AC Propulsion Reported To Be Supplying Mini EV's Motor, Controller and Batteries

AC Propulsion Reported To Be Supplying Mini EV's Motor, Controller and Batteries

NOTE: Updated 10 p.m., 10/27, with confirmation and comments from AC Propulsion's Tom Gage.

EV pioneer AC Propulsion reportedly has landed the contract to supply the motor controllers and battery packs for the upcoming Mini E electric car.

Electric vehicle activist and Plug In America co-founder Paul Scott reports in an e-mail this evening (and in a posting on the Revenge of the Electric Car Website) that a member of MiniUSA's media team, Nathalie Bauters, has confirmed to him that the San Dimas-based electric propulsion systems maker and Scion Xb converter will be supplying the critical electric propulsion system.

Neither AC Propulsion CEO Tom Gage also confirmed the deal to Green Car Advisor late Monday. He said that BMW, Mini's parent, has planned a formal announcement for the Los Angeles Auto Show media preview on Nov. 19 and that he's prohibited from saying much about the contract until then.

nor Bauters or anyone else at  Mini (a unit of  BMW) could be reached for comment. We'll update as soon as we do talk to one of both parties in the reported deal.

Gage did say, though, that ACP will be delivering the drive systems "pretty much" all at once rather than feeding them to BMW  over a long period and that he understands that BMW wants to begin leasing the cars in the first quarter next year, or within the next three to five months.

The contract is the "biggest ever" for ACP, said Gage, who recently announced a deal to supply electric drives to a Taiwanese company planning to build an EV for sale in that country.

BMW confirmed the Mini E program earlier this month, announcing plans to lease 500 of the cars to select customers in parts of Southern California, New York and New Jersey.  One qualification -- a locking garage.

The company is taking names of potential lessees on the Mini website but hasn't been free with details.

Scott, and we don't know where he got the info although he is -- pun intended -- well plugged-in,  says the lease will cost a stiff $850 a month.

That's a  bunch for a 2-seat car, although we'd bet a lot more than a year's lease would cost that Mini will have no difficulty even in this lousy economy finding 500 people willing to fork over the dough for a chance to be among the first behind the wheel.

John O'Dell, Senior Editor

John O'Dell:  is an AutoObserver Senior Editor. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.