MINI Electric drivers offer their top EV driving tips

Monwar: “The MINI Electric cost me around £14 to run over a week using public chargers. But, with the benefit of cheaper overnight tariffs, home charging costs even less. Letting you choose the most affordable time to start the charging cycle makes a massive difference.”

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Top tips for on-the-go charging

Think on-the-go charging is hard? Think again. According to Zap Map, there are now 30,000 charging devices across the UK at 18,000 locations. Equally, MINI Charging makes paying for charging easy, offering access to around 15,000+ charging points across a range of providers with one RFID card or the MINI Charging mobile app.

Using the 11kW fast chargers typically found at long-stay car parks, supermarkets, retail parks and leisure centres, you can recharge the MINI Electric from 0-80% in around 2hrs 30min. Rapid 50kW chargers can top you up from 0-80% in around 36 minutes. According to our MINI Electric drivers, the secret is to fit charging around your day – called ‘grazing’ – with lots of little bits of charging quickly adding up.

Iola: “Plug in to top-up when you go food shopping, and you’ll never have to think about charging up for long periods. Many supermarkets have free charging for electric cars. Considering how quickly the MINI Electric charges, you’ll be surprised how much battery range you’ll come back to after a one-hour food shop.”

Monwar: “Once you spend time in an electric car, you’ll notice just how many public chargers there are. It’s so easy to grab a quick 15-minute top-up here and there. And it costs so little! The fact you can get a big boost of charge in that time is amazing. That’s basically a quick walk around the block, and all for around a fiver.”

Misty: “My top tip: find the public chargers that work best for you. Preferably those which are easier to operate, that you know many other people miss, and options that can be used without a membership. It’s also worth using the MINI Electric smartphone app to find chargers on your regular routes, in order to make the charging process as seamless as possible.”

Iola: “If you’re not someone who runs out of petrol, you probably won’t run out of charge! If you are worried about range, it’s worth looking at the distance of your average journey. A lot of people would be surprised at how many short journeys you do. A 145-mile range is plenty most of the time. And, when you need to go further than that in one go, there are charging stations everywhere.”

Misty: “It’s worth spending the time to find the right type of charging solutions for your needs: At home, public; it depends on your lifestyle. If you’re nipping in and out of town, like I do, there really isn’t a better car to do it in than the MINI Electric!”

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Driving efficiently

Like you’d expect of any MINI, the MINI Electric has the sort of sprightly performance that makes every drive fun. With 184hp and 270Nm of instant and punchy all-electric torque, the MINI Electric can sprint from 0-62mph in just 7.3 seconds. There are also plenty of driving aids that enhance the MINI Electric’s impressive efficiency, helping you preserve more range for even more miles and more smiles.

Iola: “The MINI Electric’s regenerative braking function is one of my absolute favourite features. It’s a different way of driving, but you get used to it quickly, and the rewards are instant. Instead of using your brake, you simply lift off the accelerator to decelerate, and the regenerative braking puts energy back into the battery for later use. That means you get more range as you go.”

Misty: “It’s also worth using one of the MINI Electric’s eco-friendly driving modes wherever possible. I don’t think many people are aware that electric cars have multiple driving modes, and in the MINI Electric you have four to play with. I spend most of my time in Green or Green+ which maximises the MINI’s range, letting me go further, more of the time.”

Monwar: “The MINI Electric’s Green and Green+ Modes worked really well on some of my longer journeys, helping the car make the most of every bit of range. I’m always surprised by how far I can go on a single charge when I keep the MINI Electric in its most economical setting.”

Iola: “When driving the MINI Electric, you do become more conscious about how you’re using your energy – and I think that’s great. I think everyone should be more conscious about how they use their energy.”

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Using in-car energy-saving features

The MINI Electric has features to maximise your range by making more efficient use of in-car technology. As air-conditioning is a particular culprit for affecting range, the MINI Electric smartphone app lets you ‘pre-condition’ your car remotely, while it’s still charging. That means you can pre-warm or pre-cool your MINI Electric so it’s the perfect temperature for your trip, giving you more miles to enjoy.

Iola: “I like to preheat the car in the morning before I get in, while the car is still charging. It gives me less reason to use the hot air function on the move, which makes the car much more efficient on the journey.”

Misty: “The preconditioning function is a great feature because the battery is already warmed up – making the car more efficient once you’re on the move. Less energy used, means more range and less money spent.”

Has the MINI Electric sparked your interest? Take a 24-hour test drive

Top tips for longer trips

The MINI Electric smartphone app syncs with the in-car navigation – letting you pre-plan your journeys from the comfort of your couch. The result: you can find the most efficient routes, and the best charging options on your route (and at your destination) in advance, saving you time and hassle when you’re on the move.