Th!nk is the Norweigan carmaker that has begun production of a small, low speed electric car called the Think city EV. The company to this point had only announced plans for sales in Europe, beginning in the U.K.
At the Geneva Auto Show they announced a larger 5 seat monocab Think Ox concept, and have received financial backing from GE. Think has also already entered into partnerships with 2 U.S. lithium-ion battery companies as well, A123 and EnerDel.
Today, for the first time, Th!nk announced plans to go into large scale sales of the Think City in the U.S., hoping to get as many as 50,000 cars on the road by late 2009.
The Think city is a 2-seater with a top speed of 62 mph, a 112 mile range, be priced under $25,000 and has already passed U.S. federal safety requirements. Todays announcement also carries the importance of funding by the major U.S. venture cap firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
The North American operation will be based in Southern California, where the cars will also be assembled.
So will this car give the Volt a run for its money or will it’s money run away? Only time will tell.
Source (Reuters )
This entry was posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008 at 8:36 pm and is filed under Competitors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Apr 21st, 2008 (8:53 pm)If it becomes available in 2009, has the >100 mi range, is priced in the lower 20K range, and is widely available, Think may find a substantial US market. While it can’t do a lot that the Volt can, it may well scoop up a lot of customers who otherwise would have considered buying a Volt.
Apr 21st, 2008 (8:54 pm)TH!NK, GM! LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
Apr 21st, 2008 (8:57 pm)Two things…
1.) It wil actually be priced under $20,000. This is great
2.) You have to lease the battery…around 200/month. This is hideous.
The lease battery is a non starter for me.
As I always say, I will BUY the first 4 seat EV that comes to market that I can drive to a authorized repair shop. So this car is a couple sits shy, no network…and I can’t buy it. 0 for three.
I bought my ‘euro-spec’ turbo diesel SMART two seater for like $12k. It’s averaging 68.5 MPG…so to just make up the lease payment I’d have to drive like 7,500 miles a month.
To me, the i-Miev is still the only other game in town in the EV world.
Apr 21st, 2008 (8:58 pm)It’s like I always tell people technology can change the world for the better in the ways that politics and really nothing else in the world can!
Apr 21st, 2008 (9:01 pm)Well Guys,
This is the sobering reality, under $25K and 100 miles range.
Possibly 5 seats and a handy second car for every persons driveway. The escalade can park on the street and only be used for holidays.
I guess in the end GM will catch up but there will be an lot of these cars in driveways before then.
Apr 21st, 2008 (9:06 pm)Edit to my #3
My seat reference was to the Th!nk City @ 2 seats…not the as yet to exist ‘announced’ 5 seater.
Apr 21st, 2008 (9:38 pm)The 200/month battery lease doesn’t look that bad when you throw in free replacement, management, insurance and electricity.
http://www.think.no/think/Technology-Innovation/Batteries
Having battery options and body panels that won’t rust is a huge plus….and they’ll have it out quicker. I’m definitely keeping an eye on them!
Apr 21st, 2008 (9:39 pm)62mph…just fast enough to go in the slooowww lane, I’ll “THINK” about it.
Apr 21st, 2008 (9:43 pm)In California, you are aloud to have 7 characters in your license plate…SLOLNWR’s
Apr 21st, 2008 (9:46 pm)Nothing more than an insurance policy that the big 5 cannot be playing games with EVs. I’ve said this many times WRT Phoenix, Tesla, Zenn and others. If the big 5 don’t produce EVs, these companies will, and there will be no stopping it. GM knows this, and so does Toyota and the rest of the big 5.
Time to deliver, the ICE is on it’s way out.
Apr 21st, 2008 (9:57 pm)If I were a GM director staring at these cars I would not want to continue using branding and niche market strategies to eke out the last of the oil based transport.
If the serial hybrid is as good as we think it is, and they think it is,
I would want to reduce my product range and the number of brands and dig in for some very large production volumes of vehicles that meet the need a few years from now.
But no one would put me on the board of GM, so relax.
Apr 21st, 2008 (10:08 pm)I think this car is good on paper and may work well for the Europeans but the VOLT will kick its butt in the american market. Here is why:
1. Its a 2 seater. This make it DOA (dead on arival) for virtually all families.
2. 62mph max speed is retarded.
