plug in smart

TH!NK GLOBAL is the new owner of the electric car producer TH!NK. Formerly part of the Ford Motor Company, TH!NK was taken over by a group of Norwegian investors in March 2006. Our goal is to make TH!NK the leading electric car producer in the world.

Energy storage nears its day in the sun
Gerard Wynn, Reuters, 2/22/08

The economic opportunities are highlighted by a third company, U.S.-based EnerDel, which aims to supply batteries for the "Th!nk City" electric vehicle, manufactured by Norway's Think Global.

In the case of electric cars, cheap, lightweight batteries are needed to power motors, and will eliminate carbon emissions if the batteries are charged using renewable power sources.

EnerDel has patented a lithium-ion battery which it says is lighter and cheaper than the nickel metal hydride batteries currently used in hybrid electric cars such as the Toyota Prius.

"I think energy storage is the next frontier," said Charles Gassenheimer, chairman of EnerDel's owners Ener1 Inc.

The "Th!nk" car could be the world's first mass production electric vehicle, starting in earnest in 2009. It will go from 0 to 60 miles an hour in about 8 seconds and have a range of up to 100 miles, said Gassenheimer.

Investors have given their thumbs up to Ener1, which now has a market capitalization of around $700 million, a ten-fold increase over two years ago.

Unparalleled Parking
Janice O'Leary, Boston Globe, 2/24/08

Auto dealer Herb Chambers gets us up to speed on the diminutive Smart car, which arrived in the area last month.

Is it true that there's a waiting list that stretches into next year?

Yes, but some customers have not been able to take the car they ordered because of some change in their situation, so there are a few available for purchase right now. We have about 800 on our list now in Mass. One of the first cars we delivered went to Beacon Hill.