Geneva '08 Preview: Th!nk's series hybrid sedans to be released in 2011
Recently, we told you Th!nk would introduce a larger car made by one of the top three American automakers. Green Wombat has more details on the car thanks to coffee with Th!nk's Jan-Olaf Willums at the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco. The car is a stylish and aerodynamic five-seat, four-door sedan, made by an unnamed Fortune 100 automaker and will be released in 2011. We'll be able to confirm this for ourselves when it is introduced at the Geneva Motor Show next week. The car will also be electric and include a range extender which I believe supports my pet theory that the unnamed automaker is GM.
You don't have to wait until 2011 for new things from Th!nk. According to Willums, Th!nk's two seater will be delivered to customers in March and introduced to Paris and the UK this week with production ramping up to 10,000 cars a year by the end of 2008. Th!nk hopes to have a plant in the United States by 2009, too. When asked if they were competing with Tesla, Willums said "We won't compete with Tesla. ... The Tesla will be more a BMW; we'll be more the Volkswagen."
[Source: Green Wombat]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ug 9:45PM (3/01/2008)
Leased batteries = dead on arrival.
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Rojo 9:36PM (2/29/2008)
For those (windows users) so inclined, the ¡ character is made by holding Alt and pressing 0161 on the numeric keypad.
Anywho, I would be more inclined to believe that the partnership would be with Ford. They have no (that I've seen) EV or Series hybrid system on the way such as E-Flex or are at least so far behind, it's not worth any PR. Buddying up with a company that already has a product (not to mention one they used to own) would be an easy way to hop into the spotlight with GM and Toyota as another front-runner for the big 'EV Race.'
Now, I could see Th¡nk wanting GM because they have more experience and (I would assume) a firmer supply chain involving the systems. However, I don't see GM being receptive as they wouldn't want to undercut the Volt. Unless, of course, GM is waiting to see how the car is received. At which point, they may either buy Th¡nk and market the cars as a budget EV, or drop them off at the curb.
That does it for daily conjecture allotment.
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Mark 9:52PM (2/29/2008)
Please bring this car to Canada, please!
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Tim 4:05AM (3/01/2008)
The Tesla will be more a BMW; we'll be more the Volkswagen."
Shoot. Does that mean Think cars will have sub par reliability and dubious build quality.
I think Ford or Chrysler because ford has worked with them before and Chrysler is starved for high fuel economy low emissions product. I don't think Gm is an option with the Volt. Also as everyone including bob already know Global warming is Horse @!%*
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Mikael Johansson 4:52AM (3/01/2008)
I think many carmakers are interested in adopting new Think cars because in Europe they have to cut down their fleet average fuel consumption regarding the coming regulations and carbon taxes.
Perhaps this will be a new trend among big carmakers, adopting environment friendly electric cars from small ev car makers. Then they can keep selling less fuel efficient cars and get a good fleet average.
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litteuldav 12:22PM (3/01/2008)
@Mikael
It will take more than a few thousands electric cars sold each year to shorten the average consumption of some 10's of hundreds of low efficient cars.
This should act more as advertisment for the group who'd buy Think.
I personally don't want think to be bought by anyone.
This would mean them being at mercy of BigOil and BigCar, those who's interest is to keep it a pet car, not a REAL (feel the testosterone in it) car.
Range extending engine doesn't have to be a 2L V6 to be useful. It should be looked as an emergency engine to go back home.
So 30hp from a 450cc would be enough for a family sedan, or 15hp from a 250cc for a compact.
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Tachy 5:52AM (3/02/2008)
Range-Extending (series plug-in-hybrid) is absolutely useful!
You already have the electric-range of 100 miles per day, but extend it up to 1000 miles. 90 percent of the cars are driving under 50 miles a day.
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Jerry Z 3:01PM (3/03/2008)
Didn't GM recently announce that there battery supplier is going bankrupt? So wouldn't that mean they would be able to at least take a vehicle to market while they are trying to play catch-up? I, too, think it is likely going to be Ford, but I wouldn't count GM out as an option either. In the mean time I recommend swinging over to http://www.zapworld.com if you need an electric commuter car right now.
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