3. Its fugly
4. Battery lease will kill most sales before they begin
I can’t see this as more than a city car for people in large cities and then its use will still be super limited. Now if they made the range about 80 miles or so and added a back seat it might eat into the Prius’ market share but I doubt the Volt has much to worry about.
Apr 21st, 2008 (10:23 pm)ksuhwail #12
Doesn’t really matter. Producers of EVs are coming out of the wood work, and if the big OLIGOPILY does’t follow suit they’ll be behind the curve. The more the better, regardless of current limitations. We now know that this is going to happen!!!
The result is that it’s good for all. Competition is a good thing, and sometimes it can break a stubborn oligopoly’s back.
Apr 21st, 2008 (10:23 pm)The CityZenn: target fall 2009 – 80mph / 250 Mile Range.
Would be nice for someone to release a decent electric car, with reasonable price with at least 4 seats, this year…instead of 2009, 2010…
Apr 21st, 2008 (10:33 pm)I agree Grizzly,
Doesnt matter how inappropriate it seems.
If gas gets to $4.50US per gallon next year and the US is in recession these things will be purchased and used as shopping baskets.
I have seen it suggested that $4.50US is a breaking point , if that is correct we will simply change our value systems to justify a small electric car such as we would not have dreamed of buying a decade ago.
That is the risk for GM, a change in value systems bought on by a energy crisis, and them not ready.
I always rememember the comment that the electric car was wiped out almost immediately when the ICE was introduced.
I would bet that that was simply a mind set change as well.
Apr 21st, 2008 (10:48 pm)It’s great that many smaller companies are about to sell EVs to the U.S. The more the merrier I say…
But again, the market for these types of cars will be so huge by 2010 that GM will have no problem selling every last Volt they can make, no matter how many others are on the market by then.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (12:09 am)Too bad Ford sold Th!nk… this could have been a nice Detroit showdown… GM vs. Ford! We’d all be winners because it will be USA vs. USA!
62mph though isn’t even the speed limit in rural areas
Though as much as I love my lead foot… I think maybe it’s time to once again lower the max. speed limit back to 55 for any roads that get Federal funds to maintain like we did during the last oil crisis…. which is what we are in….
I wonder, do any State’s currently require inspection stations to check the pressure in the vehicles tires? Even just making sure cars once a year have their tires properly inflated can also save our nation quite a bit. And proper tire inflation applies to all vehicles… even our future EV’s like the Volt!
Apr 22nd, 2008 (12:31 am)Agree with #12.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (2:42 am)Hmmm,
Just watched an interview on Fox with John Katsimatadus who blames the US gas prices on lack of new refineries in the last 30 years.
He notes profit margins are also squeezed and gas will need to cost $4.50US per gallon to restore profitability.
So I guess we will get to see if there is a change in the social perception of bubble cars, electric or not, at that price for gas.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (5:37 am)I totally agree with #12. A two seater with top speed of 62 mph would be hazardous on the highway. Two hundred dollars a month rental? No way for me. When I buy a car, I like it to be free and clear with no monthly payments. This car is just a glorified golf kart.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (6:08 am)#20 Joe
You’re right that Think is sort of a glorified golf cart. BUT, it can take me to work and take me home, which for me is 7 miles each way and no possibility of ever reaching 62 mph. The fact that Think can’t be used on the interstate is a significant limitation, so if I had a choice then at equal availability and price I’d go for the Volt. BUT, if only Think is available, then its either Think or ICE, and Think does a lot (if delivered as promised).
Apr 22nd, 2008 (6:20 am)I also remember reading that the range of the Th!nk is only half the stated range in cold climates. So now we are at 55 miles, and then you stop……
Before I would consider a pure BEV, the range has to be over 200 miles in all weather conditions. And still it can not be considered the “family car”, because taking any long trips is next to impossible.
So at this time, the E-REV design still makes more sense for an all around vehice.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (6:29 am)I wish them luck. For me, Th!nk is too slow at 62.
I also don’t like leasing the battery. It’s range is a little too low for me as well, but I really hope it has strong sales. EVs really need to become a part of our society and culture.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (7:19 am)Given the weakness of the dollar, I would be surprised if Th!nk could make money on this approach. They would have to increase the price of the vehicle, reducing sales, or they would have to produce the vehicle here in the US.
