Mini makes sense for London drivers
The new London Congestion Charge structure just announced by Mayor of London Boris Johnson is further proof that MINI’s commitment to innovation and sustainability translate into real savings for MINI owners. Under the new Greener Vehicle Discount scheme MINI One D and MINI Cooper D Hatch models will be eligible for standard free of charge entry into the London Congestion Charge Zone from 4 January 2011 as cars emit just 99g of CO2 per kilometre.
As with all MINI models both the MINI One D and MINI Cooper D comply with the EU5 emission standard and they achieve the same low fuel consumption of 74.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. These values are an absolute record for any series production car produced by the BMW Group. In addition to the high efficiency of the diesel engine in the MINI One D and Cooper D, under the MINIMALISM umbrella both cars employ a host of fuel-saving and emission-lowering technology including Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start-Stop, Gearshift Indicator and Electromechanical Power Steering. All of these technologies and the standard six-speed manual gearbox play a role in eking the most out of every drop of fuel while also minimising the tailpipe emissions.
The replacement of the Alternative Fuel Discount with the new Greener Vehicle Discount recognises that technological advances in traditional engine development are such that many vehicles which did not qualify for the Alternative Fuel Discount have a much better environmental performance than those that did qualify.
Jochen Goller, Director, MINI UK said: “MINI has been the quintessential London car for the last 51 years, so we welcome this week’s news that our two cleanest and most efficient models can zip around the city free of charge. These models will join the 40 Congestion Charge exempt, zero emission, all electric MINI Es which are currently on trial in the south east of the country.”
To receive the 100% discount on the 99g/km MINI One D and MINI Cooper D Hatch, customers will need to register with Transport for London for the discount and make an annual £10 payment per vehicle.