Electro-Mini: You'll Drive it If We Let You

This summer, BMW’s Mini division will turn over electric versions of the retro machine to 450 US drivers. Problem is, more than 2,000 drivers have applied to spend $850 a month for the one-year lease deal.
According to US News and World Report, Mini is putting the screws to would-be drivers to whittle down candidates. Fly-over-country folks are out.Drivers must live in Los Angeles, New York or New Jersey and have a lockable garage. That knocks the list down to 1,000. No word yet on how Mini will winnow down the remaining urbanites.
For $850 a month, we say avoid the checklist hassle, buy a Mini, rip out the guts and install your own electric conversion kit. Better yet, save some money an make the first electric Unimog.