MINI’s cleanest car yet.
Towards the end of the year, all new MINIs will be equipped as standard with Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start-Stop Function and Switch Point Display systems. Each of these are fuel-saving technologies recently announced by MINI’s parent company, BMW, for its 1-series, and are now coming to MINI too.
Brake energy regeneration is a technology commonly found on hybrid vehicles where energy generated by the engine under braking or when descending a hill is utilised to charge the car’s battery. This allows the alternator to run only when the battery requires more energy than can be provided by the breake energy regeneration system. The rest of the time, the alternator is deactivated thereby reducing drag on the engine and, consequently, fuel consumption.
The auto start-stop function - another typically hybrid technology - switches off the car’s engine when the vehicle comes to a rest and the driver puts the car in neutral. The system automatically starts the car again when the driver pulls away. The car’s control unit remembers the crankshaft position so I can activate the ignition and fuel injection correctly with no delay. The system can be switched off manually. It will also not operate if the battery is running flat.
Switch Point Display aids drivers of manual transmission MINIs in selecting the most economical gear in which to drive. The engine management system analyses speed, road situation and accelerator pedal position and based on this data calculates optimum gearing. The ideal gear is then displayed by number in the cockpit display.
The net result is that these MINIs will be 6.5% to 12.8% more fuel efficient, as well as emitting 7% to 12% less CO2. Most impressive in the range is the Cooper D which will consume only 3.9l/100km and emit a Prius-equalling 104g/km of CO2.
As mentioned earlier, these technologies will also find their way into 1-series BMWs which will also benefit from a new, super efficient 2.0l petrol engine. Unfortunately, this motor won’t be available in SA due to fuel quality issues.
Source: CarScoop
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Comments
Mike, it’s my understanding that all these technologies except the lean-burn engines will be available in South African MINIs and BMWs. The problem with our petrol in SA is that it’s not sulphur free, and the new engines require sulphur free petrol due to their NOx storage catalytic converter.
Any ideas on when SA will have sulphur free fuel? Surely that eventuality alone will contribute significantly to emmissions damage?
There’s no such thing as sulphur-free fuel. SA diesel with a sulphur content of 50 parts per million (ppm) was made available last year (BP being the first, not sure about the others) - previously 500 ppm and 5000 ppm were available. As far as I know, the 500 ppm is still legal.
Europe and the US now legislate diesel at 15 ppm, and this is what the newer cars require.
So SA is far behind, and unfortunately there are no plans to move to this quality yet.
Just for clarity, there is something called ‘zero-sulphur’ diesel. Strictly-speaking, it contains less than 10 ppm. This will be legislated in Europe in 2009, as part of their Euro V standards.
That’s correct, Ian. “Sulphur free” refers to fuel containing 10-15ppm sulphur. Here in SA, we get 500ppm diesel and 50ppm. With regards to petrol, I’m honestly not aware of the actual sulphur content of local petrol.
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Interesting news. Pity that it won’t be available in SA.
What exactly are the fuel quality issues we have?