TH!NK electric car coming to North America

Kleiner Perkins and RockPort Capital, two leading US Cleantech investors launch joint venture with Norwegian electrical vehicle company Think / Press releases / Press & Pictures / Home - Think

That sounds like great news! Think always seemed like a great company/product.

Rob

Sounds exactly like what I need. Wonder how long it will be before they have a Hawaii distributor.

Beautiful. The OP's link does not mention the price, but in another thread I posted a link to an earlier press release stating the TH!NK city sells in Britain for 14,000 pounds. That converts to about $28,000 dollars, but I have been informed that Brits pay much more for vehicles and the speculation is this will be around a $20K car. I hope that is true. I'll take one at $20K if one can be found.

Try this link for the new 'Th!nk Ox' TH!NK Ox / Models & Concepts / Home - Think

Th!nk Ox:
Performance Battery

• vmax: 135km/h
• range: 200km
• acceleration (0-100km/hr): 8.5 sec

• battery packs: option of sodium batteries and state of the art Lithium Ion
• drive power, nominal: 60kW (boost for acceleration: 1ookW)

Weight Powertrain

• battery weight: 350kg
• total vehicle weight: 1500kg
• gross vehicle weight rating: 1850kg

• motor: water cooled permanent magnet synchronous-motor (low weight and package space)
• power, nominal: 60kW (boost for acceleration: 1ookW)
• propulsion: front wheel drive system
• energy return: recuperation and solar roof panel

Found a short article which reports:

(Ray Lane, a managing partner at Kleiner and chairman of Think North America) . . . said Think City will be priced below $25,000.

Kleiner hopes for 50,000 electric car sales a year | Markets | Markets News | Reuters

"The Think City will target Toyota Motor Corp's (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research) "Prius-class customers," Lane said."

Well, what a surprise...those Prius-class customers must know something the rest of the gas-guzzler crowd does not. My smugness factor just went up a few notches.

Is Ford watching this news? Why'd they ditch the Think? Same forward thinking as GM?

I suppose $5/gallon gas here stateside might be the threshold for SUVs? Just like $3 and now $4/gallon gas was supposed to get people to THINK? I love the concept of this car and it's design looks great and seems to be VERY practical...hmmm...Prius EV anyone?

Toyota, are YOU watching this news? EVs now! just like 10 years ago...this kind of history SHOULD be repeated.

That would certainly do the trick for many people's commutes. Not a bad looker either. And a low price tag too. Couldn't quite go interstate speeds, but for in town driving would be perfect!

I would certainly think about something like that once I had a place to plug it in.

If Toyota does branch out Prius into 3 models, it'd be possible to have the smallest Prius be an electric vehicle with limited range like the Th!nk and the mid-sized and larger ones can be "regular" hybrids that offer longer driving distances and larger cargo capacities. With their history and reputation, Toyota could corner the environmental / high mileage consumer car market.

The Think would make a great second car that's used mainly for commuting.

But for those who can only own one car, the Prius would better fit the bill overall since they can go long distance with it as well.

In the final analysis, a Plug-in Prius would represent the best of both worlds.

If the Norwegians are behind it, we can count on it being designed well, built well, and an overall quality product. Hopefully their partnership with American companies won't dilute those standards.