UKP14,000 TH!NK city electric car ready for showrooms

For all the talk about electric cars, the first mass-produced electric vehicle is still to grace a showroom. The first such general consumption electric auto to reach UK motorists will be the Norwegian TH!NK city EV which goes on sale during the last quarter of this year. Revealed at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, the TH!NK city is a two-seater with a top speed of 65 mph, a zero to 30 mph time of just 6.5 seconds and it’ll reach 50 mph in 16 seconds – perfectly respectable ‘round town performance at legal speeds, and it’ll run another 124 miles after an overnight ten hour charge from any domestic power outlet. The ROI is amazing as total running costs for 10,000 miles in the UKP14,000 vehicle will be the extra UKP125 on your electric bill. Movie here, PDF brochure here.

The production of Think's new electric car the TH!NK city began in November. Production takes place in Thinks Norwegian factory outside Oslo, and in 2008, the factory will reach a full production capacity, equivalent to 3500 cars per shift. The factory has capacity for double shifts.

TH!NK city is 95 percent recyclable, and is designed to meet the strict safety requirements of both Europe and the US, as a highway-safe road car. The car is equipped with ABS brakes, airbags and three-point safety belts with pretensioners and it meets all European and US requirements with good margins.

“Unlike the lower-range, electric quadricycles that have had limited success in the UK, 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.

“Also, 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 added.

Engineers, developers, buyers and designers in the company have focused on utilising clean recyclable materials, non-polluting production processes. The dashboard can be completely recycled. The fabric, 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 want to avoid visible scratches and irritating dents, the unpainted plastic bodywork also reduces both energy consumption and toxins, while also making the panels easier to recycle. The batteries are returned to the supplier at the end of their useable life.

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 children seats (including 3-point seat belts)

Production started last autumn, and the first batch of cars will be delivered to Norwegian customers this spring with orders for UK cars being taken in the last quarter of this year. The expected retail price of TH!NK city is UKP14,000.

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