It makes much more sense of American automakers to export vehicles to Europe.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (7:38 am)There are a fair number of comments here that seem to be based on either misinformation or missing information. I would highly recommend http://www.think.no for information on this car. For instance one poster commented that he had heard that the range is halved in cold climates…..(first off, do you happen to think that Norway is a tropical island? Second, check out how the Sodium battery technology happens to work in cold climates….it DOESN’T lose power….)
Another point is that although the car can only get to 62 miles per hour (waitaminute….aren’t US highways mostly at 55?) it is actually built more for commuting than highway trips (that speed will work perfectly well for 90 percent of normal driving)
And yet another statement was that it is only a 2 seater…..NOPE, it can seat 4 (albeit probably only comfortable for short trips with anyone in the back seat).
I teach music to a fair number of students in their homes, this car would be perfect for my job.
And to the commenter who said “it’s fugly”……thankfully aesthetics in design are subjective…..(I think it’s cute)
Ter
Apr 22nd, 2008 (8:08 am)Agreed, 62 mph is too slow and a 2 seater won’t fly. Once again, at a minimum we need to see the MiEV. Perhaps Th!nk entering the US market is really considering bringing us the Ox. THAT would be a competitor to the Volt, assuming it’s reasonably priced under $30K.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (8:10 am)Ter Meenal #25. I have driven all over the 48 states here in the USA.
Mostly the speed limit is above 55 except in cities. Mostly.
In my home state there is a mix of 55 and 65. Out west, I have seen 70 and 75. Same down south. I’m in the Northeast and 65 is very common and probably the norm.
62 is too slow for me, however I sincerely hope they succeed in selling many many cars.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (8:15 am)Ter:
My comment about range WAS from the Th!nk web site. They have since changed it. It now says the range is with the heater off. It used to show both the range with the heater off and the heater on, and it was half the distance with the heater on.
It was not a slam at the car. I was just posting what I read previously.
But thanks for the geography lesson……
Apr 22nd, 2008 (8:32 am)I’ve been watching my daily trips and I RARELY drive more than 100 miles in a round trip. My ’98 Buick Park Ave (with 150K miles on it) gets about 30 mph highway and is now worth about $3K. If the Volt comes in at over $30K, I will seriously consider buying a Th!nk for my daily driver and keeping the Park Ave for those occasional longer trips. I figure the next 50K miles on the Park Ave will take about 15 years.
GM has the muscle to build a better, less expensive ELECTRIC car than th!nk. They just don’t have the desire… yet!
Apr 22nd, 2008 (8:46 am)Uhhhhhhhhhh, if this car is for sale here one year before the Volt at a price 15K less, then I would be much more prone to buy this!
Apr 22nd, 2008 (8:59 am)I haven’t confirmed that one would need to lease a Th!nk battery for $200 per month. Where does Th!nk say that? If it is true, it is a disincentive for me. I only require enough energy to drive about 5 miles-per-day during my work week. So, I wouldn’t cycle the battery as much as someone who drives 110 miles-per-day. Obviously, a battery used for only 5 miles-per-day will last longer than a battery used for 110 miles per day. Yet, my battery lease costs would be the same as someone who abuses the battery more. I should get some credit for lower battery abuse.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:03 am)This version from Th!nk is perfect for city driving. And the more electric cars available, the better.
Anyways, a lot of the same tech from the Volt will be going into the Saturn Flextreme. Thus we have a line in Saturn that will be for the masses. The Saturn version will probably be the cheaper Volt. Thus, I can surely see that a $40K price will be the norm for the Volt.
Price is all that is left on the Volt. While Chevy is the brand of Americas masses, a $35K or more price tag will put it out of reach for those masses. Thus the Saturn will come in at the desired price point. Maybe they are trying to make the Saturn brand be for the masses.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:06 am)I hope everyone and there dad is making some version of an electrically propeled car when GM comes out with the Volt.
Competition between companies is always the little guys friend.
