Photo: MINI
Going around the German Nurburgring track at least once is a necessary tribulation for all new car models that hope to leave a mark in history. Usually the place where loud, high-revving engines are heard, the Nurburgring is now also home to quiet, seemingly peaceful electric cars.
When a new vehicle arrives at the track, it almost inevitably tries to set a new overall speed or time record. Not the MINI SE, though. This car will instead seek to complete all the 20.8 km (12.9 miles) of course without using the brakes at all.
EVs generally come with some type of energy recuperation technology. In most cases, this tech allows for the decades-old braking pedal to be circumvented, as simply lifting the foot off the accelerator is enough to make the car slow down.
Known in the industry as one-pedal driving, the system is supposed to allow the MINI SE to run the length of the road without the need for the driver to apply the brakes.
The trick is knowing how much recuperation translates into how much braking power. Also, it’s very important to know when to take the foot off the gas and allow the car to enter the curve at just the right speed.
Officially, MINI says it is trying to find out just how fast the Cooper SE can take each corner of the track with no braking pedal push. Testing is still being done at the location, with no estimated time of the actual and official attempt being announced.
MINI did however let slip the fact that it should happen soon, as following the testing already done there is nothing that “stands in the way of a brilliant finish over the Döttinger Höhe.” For those unfamiliar with the Nurburgring, Döttinger Höhe is the last straight of the track.
Full details on the MINI and its plans for the SE can be found in the document attached below.
EVs generally come with some type of energy recuperation technology. In most cases, this tech allows for the decades-old braking pedal to be circumvented, as simply lifting the foot off the accelerator is enough to make the car slow down.
Known in the industry as one-pedal driving, the system is supposed to allow the MINI SE to run the length of the road without the need for the driver to apply the brakes.
The trick is knowing how much recuperation translates into how much braking power. Also, it’s very important to know when to take the foot off the gas and allow the car to enter the curve at just the right speed.
Officially, MINI says it is trying to find out just how fast the Cooper SE can take each corner of the track with no braking pedal push. Testing is still being done at the location, with no estimated time of the actual and official attempt being announced.
MINI did however let slip the fact that it should happen soon, as following the testing already done there is nothing that “stands in the way of a brilliant finish over the Döttinger Höhe.” For those unfamiliar with the Nurburgring, Döttinger Höhe is the last straight of the track.
Full details on the MINI and its plans for the SE can be found in the document attached below.
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