The MINI E is a small prototype car with spartan creature comforts, seating for two, and absence of any significant storage potential. It is purely a commuter car. It handles briskly and has a lot of power considering its 205 hp electric motor and small size. BMW has reduced immediate takeoff torque presumably to increase range, though they haven't officially commented on it.
The 35 kwh lithium battery is said to deliver 100 miles of range. My daily commute is 26 miles each way; mostly highway driving with a smattering of suburban flow. I have found my true range is actually 70 miles. This is due to mostly 65MPH+ highway driving and the continuous compelling temptation of the immediate silent electric blast available from a stomp on the accelerator.
In short, I enjoy the car immensely, and derive great satisfaction from driving without gasoline and on US-made electricity. From a practical standpoint, there isn't all that much difference between driving this car and a conventional one except that it is quieter, smoother, and quicker. It does make hybrids like the Insight and Prius seem like a thing of the past with their sluggish responsiveness and use of gas.
However, in support of GM's raison d'etre for the Volt, range anxiety is definitely an issue. This has been especially true because even though BMW installed a 240v/32amp charger in my garage, the connector cord UL certification was delayed so all this time I've depended on a 12a/120v charger. This charger can only recharge the car at a rate of about 3.3% (3.3 miles) per hour, so it takes 30 hours for a full charge.
I was able to get my office parking garage management to install an outlet for me and let me have the electricity for free, but I'm only there for 4 to 6 hours on some days. The car is only in my garage about 12 hours. So considering my daily driving needs of about 60 miles I've had to cut it close from time to time, and not be able to drive that car at all some days.
Here is a range anxiety experience I wrote on my sister site AllCarsElectric.com :
I was leaving my home with around 60 miles of range, knowing my drive each way was 27 miles. I knew I could charge all day at my office so I figured I'd be OK. When I got there though, I found life had other plans. It turned out a power transformer supplying my office building and the whole block had gone down and my building was in a blackout. We couldn't open the office so I had to return home. Nice surprise vacation right? Not so much. I had to figure out how to get home with about 35 miles of range left on the car, all highway and much of the way uphill.
I had to leave the windows closed to minimize aero drag and kept the AC, radio, and even plain fan off to minimize draw. I painstakingly feathered the pedal keeping the power line as close to neutral as possible. I snailed along the highway breathing sighs of relief for every little downhill I could regen on, all the while visions of being towed danced in my head. At my lowest point the mileage read 3 probably when I was about 6 miles out, but with regen and a prayer I made it home.
I have also developed a resourcefulness for grabbing every little charge I can along the way. Sometimes for a few hours I park in the hospital parking lot where I work. I've discovered these lots have 1 or 2 standard outlets in certain locations, and I usually grab a few miles of charge (see photo above). This is no big deal since mine is the only electric car in the lot, but what if there were several?
In conclusion, driving a pure electric car is fun and satisfying, but the infrastructure is non-existent, and range anxiety is real. People driving pure EVs will wind up getting towed from time to time. And until universal widespread fast charging is available, in my opinion the Volt represents the best near term solution.
