Description
Summary:
• Power: 134bhp/ 100kW/ 195Nm
• Battery: 9kWh
• Range: 35-40 miles
• Weight: 700Kg
• Built: 1964, EV converted 2022
Here is my unique 1964 Mk1 Austin Mini Cooper S Rally Rep EV conversion, that I commissioned in 2022, and have since dailied up till now.
The EV conversion was done by startup Opto Innovations, with the philosophy to create a lightweight, reversible, economic EV conversion using recycled parts. The result is a Mini that still weighs no more than 700kgs, and still rides, drives and handles like a classic Mini (with all the good and bad that entails!), but with modern electric performance and reliability, and minimal running costs.
The drivetrain and inverter is derived from a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, capable of 195Nm which is equivalent to about 134bhp. This is arguably complete overkill for a Mini, so I'm running at 85Nm in normal mode (and 125Nm in Sport mode). The battery is a BMW PHEV (from a 530e) and rated at 9kWh, and was chosen for weight, cost and packaging reasons. It gives me a real world range of +/-35miles with my heavy foot and country roads, which is all I need for daily school and station runs, but you should get more as a city car. She can fully charge from a 3. 6kW standard mains charger (supplied) in about 3 hours, or any Type 2 wall charger if you have one. The starting point was a 1964 Mk1 Austin Mini, understood to have been owned by just one family before the last owner (three listed on V5). As I understand it, she was bought from new as an 850, and converted to Cooper S spec using genuine period Cooper S parts by the son of the original owner. When I purchased her she was running a 1, 380cc A-series with a hot cam, and raced in sprint and hill climbs, but not really suitable for the road. As a rust-free base for the EV conversion she was perfect however, with (balanceable) 7. 5" Cooper S discs, roll cage, and rally style dash to hide electronics.
She is unrestored and wears her patina with pride. I love the interior roof in particular, which has no headlining and hints at its past iterations and race history. Underneath she has been thoroughly Waxoyled (as I understand she has been since new), so for me this is the perfect useable condition; For the last three years she has been my daily, for school, railway station and shop runs, where range is not an issue, the size is perfect for our narrow town roads and country lanes. And everyone smiles and waves as you pass in near silence!
She is riding on red spot cones, with Hi-Los (currently set at Rally height for my potholed country roads!) and new KYB self-adjusting shocks. Wheels are 5. 5x10" steels, running fresh Yokohama A539s. I would say she now rides as well as any Mini I've driven does (I've had four, but they're not the highest bar!). Handling is ace as there is now exactly 50:50 weight distribution, but put your foot down and there's unavoidable torque steer given how much more power she has than standard and you can easily spin the wheels in damp conditions in Sport mode (which is to be honest I never use as Normal is plenty in pretty well all conditions).
Exterior is not cosmetically perfect as mentioned, the paint is probably half a century old, but for me she's in ideal usuable condition as a daily. She's wearing full Monte Carlo Rally rep livery and various rally touches such as Cooper S chrome trims, working Lucas spots, headlamp covers, catches etc. The windscreen is heated which works wonderfully in the winter, with the rear anti fog panel adding to the authentic details.
Interior also has the full rally rep treatment, with roll cage, heated bucket seats and full rally dash (I also have a rally trip meter, currently removed). The driver's seat is lowered and set back, with the lowered steering wheel (from a Lotus Cortina) giving a much improved driving position. The rally dash has period-style labelled switch gear, all of which is working, and with little to give away that she's an EV; The petrol gauge is now a battery meter, whilst the Smith's speedo is a modern digital recreation of the original. If you wanted more detail on battery stats etc, there is a fold out 7" screen, that also supports Android Auto/ CarPlay. The gear stick has been retained which is much more natural to use than any other conversions I've seen, with 1st being Normal/ Eco mode, 2nd Sport, and Reverse, wired to the rear 5" Lucas rally spot (to be clear, she is direct drive with no gearbox - the gearstick activates modes via microswitches).
Bad points? Well she is a 60+ year old, unrestored, Mk1, ex-race Mini! I said "near" silence as there's limited sound deadening and no engine to drown out the usual classic car rattles and the coolant pump is also relatively noisy. The Mk1 door hinges sag a little as they often do, so she needs a bit of a lift and slam to close the doors (or adjustment). I've also observed that charging does not fully turn off after reaching full charge so will very gradually start to drain if left plugged in for more than a night. The boot is largely taken up by the battery pack, although you there is no compromise on interior space which actually has inertia reel seatbelts for five. And of course range is limited, so won't fit everyone's use case; whilst I use her on country road runs, she would be best suited as a city car, where you could likely get much greater range.
She was built to fit my use case, but is arguably the most sustainable, guilt-free vehicle I can imagine. I have dailied her for the last three years or so, covering over 5, 000miles (2, 263 and counting since fitting new Smiths digital speedo) - predominantly the school and station runs. There are other EV converted Minis out there, including the official Mini Recharged conversions, but they start at £62, 500, (£42, 500 excluding the donor Mini), so this one is definitely priced to sell quickly.
Happy to answer any questions, send additional information, consider offers, or take out prospective buyers for a test drive. I didn't think I'd ever sell her TBH, but circumstances have changed and I could do with something my son can learn on, so I may consider p/ x for a manual, petrol Mini.
I will also arrange mainland delivery, given her limited range.
Cheers, Terence
