Norway Dispatches Think Electric Cars to U.S.

The Norwegian company Think Global plans to ship 50,000 of its bite-sized electric cars to the U.S. The vehicles are all electric plug-ins that achieve a top speed of just 65 mph and cost $30,000.

Other than very basic urban driving, we have to call the utility of the Think Global electric car into question. At its size and speed, it would be obnoxious, if not dangerously undersized and slow, on any highway. Not to mention, if you're going to pay $30,000 for a green vehicle, you might as well wait two years and shell out another $5,000 for a Chevy Volt (at least, we hope two years and an extra $5,000 is all it will take).

Also keep in mind that, as with all plug-in vehicles, most of that energy is still coming directly from a coal-fired, carbon-dioxide-happy power plant. We do, however, like the Ox Concept that Think showed earlier this year. If they build that we’ll definitely take it for a test drive.

Think Electric Cars Coming to America (Valleywag)

Comments

[ziggy]

I don't know where their getting the $30k price from. The press release on THINKs website does not mention pricing. I thought I read something the other day about a $20K price for the City and up to $30K for the OX when it's released around 2010. Don't hold your breath on the Volt.

[ziggy]

Here's one site that says "under $25,000" -
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/04/think-to-bring.html

Not a bad price for a 2nd vehicle to run around the city with - and not have to pay gas for.

[ziggy]

Yet another site where the CEO says $18-20K -
http://www.autoobserver.com/2008/04/think-city-the.html

[Devun]

Will these meet US Safety standards or be regulated to 25-35mph like the Zenn and Zap autos? If not, sign me up!

[ziggy]

I have read that they meet both US and European standards.

[Stephen Markley]

Prices for the Think Global have yet to be determined, but we'll keep an eye on the different sources until Think announces something solid.

[Tony]

Junk. Lets get Clarity!

[ziggy]

The Clarity is sooo practical. With the many hydrogen fuel stations in the U.S. I would think that the technology is about 20 years off. At least with this you can plug it in your garage. Unless your talking about John Mayer... cool tune.

[Tony]

Yes. Honda is developing garage hydrogen station for the Clarity. At least this is a car, which can go, carry and comfort and all this with little pollution.

[canadianguy]

Its about time. I hope they send some to canada. waiting for a chev/gm volt is a waste of time. The volt will prob never arrive and they will prob crush the volt. Way to go norway, send a million of them a year.

[Bloke]

I had posted on a previous story about the volt being a serious deal since there was a picture of a Malibu with some wires on it that I thought was nothing but propaganda. I am beginning to wonder what the deal is with Cars.com selling that product so much? Don't buy this electric if you can wait and get a volt? Is that just poking some fun, or is that to be taken seriously? Yeah be it slow, and small, but at least it is a start. Wait for a Volt? How long are we going to wait? The technology was developed a long time ago with the EV-1, how long does it take to make the extension cord?

[ziggy]

If someone would have told us to wait for the GM hybrid back in 2000 (when the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius were introduced)we would have waited about 7 years. Way to go Norway bring us your car. Maybe this will get other manufacturers to get off their butts. In 7 years look at the impact hybrids have had. I hope electrics will have the same impact over the next 7 years.

[cjohnson]

The emissions are less than with IC engines even if the electrical energy is coming from coal.

The steam turbines at power plants are a whole lot more efficient than internal combustion car engines.

The electric vehicle itself uses the energy much more efficiently (less losses in transmissions, running pumps and fans, idling, and cams and shafts banging around)

It is easier to control the emissions on a power plant than on millions of vehicles running all over the place.

[Th!nk Again]

"At its size and speed, it would be obnoxious, if not dangerously undersized and slow, on any highway." Really now? Isn't the speed limit 65mph? So anyone that doesn't break the law is 'obnoxious'?!?! WTF? Many people that have driven the car like it.