Fuelcard News Motoring Updates: Extensive field test results out on the Mini E

The results of an extensive, year-long field test of more than 130 electric powered Minis have been released, complete with customer and expert analysis.

Sixty-two members of the public and 76 pool users swapped their cars for eco-friendly Mini Es, with all of them rating the vehicle highly for the driving experience it provides and its silent electric motor. Users reported that the Mini E was suitable for 70 percent of their regular journeys.

The average number of charges per week was 2.9, disproving the myth that electric cars would need to be charged every night. Many test drivers said they preferred plugging the car in at night to filling up a regular car in a fuel station. Most were able to take advantage of periods of low demand in the night, when prices for domestic electricity are generally lower and more renewable energy is present in the national grid mix.

Nearly three-quarters of drivers said that they could use the car adequately without the need for public charging stations, managing to fit private home charging easily around their daily routines.

In other news, The Fuelcard Company has warned firms that bad driving habits could be responsible for a 40 percent increase in fuel consumption.

Gain control of your cash flow and administrative costs at www.fuelcards.co.uk by opening a fuelcard for your fleet.