Honestly the e-rev is the only drivetrain that is EV and would fulfill my car requirements totaly since it will be my only car.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:11 am)p.s. the Th!nk battery lease option is 200 EU…..
which right now is 318.55US
and could be $350 by tomorrow
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:17 am)The people at Think must be praying that EEStor wii fail – ZENN has exclusive license for cars under 2800 pounds – that means you, Think.
Think may have to re think.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:33 am)#33
click on: http://www.milesev.com/ and look under “Our Vechicles” and then “Highway Speed Sedan”. Will that work for you? Per Miles Auto, it is due in 2009 also.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:42 am)It’s interesting when we look at the broader discussions of EVs and demand, we notice two things. 1) people want electric cars; and 2) they want them at sub-$25,000 levels. People are willing to overlook aesthetics and even compromise practicality (in some cases) to achieve the first two requisites. GM should be hearing this and fast track a BEV.
The Volt seems to be the bridging technology that will get the middle class to move in to the electric realm, but it will be limited to those that can afford the technology. It will not be for the masses as originally proposed.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:46 am)Ter Meenal #25
I think you may be correct in the fact that this car will suit some people fine. However, here in the south west I do comute 18 miles each way to work. All is on the ( freeway) untill they cram toll roads down our throat. Speeds in excess of 70 mph. I looked at their site and they do not offer A/C. When it is 104 + in the summer I my self do not wish to be without an A/C unit. So, all this being said I feel they will have a very limited market in the US. We are all very anxious to have an EV, but I think at present the VOLT will be an automible the should suffice the general public.
Tom
Apr 22nd, 2008 (9:51 am)If I had a clear bike route to work, I’d already be riding a bike. It’s 20 miles each way, but I’d do it for the exercise and the money saved.
I love motorcycles, but I don’t want to die yet. So that’s out.
A vehicle like this is about in between a bike and a motorcycle, and safer than both.
Will I buy one? Depends on what else is out there when I want to buy a car, and what propulsion costs. 15k sounds like a lot, until you figure that’s about all you pay–if your monthly cost of powering it is pocket change (i.e. under 40 dollars), then it’s persuasive.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (10:30 am)http://www.think.no/think/content/view/full/311
Their web site shows no plans for releasing this car in the US. Also, the price is listed at 20K EUR, currently $32K, and the battery lease at 200 EUR, currently $320.
The TH!NK Ox looks pretty great…
Apr 22nd, 2008 (11:00 am)Nice!
Hey, GM be thankful you are already started with something! I also assume that GM is not flatfooted on the Totally electric market for commuters – at a substantially lower price than the Volt. I am thankful for the competition. If the Volt comes in too expensive i’m confident that we will have viable EV only choices in a better price range.
BUT, I STILL WANT MY VOLT – get us all to Grandma’s House.
I found the TH!NK site ages ago and was pleased with the updates to the site.
GO, GO, Gadget Electric CAR(s)!!!
Apr 22nd, 2008 (11:17 am)My Grandmother left Norway as a 12 year old and came to America. I am proud of my Norwegian heritage and wish the best for Th!nk.
But as a native born American i’m partial to Chevy. All that aside, we are all part of the human race. We need a transportation revolution. From whence it comes matters not as much as the fact that 1000′s of very bright people from around the globe are working on this. Therefore, great things are coming soon! God Speed to us all.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (11:21 am)Well said, #42.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (11:30 am)I think vehicles like this are perfect for all metropolitan areas in North America. I would purchase a car like this if it were to cost around $20,000 and lease a battery pack and use it for my every day needs.
I think what needs to be done is a revolutionary overhaul of the transportation system within metro areas. I would like to see a perimeter set up around major metro areas where only electric vehicles are allowed and if you want to bring in a non electric there would be a fee. Prior to entering this perimeter large parking lots could be set up at the major entry points where someone can leave their freeway commuting vehicle and exchange it for a metro commuting vehicle. All parking lots within the perimeter can be set up with charging stations as well as charging at the entry point lot. A monthly fee can be charged for the ridership program and in this case people don’t have to purchase vehicles that are only used while in the metro areas.
I know this is would be a huge undertaking and a large pilot project would need to be done before it could be implemented in many areas. I think cities like New York, Chicago, LA, Houston and others would really benefit from a program like this.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (11:34 am)I don’t really think that it is entirely fair to compare the Volt to theTh!nk or even to the next gen Prius. These cars all appeal to slightly different consumers and it will probably be very difficult for dealers to keep any of these cars on the lots.
