of mileage, miles to Kwh etc are you seeing ?

 

[bob_rich]

Hi Daz

Just completed ~600 miles and total electrical input ~116kw-hr. We also have an VW UP have logged the milage in that for 8 years and it delivers an average of 50mpg. When planning we realise we only did 4 journeys a year over 80 miles so the E Mini range issue was not a problem. Also have a classic Lotus 7 so in summer we used that going to shows and the like. It was the short journeys that kept the average at 50mpg for the UP going to my daughter and her family in London (80 mile round trip) the UP turned in 65 to 70 MPG. The E Mini range available runs down by only 50miles but the actual milage is 80 on that trip to daughter. Definitely worth home charging using Off peak fuel cost at present is around 1/6th of that with petrol.- and it is very nippy indeed and I am used to driving a Lotus!

Driving has been a few 40 to 80 mile journeys but all the annoying trips to shops and the like are now done in the E-Mini. we still have the UP and i expect not using that for the short trips to shops will see its fuel consumption improve as well

cheers hope this helps

Bob

 

[daz_2k_ad]

Hi Daz

Just completed ~600 miles and total electrical input ~116kw-hr. We also have an VW UP have logged the milage in that for 8 years and it delivers an average of 50mpg. When planning we realise we only did 4 journeys a year over 80 miles so the E Mini range issue was not a problem. Also have a classic Lotus 7 so in summer we used that going to shows and the like. It was the short journeys that kept the average at 50mpg for the UP going to my daughter and her family in London (80 mile round trip) the UP turned in 65 to 70 MPG. The E Mini range available runs down by only 50miles but the actual milage is 80 on that trip to daughter. Definitely worth home charging using Off peak fuel cost at present is around 1/6th of that with petrol.- and it is very nippy indeed and I am used to driving a Lotus!

Driving has been a few 40 to 80 mile journeys but all the annoying trips to shops and the like are now done in the E-Mini. we still have the UP and i expect not using that for the short trips to shops will see its fuel consumption improve as well

cheers hope this helps

Bob

Bob

thanks again for the reply, yes it helps a lot. The mini is exactly the same intention for us, the Mrs does a school run and work each day approx 5 mile round trip, and I am for ever popping to the shop which kills mpg in my car, it drops me into the mod to high 20’s. So the mini is going to be a dream for that issue. The longer trips we can still use my car no problem. I am curious as I have a trip I do that’s about 110 mile round trip and depending what and where I read it seems possible for some and not on other sites

 

[bob_rich]

Hi Again

I feel that 110miles should not be a problem. The E-Mini is a fiesty little beast though very easy and fun to drive quick and if you use the peak performance all of the time then it may run down quicker. On first run to daughter in it we started with 110mile range when we got back it said range was 59. This involved a modest blat down the M25 M11 and then minor roads in Stratford east London. Other posts suggest the available range is very pessimistic indeed and I think this is the case for modest journeys.

My son lives in chelmsford and round trip to him is 25 miles. Getting used to the car we use it mainly in recuperative mode which if you lift off the car slows quite rapidly and uses the electronic breaking . Have got used to this and now by lifting off the accelerator gently the braking tops the battery up and, with a bit of judgement we can now get to my son without used the brake pedal at all !

Anyway I am sure you will find it great fun

best of luck

Bob