We've been down this electrified road before. But the Norwegian firm Th!nk (as it likes to spell itself) has announced yesterday that it will introduce its Think City electric car in the U.S. by the end of next year.
The battery-powered Think City has a range of up to 110 miles on a single charge, with a top speed of about 65 mph, company officials say. It will be priced under $25,000.
This would be groundbreaking. Tesla's sports car may have pioneered the resurgent electric car in the U.S. But that vehicle costs $100,000 and only about 300 will be built per year.
How is Think different? Read after the jump.
Spokespeople for Think plan to produce 30,000 to 50,000 within two years. Currently the company produces 10,000 vehicles per year in Europe.
Think North America, as its U.S. arm is called, will build cars in Southern California. The vehicle was originally developed by Ford, though it sold it to Norwegian investors in 2003. And while there are a half-dozen U.S. startups working on electric cars, Think has received backing most recently from General Electric. It also has backing from venture capital firms that include RockPort Capital Partners and Silicon Valley heavyweight, Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers.
Of course, money rarely tells you whether an electric car company can actually deliver on its promises. Failures and fraud have been rife in the industry.
But the Think City is already on sale in Europe. It runs on sodium batteries; future versions could use lithium ion batteries. The company is working with A123 Systems, which will be one supplier for Chevrolet's forthcoming Volt. It's also working with and EnerDel, Inc. to develop the batteries, which would boost range and speed.
The Think City is a two-seater that can be fitted with additional seats for children. Its exterior is mostly plastic and is purportedly 95% recyclable.