The Th!nk is cool, but it seems like there are already a lot of similiar electric cars available now (I saw one in a grocery store parking lot the other day, apparently it was produced by a Diamler-Chyrstler affiliate, does anyone know what I’m talking about here?).
This think will not be a problem for the Volt.
On a unrelated note: Does anyone have any idea what the Flextreme will cost, or if/when it will be out? If it is cheap enough the Flextreme could crush this car without any trouble at all, especially if the information in post #40 is accurate.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (11:40 am)I bet something like the ATM system will be used also for electric parking lot systems. Certain parking lots support X and Y electric cards. Just like ATMs support some types of cards while others are another type of card. In five to ten years, I bet we will all have electric credit cards. Just like ATM, train or commuter rails. We swipe our card for access.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (12:09 pm)Well said, #42 & #43
Apr 22nd, 2008 (12:44 pm)calgaryvolt @ 44,
You’re not the first person to consider this idea…
How about a full-scale trial in London?
Overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_congestion_charge
Official Site: (a href=”http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/”>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/
It seems that New York City has considered this idea, too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_congestion_pricing
Apr 22nd, 2008 (12:44 pm)(My apologies for the borked-up HTML)
Apr 22nd, 2008 (1:00 pm)The only thing that the London program fails to offer is a repository of electric vehicles (loaner program) for commuters into the “Congestion” zone. If a program could be put into place that would allow for commuters to leave their “better-equipped” high speed commuter cars and pick up a smaller, lower speed electric vehicle for use in the highly congested areas I think that would be a great program. It would eliminate emissions and wasted fuel useage in areas where low speed commuting is done while allowing a quick, safe commute for commuters to the suburbs or rural centres. This could also reduce costs because commuters could sign up for the program and use the electric vehicles in the congestion zone without having to purchase one (or they could if they so desired.) The monthly fee could include use of the vehicle, charging, maintenance and insurance (and whatever else.) I think this is pretty revolutionary and I think it could be done but it would require a major mind-set change by the general public.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (1:04 pm)If a high speed, mass transit system could be set up along existing major freeway routes that lead to these vehicle repositories the system could free up a lot of space on the roadways and also lessen oil usage and emissions.
Yes, it’s a crazy idea that would cost lots of money but these things need to be examined.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (1:53 pm)^^Speed limit of 55? Ouch…thats a work zone speed. It is mostly 65 here and 70 in Michigan. Tack on your free 5mph and thats 70-75 just for normal highway speeds. Thats not even speeding.
Imagine merging onto a major highway only to find a semi flying at 75 in the right lane while you are stuck in front of it topped out at 62. I would not feel safe driving that at all………..it better be built like a bumper car or people are gonna get killed!
I would say more accidents are caused by people going too slow and not paying attention than people going too fast. But thats neither here or there.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (2:34 pm)Leased battery pack = dead on arrival.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (3:29 pm)TH!INK will give GM some real competition if the monthly lease is worth the cost. $320 or so for maintenance, insurance (on what?), etc means we need more info, but it looks really interesting.
I still want a Volt, but not an extra expensive one.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (4:13 pm)#45 DetroitJoe asks
“The Th!nk is cool, but it seems like there are already a lot of similiar electric cars available now (I saw one in a grocery store parking lot the other day, apparently it was produced by a Diamler-Chyrstler affiliate, does anyone know what I’m talking about here?).”
Could it be a Smart that you saw? [Similar to Think in appearance, just now available, but not battery. It's a high mileage ICE]
Apr 22nd, 2008 (5:33 pm)#55 RB
Turns out it was a 2002 Gem. It was actually more of a cart. Just do a google image search if you want to get a look at it.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (6:52 pm)GM just build the car and they will come. TED
Apr 22nd, 2008 (7:24 pm)#57 Ted in Fort Meyers
Right.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (8:33 pm)The battery lease is a killer. That is well over what I would pay for gas. So absolutely no advantage.
Apr 22nd, 2008 (10:20 pm)Will be under $25K but you lease the battery according to their website, for hundred$$$ per month. A big “BUT”.
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