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Small Electric Car May Usher In Big Changes

Posted by kdawson on from the clean-and-green dept.

An anonymous reader sends us to a profile in CNNMoney.com on a Norwegian car company that is building a compact, plug-in electric car, the Think City, that will go on sale in Europe early next year. It could hit US markets in 2009. The CEO is working with Silicon Valley VCs and with Google, Tesla Motors, PG&E, and Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway. Plans are to sell the car only on the Web. No dealers, cheap manufacturing plants, and a battery pack that you lease, not buy — there's potential here for shaking up the auto industry the way Dell did PCs.

7 of 575 comments (clear)

  1. "Not a car" by jonoton · · Score: 3, Informative
    In europe these vehicles are not classified as cars and as such do not have to subject themselves to the Euro NCAP.

    Recently Top Gear magazine paid for one of these to be subject to the most basic testing - the results were pretty horrific.

  2. Re:Carbon Free? by WegianWarrior · · Score: 3, Informative

    You're forgetting two things.

    First, this car is produced in Norway, where the overwhelming majority of power is generated by hydro-electric plants.

    Secondly, the manufacturer was bought out by a company that specialices in solar energy.

    So yes, it makes perfect sence for them to talk about a 'carbon free' car. Off course, the marketing blurb, reality in Norway and reality in [country of your choice] isn't always the same thing...

    --
    Everything in the world is controlled by a small, evil group to which, unfortunately, no one you know belongs.
  3. Strawman argument. by nietsch · · Score: 5, Informative

    these vehicles are not the same as the vehicle that the article is about. It is not about to go on sale this year or the next. There is nothing that you can order yet, so there is nothing you can crash test. The test was with a totally different vehicle. If one SUV did bad in a crash test (like killing some bystanding dummies that were not even in the test), does that make all SUVs bad? (well OK, SUV are still bad, but for other reasons).
    Some other poster pointed out your strawman is called g-wiz(made in India), which is a different vehicle ,made in different factory. Or are all electric vehicles the same?

    --
    This space is intentionally staring blankly at you
  4. Email from Think by meador · · Score: 5, Informative
    I emailed Think with a few questions after they announced their battery pack deal with Tesla.
    Here's the text:

    Dear xxx,

    Thank you for your e-mail and interest in Think!

    Think is currently in the process of preparing the new TH!NK city for production in the fall of 2007. The new TH!NK city meets all US and European homologation and safety requirements. It has a range of 110 miles, a top speed of over 60 mph and has comfort and convenience features you would expect of a normal car such as, A/C, electric windows, mirrors, etc.

    Due to production capacity limitation and a desire to become very visible in the markets we enter, we will sell exclusively in Norway and the UK in 2007 and the first few months of 2008. Unfortunately, I am unable to confirm the timing of a US launch.

    About your questions:

    1) How many miles / years will the batter pack last? --> 7 to 10 for Norway
    2) Can the top speed governer be altered? (Part of my daily commute is on the highway) --> NO
    3) Do you have any plans to bring the Think back to the US? --> YES
    4) What is the cost of the car and cost for the replacement battery pack? --> Not yet known for USA, in Norway 200.000 NOK

    I have added your name to our list of interested parties and we'll send you information on prices and launch dates as they become available. Please contact me if you have any further questions. For more information please visit our website: www.think.no.

    Thanks for your interest and all best.


    Kind regards

    Alejandra Hagbartsen
    Market assistant

    THINK GLOBAL AS

    Sandakerveien 24
    0473 Oslo
    www.think.no

    Tel: +47 23 40 84 04
    Mob: +47 993 88 329
  5. Re:Clueless by Alioth · · Score: 3, Informative

    Really? Most Americans I know have at least two (if not more!) vehicles - for example, a normal car, a giant SUV and a pickup. The normal car is used for nothing but the man's commuting. The wife uses the giant SUV and the pickup gets taken on camping trips. So at least one of the vehicles is a "unitasker" already.

    When I lived in Houston, I was quite unusual amongst my friends having only one vehicle.

    --
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  6. Re:Big Changes, huh? by vidarh · · Score: 4, Informative
    Re-read the article. $34K is the planned retail price for the car in Norway including the battery, not the price of the battery alone. The other price is excluding the battery which you will then lease instead.

    And for Europe the price isn't bad, particularly as many countries have lower taxes for electric cars. Most people commute short distances where speed is limited anyway (I'd challenge anyone to try to get anywhere near top speed with this car in London during rush hour - average speed is between 10 and 15 mph), and so the limitations of this car means very little to most people. Since gas is more expensive here too, it can be economical at quite a higher price point than in the US.

  7. Re:Diesel is coming... and they will rule. by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 3, Informative

    VW's Toureg can already get up to 25 MPG, real world. Semi trucks can see 7-8 MPG, as good as a Hummer and they're actually pulling a load.

    Diesel is going to make a bigger impact that hybrids in the coming years.