BMW’s electric Mini E has so far proven to be a big hit on trials in various cities, but now the battery powered has been taken out to the countryside to stretch its legs.
The bit of countryside in question was none other than the Nürburgring Nordshcleife, with BMW intent on seeing just how quickly the Mini E could lap the 13-mile course.
However, the car was far from standard. It was first subjected to a series of weight-reducing changes (rip out the seats, fit plastic windows etc) and then some racing bits were added, including a rollcage, racing suspension and improved brakes and tyres.
The electric drivetrain was left almost standard, with 204bhp avvailable from the electric motor. The only major differences were longer gearing and a recalibration of the regenerative braking system.
The man behind the wheel was ex-DTM race driver Thomas Jäger. No stranger to the ‘Ring, Jäger managed to set a lap time of 9:51.45 with a maximum speed of 116.2 miles per hour. That’s far from being a record, but it’s not too shabby for a car powered by a set of glorified Duracells. It shows that there is some hope for fast electric cars, although just how many laps the Mini E would have been capable of completing remains a mystery.
Check out some of the highlights from a very foggy Nürburgring in the video below.