Auto Channel

When Ford, at the time still under Jack Nasser’s control, announced it would build an electric vehicle called Th!nk, in 2000, some people doubted it would go ahead. The car was made by a Norwegian company, PIVCO, bought by the American giant in December 1998 and renamed TH!NK Nordic AS. In 2003, Ford sold the enterprise in January 31 2003 to to Kamkorp Microelectronics, a Swiss company, and, in March 2006, it got back to Norwegian hands, more specifically the investment group InSpire. The result of all this is exposed at the Geneva Motor Show. For those who think the best for the company would be to remain under Ford’s control, two new cars from Think Global (the new company’s name) prove that’s not exactly how things ought to go. Meet the Th!nk city and the TH!NK ox.

The first one, the city, will be on sale in Norway soon after the Geneva Motor Show. Denmark and Sweden will be the next countries to receive this small two-seater, with UK, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands following shortly afterwards, in 2009. Although it comes only with two seats, there are two rear seats that can be ordered as options, what may not be a nice idea on a 3.12 m long vehicle, with a wheelbase of mere 1.97 m. Top speed is 100 km/h, since the car weighs 1,397 kg (a heavy guy for its size). Prices start at € 24,500.

For Norwegian drivers that need more space, but are still willing to buy an electric vehicle, there’s the second new car, the first five-seater from Think. The ox is a 4.12 m long vehicle. Although still a concept, the vehicle will very likely enter production, considering there is a high demand in Norway for this sort of automobile and even the first TH!NK City cars are still running up there.

If space is a matter, the ox will offer plenty of it, with a generous wheelbase of 2.78 m. Though bigger, the ox weighs little more than the city: 1,500 kg.

Range matters seem to have been solved. Both the city and the ox are able to run more than 200 km on one charge, although only the ox has been presented with lithium ion batteries. Tesla Motors has recently announced an agreement with Think to sell these batteries to the Norwegian manufacturer. Nowadays, the city uses sodium batteries, but that may change soon.