Why the 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-In Hybrid heralds Electric and Hybrids by 2030

Electric Vehicles are on the horizon. Jamaica will soon have to start changing over to all-Electric vehicles or Hybrids, as the world's automakers are shifting gears come 2030.

This was the sentiment expressed at the launch of the 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman by ATL Automotive Group on Friday February 7^th 2019. The Plug-In Hybrid Countryman was on display at their showroom along Lady Musgrave Road in St Andrew.

Among the speakers at the event were:

1.      Dionne Nugent, senior vice president of business development of Jamaica Public Service

2.      Sloane Jackson, ATL Automotive’s head of business for BMW and Mini

3.      Jason Robinson, CEO of SolarBuzz

4.      Eleanor Jones, managing director and consulting principal of Environmental Solutions Limited and chairperson of the Environment Committee of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica.

So what so special about the Plug-In Hybrid Mini Cooper Countryman? Does this mean that other All-Electric or Hybrid vehicles are on the horizon?

2019 Mini Cooper Countryman - Regenerative charging means on Eco Mode is king

2019 Mini Cooper Countryman is able to run on either its Li-Ion Batteries or gasoline or use both.

The 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman combines a 3 cylinder twin turbo gasoline Engine with a synchronous electric motor. Combined, that's a total power output of 224 horsepower or 165 kW.

If the synchronous electric motor and its Li-Ion Battery pack weren't present, you would only have 134 horsepower or 100 kW of power, which means that the Battery pack add an additional 90 horsepower or 65 kW or power.

The work is divided between the two power sources, with the Gasoline engine running the front wheels and the synchronous electric motor running the rear wheels.  Initially, when you move off, you're running on the electric motors, and then a balance between the gasoline Engine and the synchronous electric motor is established, with the Mini Cooper Countryman shifting more to the gasoline the faster you go.

The 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman has three modes of operation:

1.      Max eDrive Mode - Uses the least amount of Battery power

2.      Auto eDrive Mode - Uses the most efficient mixture of gasoline Engine and the synchronous electric motor

3.      Save Mode - Uses Regenerative Braking to trickle charge the Li-Ion Battery

The Mini Cooper Countryman comes with regenerative charging, meaning as it runs on gasoline only at higher speeds, it trickle charges the battery. Albeit slowly, if you are someone who likes to travel on the highways a lot, you may notice that the battery, which at low speed can manage 42 kilometres, will hardly need to be recharged.

This is great if you live in the city, as you can use that battery power for your work commute and back and will last you for at least two weeks if your workplace is super close. You can even carry a portable solar charger to give it a trickle charge when you have it parked in the sun.

With fuel consumption of 2.3-2.1 litres per 100 kilometers and carbon dioxide emissions figure of 52-49 grams per kilometre, you'll soon realize that you can stop spending on gasoline for the entire month!

2019 Mini Cooper Countryman - Savings in gasoline are worth it

Mini Cooper Countryman accounts for 85% of Mini sales in Jamaica over the last three years. Its price is not for everyone…..but the technology adoption is a must as you will see.

But if you care about the environment and saving on the use of gasoline, then this may be the vehicle for you as pointed out by Sloane Jackson, ATL Automotive’s head of business for BMW and Mini: “…..for the environment, it helps us in cutting down the use of fossil fuels, by cutting down the end product, which is carbon monoxide”.

But there is the added plus of regenerative charging as pointed out by Jackson, quote: “However, the car can also charge itself, so if you are in petrol mode and you want to get back some charge on the battery, there is a way to actually have the battery charged by the car while driving and then you can go right back into petrol mode”.

In numbers it works out like this for a typical regular vehicle e.g. Toyota Corolla:

1.      JA$3,000 per week to top up with gasoline with a regular vehicle

2.      JA$156000 per year to top up with gasoline with a regular vehicle

With the Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-in Hybrid, the costs work out as follows:

1.      JA$3,000 to $4,000 per month on electricity to charge

2.      JA$48,000 per year on electricity to charge

3.      JA$3,000 per month to top up with gasoline

4.      JA$36000 per year to top up with gasoline

That works out to be JA$84000, thanks to the reduction in the need to use gasoline, as most of the time you will be driving at low speed to conserve on gasoline and get the most out of the synchronous electric motor.

So what of the future of Electric Vehicles and Hybrids in Jamaica?

Electric Vehicles and Hybrids in Jamaica - Change is coming as by 2030 we'll have no choice

Along with the long-term benefits of reducing the carbon footprint in the environment and the cost effectiveness of having such a vehicles in terms of reduced gasoline consumption, the case for Electric Vehicles and Hybrids is compelling.

The cost, however, is too high, thanks mainly to the 60% duty on such vehicles as noted in my blog article entitled “JPS, USAID and How removing 60% import duty on Electric Vehicle will reduce Jamaica's Oil Bill”.

Jamaica needs to remove the duty on these vehicles in order to spur their adoption in the island.

This as soon we may have no choice, as ATL Automotive’s Group Marketing Manager, Christina Taylor, change is coming, quote: “If you look at the way that the automotive industry is developing, the future is electric. There is going to be a point in time where a lot of the automotive brands, by 2030, are mandating that their entire lineup will either be hybrid or electric. So it is not a matter of waiting to join, it is when you join, because it is inevitable”.

JUTC is already making the shift to Hydrid drive systems for their buses as noted in my blog article entitled “Why JUTC going Hybrid indicates removal of 60% import duty on Electric Vehicles”.

The 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman Plug-in Hybrid may be the start of that shift...with Toyota and more popular brands to follow in the next two years leading up to 2030.