Basic Mini Pickup Will get EV Powertrain Conversion In Norway

The unique Mini is a well-liked platform for electrical powertrain conversions. The house-built instance in Norway is further particular as a result of it is the uncommon pickup model of the little car.

Sadly, the tiny truck is not very utilitarian as a result of the battery pack takes up a lot of the mattress. The modules come from a Volkswagen e-Up and provide a 17.1-kilowatt-hour capability. The charging port is the place you’d often fill the automotive with fuel.

Below the hood, a Assume EV donates its drivetrain parts to get this Mini transferring. All the items look tidy in there. Even with the batteries, this EV powertrain conversion solely makes the automotive weigh 88 kilos (40 kilograms) greater than inventory.

Inside, the drive selector and HVAC system come from the Assume. The unique, round speedometer remains to be current, however the principle devices at the moment are on what seems to be an previous iPhone.

The Mini truck lacks a lot sound deadening, so the occupants hear every little thing. The coolant pump and brake booster gurgle. Plus, there’s the noise from the electrical motor. 

Sadly, the host of this video does a poor job of exhibiting how this Mini truck performs on the street. He by no means goes sooner than 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour). Plus, there are many pace bumps that interrupt the driving expertise.

The Mini Pickup debuted in 1960 concurrently a van variant. In line with BMW’s web site about them, the truck had a 9.8-inch (25-centimeter) longer wheelbase than an ordinary Mini. It may carry 699 kilos (317 kilograms) of cargo. Manufacturing resulted in 1981, and the corporate made round 58,000 of them.

In 2018, Mini constructed a one-off electrical Cooper. The corporate did not present many powertrain specifics, however the automotive seemed nice.

In 2022, Recharged Heritage began taking orders for electrical Mini conversions. It presents two fashions that each include a 19-kilowatt-hour battery. The Pure model has 75 horsepower (56 kilowatts) and 99 pound-feet (125 Newton-meters) of torque. The Sport grade has 97 hp (72 kW) and 111 lb-ft (150 Nm). Each have an estimated driving vary of 103 miles (166 kilometers) within the WLTP take a look at.

We even noticed a Mini EV conversion that packed a Tesla electrical motor making round 300  hp (224 kW). The end result was a significantly fast little automotive.