Mini told us an all-electric model was coming, and it looks like we’ll have our first teaser at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The U.K. automaker announced it would debut the Mini Electric Concept ahead of a production model due in 2019.
Mini’s production EV will be a first for the brand, though it comes nearly a decade after the automaker field-tested a number of electric prototypes. In 2008, Mini released 600 Mini-E vehicles into the wild. The results of these tests inspired BMW’s i3, but Mini never received its own car.
In many ways, the inherent driving dynamics of an electric vehicle — quick off the line, low center of gravity, etc — mesh well with the small stature of all Mini models. “Mini and electrification make a perfect match,” quipped Harald Krüger, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG.
Mini’s first production steps towards its electrified future took shape within the Cooper S E Countryman All4, a plug-in hybrid version of the Countryman. Now the brand is going all-in with an urban-focused concept.
“The Mini Electric Concept is a quintessential Mini — compact, agile, simply the ideal companion for everyday driving. At the same time, it conveys a whole new take on the concept of sportiness,” remarked Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president of BMW Group Design.
Hooydonk focused on aerodynamics, precise lines, and striking accents with the Electric Concept. At the front, a hexagonal radiator grille (which has been sealed off) and circular LED headlights help identify the Mini heritage. Yellow accents and E badges give hint to the electric powertrain on board.
In profile, the car has a sleek, minimalist design that shares cues with the current generation Cooper, contrasted by stylized 19-inch wheels. At the rear, the Electric Concept has a wide stance. The taillights each form one half of the Union Jack with LEDs for a neat visual feature.
Without any details on the Mini Electric Concept’s powertrain, we’re left to assume this vehicle is more design study than anything else. Most likely, the production version will share components with the recently updated BMW i3 and will target an electric range in excess of 150 miles.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.