RE: US: BorgWarner tests Mini E cars cabin heaters 

I have one of the MINI-E's and drive it in New Jersey. The heater is one of the worst aspects of the car. It can barely keep the cabin warm if the temperature is below 30 degrees and forget about it if it's under 20. The fan overpowers the heater element and it blows cold air if you set it on the third or fourth speed so you can only use the lowest or second lowest fan setting. Just about everyone that drives the car in the cold climate areas complain about it. We have to wear thermal socks and bring a blanket on really cold days. The car works fine, but this BorgWarner heater is terribly insufficient even with a small cabin two seat car. They need scrap this thing and design something that works.

17 Feb 2010 by TomM250

RE: US: BorgWarner tests Mini E cars cabin heaters 

I would sacrifice whatever it takes so the so I don;t have to wear thermal socks and keep a blanket in the car. Don't get me wrong, I love the car. It is a great commuter vehicle, but this heater that they are touting as a great achievement just doesn't work when it's really cold and that's when you actually need it. I keep in touch with many of the other MINI-E drivers and we all have the same complaint about the heater, it blows cold air!!!! BTW, with a name like BillyJoeJimBob, can I assume you are from the South?

18 Feb 2010 by TomM250

RE: US: BorgWarner tests Mini E cars cabin heaters 

I've got a couple of electric cars - a Reva and a Mitsubishi iMiEV.

The Mitsubishi iMiEV has a really good electric heater. Mind you, when its running at full blast it uses an awful lot of juice! The Reva electric heater isn't quite so good and like the MINI e it struggles to cope with the really cold temperatures. However, one of the options for the Reva is a diesel powered heater system. This comes as standard for the cars in Iceland and Norway and really does kick out some heat. Even in the really cold temperatures it works really well and most people reckon they use less than one litre of diesel to power it per week.

I think it is rather amusing that the next generation of cars could be electric powered with a diesel powered heater...

22 Feb 2010 by MB

RE: US: BorgWarner tests Mini E cars cabin heaters 

Back in 1971 my friend in Ottawa had a 100W electric iron element bolted to the engine block to keep the oil from freezing, and an additional domestic fan heater to warm the cabin wired seperately to a time switch programmed to come on at 7:30 for an 8:00am start. It was brilliant, but then her father lectured in automobile enginnering at St. John's, Newfoundland.
In Goose Bay, Labrador in 1966 a similar system was used, but the dashboard clock still froze up from Nov to May. The mail boxes by the roadside sometimes had a 12volt socket for visitors to keep the battery full.

23 Feb 2010 by Supersparks