Th!nk gets homologation in the Netherlands, ready to be sold in European Union
Once a vehicle has been certified for roadworthiness by any member of the European Union, that vehicle can legally be sold in any fellow member country. Such is the case with the Th!nk City, which has just officially passed vehicle inspection in the Netherlands.
Issued by the De Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer (RDW), this makes the little Th!nk City the first all-EV "real-world" electric car to be deemed fully roadworthy in the EU. The inspection certifies that the model meets or exceeds all European requirements having to do with braking, crashworthiness, lights, mirrors and emissions.
The Th!nk City, which is expected to cost around €40,000 in the Netherlands (according to our source and previous news), manages a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and has a range of 180 kilometers (115 miles) once the batteries have been fully charged, which can take up to 13 hours depending on the power source.
Gallery: Th!nk City
[Source: Autoblog Netherlands]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark 7:40PM (5/11/2009)
A great car, with a great top speed and great range, however the price is a bit too steep. I think 20k would have been much better. Considering that the C1 would be about 20k (euro).
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jharlan 8:15PM (5/11/2009)
40 thousand Euros? Are those people nuts? They make the Tesla model S look like the best deal of the century!
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Mark 8:25PM (5/11/2009)
Yes, and while most EV supporter people (like myself) will look at the positive aspects of the car, the average joe will only see the high price tag.
harlanx6 10:34PM (5/11/2009)
Nobody likes to get ripped off.
win39 11:22PM (5/11/2009)
The price is rather startling. Is it all the price of the battery or is it because it is not mass produced? Like the very expensive little Tango? The Tesla S even if they could hold to the projected price, which they will not, has most of its cost hidden by the battery lease.
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Phil 4:07AM (5/12/2009)
40,000 euros for such a small car, this is truly insane. The UN recommends focusing on reducing CO2 emissions when the cost does not exceed $25/ton. This is where the largest gains can be obtained at the lowest cost. Small cars like the Th!nk cost less than 10,000 euros in Europe and produce around 110g of CO2 per km. Assuming that such a small car runs 200,000 km during its lifetime, it produces around 22 tons of CO2. Assuming that electricity is produced without any CO2 emissions, which is definitely not true in most European countries, the Th!nk manages to save at most 22 tons of CO2 for an added cost of 30,000 euros. That’s more than 1,300 euros per ton of CO2 or more than $1,500 (60 times the UN’s recommendation!).
On one hand, people are listening to the UN’s alarmist claims on CO2 emissions, but on the other hand they do not follow the UN’s recommendations. If someone has 40,000 euros to spend on reducing CO2 emissions, it should not be spent on buying a small zero emission (on the road) car. If we start reducing CO2 emissions at this cost, the total cost to achieve the targeted reductions worldwide will be insane. According to most projections it is already a huge number, how about multiplying this number by 60!
I am sorry to say this, but initiatives like the Th!nk are only gratifying a few idiots who believe that they are saving the planet when indeed they are simply making someone else richer by showing people what should not be done in terms of CO2 reductions. I know, it is a free world, people are free to spend their money, but in many European countries these cars receive government subsidies. I am outraged to see that in a way I will be participating in this madness…
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leo 6:27AM (5/12/2009)
You know, i sort of agree. To be honest though, I think the goverment should be encouraging people to just get off their arses and use public transport more often in suburban European cities (this should not be a problem), than press the market segment for the Th!nk. It's about getting the even most die-hard car users to end their reliance on their Mercs an Co. Public transport would also be great in the US, hadn't the goverment made a complete balls up in buses/trams etc. I've said this before, but, is there a Beverley Hills train/tram station? I think not. And if i'm not moving enough away from the subject of your post, then i will now: instead of investing 40k in a elektro-car, invest it instead in home insulation, windows, solar panels etc. I think here, in terms of the CO2 argument, much bigger gains can be made (and the investment will pay itself back, eventually...). The 'save the world' notion by driving a EV is at most just wilful optimism, at worst just plain old BS.
kert 7:44AM (5/12/2009)
You have thoroughly confused the concepts of "price" and "cost" in your post.
Carlos 8:45AM (5/12/2009)
Yes, i think that the price is not correct because is the double Norway asking price, and we have to add the renting of the batteries, about 200€/month.
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Randy C. 10:02AM (5/12/2009)
When I read this story I began to wonder, What happened to the Ford TH!NK's that were supposedly exported to Norway and not destroyed circa 2003? They are only now becoming certified for roadworthiness as a valid vehicle? Shouldn't they already be certified? Did Ford lie? What's going on here?
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3xE - electric cars 8:02AM (7/24/2009)
There are some companies (like 3xE - electric cars) who are converting ICE (typical) cars into EVs. Have a look at http://www.3xe-electric-cars.com.
High quality of the donor cars, combined with their safety and electric motors.
Conversion cost for small car is less than 10.000 €
Company can convert a Smart, Fiat Panda, or any other car and have about 80-100 km range in basic kit with LiFePO4 battery.
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