[Cessa]

I haven't been able to find much info on this but am curious on how and what this feature does?
My head will be on the chopping block for even asking but on the JCW Green mode (sorry) in the Minimalism screen, there are 2 screen options that either shows you the fish (screen1) or the car (screen 2) that indicates when the transmission is dissengaged and your adding mileage to your range and there is also a battery regeneration picture that appears when your coasting, touch the brakes then continue coasting.
What does this actually do for the car and how does it do it.
I'm sure it isn't a KERS thing like in formula 1 but that would be very cool.

 

[jeremybingham]

No sadly it's not a kers thing and the brakes dont regenerate anything. When you take your foot off accelerator to slow or brake (ancillaries that aren't needed disconnect or are demand only eg water pump) battery charging by the alternator occurs as a priority so when accelerating ie using gas the charging is done so no load on alternator so less gas use.unless it's needed of course. Complex stuff.
Hope I've described it correctly!

 

[Angib]

Yes, more or less. Braking is just throwing away energy (that you paid a lot to obtain) so charging up the battery at that time is using energy that is (sorta) free, whereas charging at any other time uses extra fuel.

There is nothing clever going on, mechanically, as an alternator only charges the battery when it's told to (by the current in its field coil), so Mini moved that control from inside the alternator to the car's ECU. It isn't linked to 'coasting' at all, which is why it works on manuals too.

I don't imagine it's ever possible to do all battery charging by brake energy regeneration and its effect may be tiny, but that's what actual fuel economy is all about - the total of a lot of small improvements. Some people seem to believe there is a single magic bullet that will stop cars using fuel, for example making the body from aluminium or using hybrid technology, but it ain't so.

 

[Cessa]

So my potential carbon fibre mirror covers will add to my fuel savings (just kidding).
Thats a shame, i thought BMW have out done themselves in this area but apparently not. Ohh well, back to sport mode i guess

I wonder when they will put solar charging in the roof of cars to take the load of the alternator and redirect energy where its more needed, puting power on the road.

 

[MaDMaX**]

I wonder when they will put solar charging in the roof of cars to take the load of the alternator and redirect energy where its more needed, puting power on the road.

pfffft would not work in the uk


on a serious note, I dare say panel wise would be a brilliant idea, but I think the problem is in the other equipment involved, not evolved enough/too bulky to fit in a mini, but its not far away, the tech has moved on since houses started having it, maybe 2018's next big thing,, maybe 2028's way of charging electric cars!:nerd:

 

[jeremybingham]

Teeny solar panel does a great job of trickle charging my caravan battery even in the uk! I like my roof though don't want any yukky looking panel on there!

 

[MaDMaX**]

Teeny solar panel does a great job of trickle charging my caravan battery even in the uk! I like my roof though don't want any yukky looking panel on there!

yeah but the roof could be the panel,


I like black roofs, all my minis so far have had them, the F56s has one chosen for it when it arrives,


quite fancy a dark shinny glass roof, very futuristic looking >