Thanks to the efforts of Sullivan Renaissance and the Center for Discovery, as well as the “pull” Jeff Miller of Sam”™s Auto in Liberty, Sullivan County is the recipient of 14 electric MINI Coopers, which are part of a year-long study sponsored by the manufacturer.
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts recently took delivery on the cars, which will be used by Sullivan Renaissance, part of the Gerry Foundation, and by the Center for Discovery based in Harris as part of BMW”™s field trial evaluation of the vehicles.
More than 450 of the electric cars have been distributed nationwide to test their endurance, performance and practicality as an alternative “car of choice” for Americans in search of a cleaner, safer way to travel.
BMW”™s Mini E can travel 100 miles at 65 miles per hour on a single charge and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 95 mph.
Sandra Gerry, who founded Sullivan Renaissance in 2001, has worked with the county”™ small towns and villages to draw second-home buyers and new business to re-build areas that once bustled with tourism. The Center for Discovery in Harris, pioneers in the field of developmental disabilities in children, as well as workers for Sullivan Renaissance, will test the electric cars to determine if their use is sustainable and practical to get staff and caseworkers around the county.
MINI, an independent division of BMW, first introduced its cars to the American public in 2003. The field study will help the company determine if the eco-friendly vehicle is ready for mass production here in the U.S.
