GOT PLUG? Chapter 5

Need a new UH-OH? Try this...Don did. While I was rolling back on a mild incline he put the shifter into P instead of going to all the work of moving his foot to my brake peddle. BAD IDEA!!! Wow, that hurt!. I screamed, it sounded like a guard running a steel black jack across jail cell bars. His foot jumped to the brake pedal and I could tell Don was really ashamed. I know he’s just a human and his central computer hasn’t been significantly updated since the Neanderthal days, so I forgave me immediately and off we went in motoring bliss.

Don then began showing me off to other people. He invited them to take me for a spin, which I quite enjoyed. It’s really neat that I have a secret video eye in the center of my steering column so I can check out the driver’s expressions. I made a lot of people really happy. I love seeing those smiling faces.

I’m going to tell you about some of my new guest people.

John Fisher was the first guest. He Jo’s employer and a tall man who likes cars. In fact, he has a Oldsmobile 442, and a De Lorean. But he never had a electric ride before. He had a real good time with me and guess what! Since I get tired sometimes and probably won’t have as much energy in the winter and in the summer, John is going to help me and Jo by putting in a 220v cocktail machine just for me at his hospital. That way Jo can count on me every day. I’m pretty excited about this. I mean, a one mile commute daily for a little rocket like me... I don’t think so!

My next guests were a couple of young folks from New York City. This couple have a BRG Mini Cooper that was pretty cute. They were admiring me, but who doesn’t? Don saw them and tossed them the remote. Wow, were they ever thrilled. I’m going to let them do the talking:

This is from the male person, named Jay: “The pick-up on this car is absolutely tremendous, out of control. I did not expect any sort of boost like this in an fully-electric car. The re-generative braking is also an incredible feature, and I was able to adjust to the pedal sensitivity quickly.” His female mate, Flora, said: “I also liked how the wheel was very tight, like how our mini's wheel feels when in sport mode. It's just so exciting to see this car on the road, and I have faith that there will come a point when all petroleum powered cars will be phased out. Pumping gas will be a story you tell your kids...Thanks again, the experience really opened our eyes.”

I’ll leave you for this thought from Flora: “Pumping gas will be a story you tell your kids...”. That’s about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.

Buckle Up and Motor On!

GP-

Got Plug? Chapter 4

I got my present, and wow, is it hot! I got home the other day and a 220 40 Amp special charger box, dedicated just for me, was mounted right by my bed in the garage!

It’s source is solar power and I can drink in the solar juice and be stuffed to the gills in just 4 1/2 hours. I used to have to suck on 110v electricity for about 30 hours before I could manage a decent belch.

Well, enough about the present, I had a big week.

I passed my Commuting 101 exam, with 6 miles to spare. The commute was quite a challenge, over a hundred miles of varying conditions with mostly highway miles. At the half way point Jo (my female person) had to go work so Don (who doesn’t work nearly as much as Jo) gave me some 110v to sip. Nine hours later we headed back to Shelter Island. I had a one hour sprint at like 70 mph and car, was I sacked. When we got off the Expressway we had about 30 miles to my garage, but I swear I could only make 14 miles at this rate; and I told Don that in my display window.. My display window translates the obvious into squiggly lines that people can somehow comprehend. So, Don ditched the highway and headed for the through-town route. I may be a mini bit conceited, but somehow parading through local streets and stopping at lights to bask in the adoring gaze of admirers really energizes me. After about 10 miles, I told Don I was good for at least 26 more miles. We made it home with 6 miles to spare, no problem.

My people were so proud of me. It felt real good to know I could help them out. I think I’m starting to like them.

That’s it for now. See ya soon!

Happy Motoring,

GP-

Got Plug? Chapter 3

Hi Readers -

My male person, Don, began really showing me off this week.  Down at the ferry company, where he's a captain, there are people called engineers.  Now, these guys don't drive trains like Casey Jones.  They sometimes call themselves gearheads; one of them even has an email address that is: "ferrywrench@..." Anyway, they all tend to dig engines, big engines like the Twin Detroit Series 60 Diesels that power our boats.

Don took me down to the docks to show me off.  As you may know, I'm a little small, so at first I didn't cause much of a stir.  There were plenty of  "I like the smell of diesel..." and "There's nothing like the sound of horsepower..." comments. Then it was mentioned that The Electric Boat Corporation is the premiere designer and builder of nuclear submarines for the United States Navy;  and is located just across the Sound on the Connecticut River.  So, maybe electric and quiet is cool after all.

With that in mind, Don easily convinced two of them, Brian and Gene, to take runs with me.

Brian had a blast with me and thought I was a rocket.  Gene, who is retired from the ferry and now spends his time moving big things (like trees, boulders, and houses) said I was awesome. The next night he even brought a friend down to the docks to take a ride with me.

It all goes to show that it's easy to make friends is you're smart, good looking, thrifty, fast, regal, elegant, and polite.  Of course, it also helps to be humble.

Since I was so good to my guest drivers, my people promised me a surprise.  I hope I get it soon so I can tell you about it next week!

