What did you do to your MINI today?

Sorry, but I had to update this, if only for the benefit of potential owners...

Despite driving more "briskly" on the way back (including several passes during which I hit the 96 mph speed limiter), the overall average ended up being 4.1 mi/kWh, for a total projected range of 117 miles. It never rose above 48 deg all day and there was little wind, so I'm not quite sure why efficiency was a bit higher on the return trip, but I will take it!

 

I’m rutinly drive 40 miles distance each way for years on Belt Pkway in NY is my best way to see efficiency on SE driving that 80 miles .I’m Living my garage with warm battery 64-70’ never do any preheating .once I get to my son house a car again is in warm garage .My average speed for that 40 miles is about 30 miles/ Hr.bc we call that Parkway parking lot .My driving on it is from 70 to 2 miles/Hr.I drive only on SPORT mode bc any different settings I don’t like car is to loose for me.When weather is 40 to 80’ I always average 4.9mi/kWh .After those trips I still have average 60 miles left .I forgot about tires 16’ summer Hankooks and high regenerative setting.

 

I believed the limit to be 150 km/hr = 93.2 mph. Perhaps there was a gravity or strong wind assist?

 

No wind to speak of yesterday, and the stretch of interstate where I was driving fast is rather flat but uphill overall. I hit 95-96 several times*, but it could have been on a downslope each time - I don't recall.

*I wanted to drive 75 mph, but kept catching up to trucks doing 65, and was being stalked by an idiot in a Focus ST who was just hanging out in the left lane. So, I took full advantage of the available torque to show him/her how to properly use the passing lane.

I suppose I could try it again, but it's actually rather disconcerting how quiet and stable the SE is at that speed...

ETA: Various sources online state 93 or 94 mph, but nothing really definitive.

In any case, FWIW mine is a 2023 with stock 17" wheels and tires. Perhaps the aero improvements and/or larger wheels account for the apparent discrepancy?

ETA2: If I somehow exceeded the maximum speed, wouldn't power have been abruptly cut off to protect the motor? My eyes were mostly on the road ahead so I didn't notice what the power gauge was showing, but I didn't feel any sudden changes - more that the car just couldn't go any faster.

 

I think I (inadvertently) got my 2021 SE over 93 mph once. I was a bit surprised.

 

It's not an aerodynamic limitation. The SE is programmed to limit the car's top speed--I'd guess to protect the motor.

The Clarity PHEV is programmed to go a maximum of 100 mph. It's funny that the sportier of the two cars I own can't go as fast as the long-distance sled.

 

I read yours posts you put on Mini F 56 forum and you explain very nicely/ clearly why EVs /SE have limited top speed simply to protect HV batteries from overheating and avoid manufacturers warranty responsibilities.

 

After sleeping on it, now I'm wondering if I saw 93 several times and 94 once, instead of 95 and 96, and just misremembered.

 

Agreed that it is to protect the motor, but the question is what happens at that limit. Unless active braking takes place, aerodynamics would still matter.

 

Also bear in mind that the speedo tends to read higher than actual speed. There is a "korector" function in the dash display that adds a set percentage to the actual speed of the vehicle.

It is thought this is to prevent lawsuits due to the speedo potentially reading low causing folks to get pulled over when they thought they were just driving the speed limit. That is just speculation though.

 

That has been true of MINI (and BMW?) for quite some time, I read somewhere it's due to some law in Germany. But I've tested my 2021 SE regularly at multiple radar speed signs and it doesn't indicate a speed differential (usually around 40 mph). Kind of surprising, since all of my other MINIs were off by 3 mph.

 

You're right, aerodynamics would help wind pressure and gravity propel the SE a bit faster after the car's programming stops the contribution from the motor at the 93.2 mph speed limitation.

 

I regularly drive past two such signs, but alas, like a man with two watches, I still don't know how whether my speedometer is accurate or not (one agrees with the car exactly, the other indicates that my speed is 2 mph slower).

A while back I downloaded a free GPS app to check that way, but haven't really had the chance to use it yet.

 

There must be two thousand of those radar speed indicators in my neck of the woods. Most of them show a speed that's 2 mph more than my speedometer. Some show the same speed. Each time I go by one, I wonder how often they get re-calibrated, if at all. And I'm quite positive that I must be the only driver in my county that even tries to drive at the posted speed limit.

 

I have have hit 96mph on the freeway. The car bogs and won't go any faster obviously once you hit the max.

 

ALL car speedos are designed to show a wee bit higher than the actual speed. You can see this clearly if you use an accurate GPS based speed monitor on a straight stretch of road. Yes, it is to prevent someone from accidentally going above the limit.

 

Got sick of my chip shortage F56 JCW GP3 speaker system.

 

Yes it's the complete system for base audio. I ordered four two-way speakers (no tweeters in base), and the Gen 3 Ghost subs (released Oct 2023).

The discounts on my SE were just too good to miss out on and I figured I'd eventually fix the audio issue.