If you have ever gone to use an electric hedge trimmer or lawn mower, only to find the extension lead has mysteriously gone missing, then you will no doubt sympathise with the plight of several hundred of the first Mini E electric vehicle customers in the USA.

Two thirds of them have their cars but have yet to receive their high-voltage charging cables, due to an error by BMW. It means the cars can only be charged from normal 120v household sockets and this can take 23 hours for a full charge, as opposed to 4 hours with the correct cable.

Mini says it is aware of the situation and will not be invoicing the lease customers who have yet to get the cables, some of whom will have to wait until August before they can fully power-up. There is also concern about the negative impact on publicity this could have for the fledgling electric car market.