Happy Motoring,

GP-

Got Plug? Chapter 2

Boredom; I’m talking apathy, frustration, dullness, and monotony.  My people had to leave me for a week!  I guess they didn’t want to, but still, I’m just a kid and need to play.  But don’t worry, this has a happy ending, I promise.

So here’s what happened.  Don, the male person, had to got help some really cool Bands do concerts at Jones Beach.  Man, did I want to go.  There was Kenny Chesney, ZZ Top, Aerosmith, The Fray, No Doubt, Bad Company, and the Doobie Brothers.  And that’s not to mention parking lots full of sexy European sports cars that would certainly thought I was the cutest thing in the world (because I am).   But, my people said it was just too far for me to go, that I wasn’t strong enough to get there and back.

So, to give me something to do, they devised a “Charge Sustainability Test” for me to take while they were gone.  They checked my charge level and range before they left.  I had a 92% charge and a range of 89 miles.  At first I thought the heck with them.  If they’re gonna leave me I teach them a lesson and let them look at 0% and a 0 mile range when they come home.  Then I realized that I was here to help the people, and it was up to me to do them proud.  So, I did some exercises before nodding off and when they came home they woke me to find a 94% charge with a range of 91 miles.  

They were so proud they even posted the results on Facebook and gave me an A+ grade!  How cool is that?

Thanks for stopping by, see you next week!

GP- 

Got Plug? Chapter 1

Hi, Got Plug? here,  I’m back.  It’s been quite a week getting settled in the USA and meeting my people.  One of my people, an older male, read my first blog and I thought he was going to boil over.  He said although I am a German immigrant my forefathers were from Oxford, England.  My German heritage does make me smart, good looking, thrifty, and fast; but he wanted me to know that, through my English ancestory, I am also regal, elegant, proper, and polite.  Well, I couldn’t argue with that, it wouldn’t be polite.

The first couple of days were real easy, but kind of boring.  People mostly just admired me, although some even looked at my butt for an exhaust pipe.  How rude, I wouldn’t ever produce any carbon.   

I got driven just a little bit to show me off, and never really got turned loose. 

On day three Don, that’s what my male person likes to be called, took me across the bay on the ferry to Long Island and we began to play.  He gave me a start when he pushed my throttle all the way to my floor.  I ran like the wind and he had a big exhaust eating grin on his face, even though there was no exhaust of course.   They don’t have kilometers over here, but I heard Don bragging about “85 miles per hour”.  

After the ferry sailed back to our island,  Don made a big mistake and tried to start me without pressing my brake.  So, naturally, I didn’t respond and even ignored his next few attempts.  That brakeless starting could be dangerous and I knew I had to train Don then and there.  So, he was plenty embarrassed as we rode backward to Long Island again.  I figured he learned his lesson so when we returned to Shelter Island I let him start me up and home we went.

Don’s mate is named Jo, and she is apparently hoping to spend a lot of time with me.  It seems she want to take me to work with her three days a week.  She’s a Veterinarian and knows a lot about how animals work, at least thats what her cats say.  The cats are Dudley, who walks funny after busting his leg.  The other one is a one-eyed Orange boycat called Georgie.   

Anyway, Jo works about 60 miles away and her Hospital will let her plug me in while she works.  Don is a bit of a wimp and wanted to test me before he let me carry Jo off.  He was thinking maybe I wouldn’t, or couldn’t, bring her back.  So, he devised a test for me. 

On day four we left my garage with a 100% charge.  We drove on four lane roads and twisting two lanes roads for 30 miles.  Then we made a u-turn and retraced our rolls back to the garage.  When we got in, I admit I was a bit tired.  I had never worked my charge down to 40% before.  So Don plugged me to sip a solar cocktail for exactly 9 hours.  Then he stopped in, took the straw out of my filler plug, patted me “Good Night” and went back into the house.  I slept well until morning.

In the morning Don came back and off we went.  When we got off the ferry we headed East until we ran out of land.  Being electric, of course this was upsetting because I was trained from birth not to go into the water.  

We turned around are headed back West for a few miles, Don eyeing my trip odometer the whole way.  We we hit 50 miles he had guided me back to the Ferry.  I was getting pretty darned tire by this time.  Last night’s sleepy time cocktail wasn’t really enough and I was pooped.  I wanted to head straight for the garage but Don kept urging me around the block until I literally had no charge left.  Whew!

So, starting with 100% charge and with a 9 hour 110v break in the middle, I staggered home with 117.6 miles.  Thankfully, Don plugged me in right away and let me be for a long time, 36 hours.  By then I was raring to go again.

I’ll be back next week to let you know how it’s going.  Hope you can stop back.  Thanks!

GP-  

Got Plug?, who/what is that? A Preview...

HI - I'm Got Plug?  I'm a 4 day old Mini E.  That's an electric car being field tested by Mini.  I have a few hundred siblings in the United States.  We mostly reside on the left and right coasts where brave volunteers are pioneering with us.  The volunteers are, for the most part, humans.  You know; feet instead of tires, eyes instead of headlamps, pretty weird but they seem likable enough.

So, I am going to try to keep you interested with a diary of my activities here in the USA.  I come from Germany which, of course, means I am very smart, good looking, fast, and thrifty. 

I hope you visit often and enjoy my adventures.  I plan on having a lot of fun here.