Santa better be reading this because the nice people at BMW have delivered my Xmas present for this year.  It is only a mini present - quite literally…..

This week BMW unveiled the all electric powered Mini, tagged the Mini E:

BMW Mini E launch

and what a stunning present this would make - shame they are only rolling out 500 for urban trials at the moment.  Can they not sneak one up to me for some rural trials???

This car surely must be a winner - cult classic, no harmful carbon emissions, a decent mileage range (150 miles) and performance (speed and acceleration) suitable for a degree of non-urban driving too.  The lack of rear seats and boot storage may pose a problem - my golf clubs may need to be attached to the roof!!!  But on the face of it as a commuting vehicle I cannot pick any faults.

Although I guess there is one vital missing ingredient at the moment - price.  As major production runs are only likely in 2010-11 when the feedback from the initial 500 is received we are unlikely to get clear indications of this in the near future.  I am sure this feedback process will also result in some alterations as well, but the signs are promising.

Here in the UK, the use of electric vehicles has the potential to almost half our carbon emissions from road transport.

So in conclusion, Santa do the right thing and send me one north to test!!!

The electric car is finally arriving on a mass scale in Europe, and they were the talk of the latest motor show in Paris with the Pininfarina B0 afforded special attention.  At last an electric car that can appeal to the general public.

The car, the result of a collaborative effort between Vincent Bollore and Pininfarina, claims a range of over 150 miles (250 km) and a top speed of 80mph (130 km/h) and highlights the shift from nice concept car to mass market appeal.  It boasts solar panels on the roof with the first models coming off the production line in 2009

http://www.pininfarina.com/index/storiaModelli/B0.html

The increasing regulatory pressures in Europe (such as carbon dioxide emissions standards) allied to increasing fuel prices should force car makers to build zero-emissions cars into their portfolios.