Ever-struggling long-experienced electric car maker Th!nk is planning on bringing the City to our cities in the US next year, allowing you to go gas-free, Norwegian-style. The little car has a 126-mile range on an overnight charge, and if you give the batteries a workout, the City will top out at 65 MPH. It's going to take a while to get there, though: Despite its top speed, they've only listed a 0-50 time of 16 seconds, leaving us to assume their stopwatch doesn't read high enough to record a proper 0-60 time. More specs and full release after the jump.
Th!nk must have confidence in their batteries, because the City has power locks, a 4kW electric heater, electric windows, electric mirrors, air conditioning, an electrically heated windscreen, stereo CD with MP3, USB, Bluetooth, and even a navigation & multimedia system.
Believe it or not, Th!nk claims this really is a car, not just a quadricycle. At least, that's what they're telling folks at the British International Motor Show, where the car is debuting for the UK market. That means Jeremy Clarkson's favorite, the G-Wiz electric quadricycle, shouldn't feel directly threatened when the Th!nk City is first delivered to UK customers in summer 2009. No word on pricing yet, presumably because Th!nk wants you to sell you one based on "low operating costs" before they give you sticker shock.
PRESS RELEASE — The arrival on Britain's roads of the first fully electric-powered car moves one step closer today with the UK motor show debut of the new TH!NK city electric vehicle.
Displayed at the 2008 British International Motor Show at ExCeL London by Norwegian electric vehicle pioneers Think, a company with 17 years experience in electric vehicles, the new TH!NK city will be available for UK customer orders next summer.
TH!NK city is a true, modern urban car, not a quadricycle. It is a fully environmental vehicle, emission free and 95 percent recyclable. With an energy efficiency three times that of a traditional combustion engine car, it is a vehicle that realistically meets the growing challenges of environmental protection, traffic congestion and emissions legislation.
The two-seater urban car has a top speed of 65 miles per hour. It accelerates from zero to 30 mph in just 6.5 seconds and to 50 mph in 16 seconds. It requires just an overnight top-up of electricity and can travel for 126 miles in city driving on a fully charged battery.
To charge the batteries from 20 per cent capacity to 80 percent takes just four hours. Over 10,000 miles use, the total cost of electricity used to power a TH!NK city will be in the region of £100.
TH!NK city is designed to meet the strict safety requirements of both Europe and the USA, as a genuinely-safe road car. It is the world's only crash-tested and highway-certified EV. The car is equipped with ABS brakes, airbags and three-point safety belts with pretensioners and it surpasses all European and US requirements.
"Unlike the lower-range, electric quadricycles that have had limited success in the UK, the TH!NK city is a real car which provides a realistic option for those motorists who want to drive a true zero emissions car," said Richard Blundell, Managing Director of Think UK.
"Concern for the environment has been at the heart of the development of TH!NK city. It's not only environmentally sound to drive, but the car itself is designed to be recycled," he said, "Driving a silent car will give urban motorists a totally new experience. The TH!NK city produces no waste heat and no pollution. Critically for London and many other urban markets it beats the congestion charge!"
"Moreover, the TH!NK city is fund to drive, cheap to run, great to look at, generates incredible mileage figures and is extremely kind on the environment. This is a proposition that we believe will interest many drivers who are re-thinking their approach to motoring," he added.
Engineers, developers, buyers and designers in the Think company have focused on utilising clean recyclable materials and non-polluting production processes. The dashboard can be completely recycled. The fabrics, body, supports, air ducts, adhesives and fixings are designed using the same recyclable materials.
TH!NK city's body is made of recyclable ABS plastic, designed specifically for city driving. Not only is it ideal for motorists who want to avoid visible scratches and irritating dents, the unpainted, self-coloured plastic bodywork also reduces both energy consumption and toxins, while making the panels easier to recycle. The battery is returned to the supplier at the end of its useable life.
These factors have been warmly welcomed by the auto insurance industry, resulting in reduced auto insurance rates by as much as 30-50 per cent.
Standard equipment on each TH!NK city includes power steering, central locking, a 4kW electric heater, and electric windows and mirrors. Optional equipment will include air conditioning, a pre-heat timer, electrically heated windscreen, full length sunroof, Radio CD with MP3, USB, Bluetooth, a navigation & multimedia system, alloy wheels, roof rack and 2 + 2 child seats (including 3-point seat belts)
Production started this year in Norway, and the first batch of right-hand drive cars will be delivered to UK customers in summer 2009. Prices of the TH!NK city will be announced closer to the on-sale date.