E-mobility Launched in Berlin

First Vattenfall Charging Station for MINI E Cars Commences Operations

· Environmentally friendly driving pleasure undergoes first ever tests
· First charging station successfully commences operations
· Application phase for 50 MINI E electric cars now begins
· Total of 100 Berliners to be selected as e-car pioneers

Vattenfall Europe AG and the BMW Group have successfully launched their shared project "MINI E Berlin Powered by Vattenfall". The first ever test drives with the MINI E electric car on the streets of Germany's capital Berlin are now a reality. The cars are being charged up at Vattenfall's first charging station in Berlin-Treptow. With this, the establishment of the infrastructure for this cutting edge project has now begun, with more charging stations due to be installed soon.

Astrid Klug, Parliamentary State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety: "The first charging station represents a vital step on our way to achieving e-mobility here in Germany. The ministry completely supports this project, one which is already up and running on the streets of Berlin just three months after it was first announced."

"As an energy supplier and long-time partner of the capital city Berlin, we're really pleased that our new charging infrastructure will make e-mobility more sustainable here," explained Dr. Werner Süss, Vattenfall Europe's representative in Berlin. “Today's official launch of the first electricity charging station is an important milestone – that's how we're going to power the electric cars on the streets of the capital."

"The BMW Group and Vattenfall Europe are the first companies ever to launch an e-mobility programme like this here in Germany," said Peter Ratz, head of development at the MINI E project for the BMW Group. "And the ongoing scientific monitoring of the project will provide car companies, energy suppliers and of course the political sphere with extremely valuable information and know-how on the future potentials and limits of e-mobility."

E-mobility Pioneers Wanted – Apply Online Now for the MINI E Cars
The application process begins on 18th February 2009 for a total of 50 MINI E electric cars to be used in the project. For all those interested, information is available on the modalities for participating in this project at www.mini.de and www.vattenfall.de. 100 men and women from Berlin will be given an opportunity to test out the MINI E electric cars under everyday conditions during two user phases each lasting six months.

Attractive User Package
The user fee of € 650 per month is to be reduced by € 250 in recognition of each driver's participation in the accompanying scientific research on the project. And a complete service package including insurance coverage is also included with the offer. In this way the user fee is already below the price level for a conventional MINI. In addition the significantly lower running costs, comparatively speaking, further enhance the attractiveness of the offer as the electricity required for the cars is clearly cheaper than petrol or diesel.
The first MINI E electric cars which commenced operations in Berlin today will be used over the next few weeks to carry out technical tests on the infrastructure. Following the end of the application phase, the selection of the users and the completion of the installation work on the charging stations required for the project, the 50 MINI E cars will then be handed over to the first block of participants in early summer 2009.

Note for editorial and press staff:
Current press photos of the event in high resolution quality are available for downloading from 15.00 on 18th February at www.press.bmwgroup.com (search word: "MINI E") and at www.vattenfall.de in the "Pressefotos" section.


Your contact persons for further information are:

Vattenfall Europe AG
Steffen Herrmann, Press Officer
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 8182 2321, Fax +49 (0) 30 8182 2315
 


BMW Group
Andreas Klugescheid, Spokesman Politics
Tel.: +49 (0) 89 382 76080 Mobile: +49 (0) 176 601 76080