Suggested Citation:
Turrentine, Thomas S., Dahlia Garas, Andy Lentz, Justin Woodjack (2011) The UC Davis MINI E Consumer Study. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Research Report UCD-ITS-RR-11-05

Pioneer drivers in Los Angeles and New  York/New Jersey leased a MINI E electric vehicle for the period of June 2009 to June 2010. The MINI E is a conversion of the popular BMW Mini Cooper developed for trials with drivers, and deployed in several test sites world wide, including Germany, UK and new sites in France, Japan and China. The following report from the Plugâ€in Hybrid & Electric Vehicle (PH&EV) Research Center at UC Davis tells of the USA pioneers’ experiences during the MINI E field trial. The goals of this study are to understand their responses to these vehicles and how their responses inform the value pathways the electric vehicle market could take.

We organize the following discussion of the MINI E field trial around:

• A three-phase learning process drivers go through during their year-long use of the MINI E. We label these phases discovery, translation and application.  
• MINI E drivers’ responses to the various new attributes and overall experience of electric vehicles.
• Three emerging areas of value for consumers:

1. The Intersection of Clean and Fun
2. Expanding Mastery of Energy Use
3. Developing the Electric Vehicle Territory