Base 2dr Front-Wheel Drive Coupe
2011 THINK THINK City
Bankruptcy Brings This EV's Range To Zero 2011 Think City - Click above for high-res image gallery We're all passionate about saving the world, but the amount of enthusiasm we each have is different for everybody. What's your passion level? Let's turn the question into a sliding scale; on one end sits, say, BP, while on the other end, we find Ed Begley Jr. It's a big scale. If you find yourself edging close to the Begley side of the spectrum, you're no doubt paying attention to the fresh crop of all-electric cars on the market. Electric automaker Think hopes you've been paying attention. At least, it did up until last week when the company filed for bankruptcy a second time. Clearly, attempting to bring a relatively affordable electric vehicle to the masses is difficult without federal funding (Tesla Motors) or the bank account of a major automotive manufacturer (Nissan Leaf). Think has been down this road before, and it's possible that a group of investors could arrive to save the day. But for the company to be successful, the cost of its car, called the City, would need to come down and marketing dollars would need to go up, both of which are easier said than done. Is Think's machine even worth saving? The 2011 Think City is a 100-percent electric hatchback wearing recyclable body panels and interior trim pieces. It's designed to attract urban eco-warriors, but does it have a broader appeal? We borrowed the key to one and spent a few hours scooting around the Orange County, California coast to find out. If Paula Deen were in charge of the Think City's exterior design, her recipe would call for a heap of Smart, a dash of Mini Cooper headlights, one squashed Suzuki SX4 and, of course, a load of butter. That last bit would explain the matte yellow color seen on our test vehicle. Despite our car's sunny exterior, Think only offers the City EV in three colors; Bright Red, Sky Blue and Classic Black. That's fine by us, because our tester would look better if it weren't wearing We-Don't-Know-The-Sex-Of-Our-Baby Yellow. Think has gone the ultra-compact route with the City EV, and this makes sense seeing that this tiny two-seater is designed to battle for parking spaces in urban environments. Staring at the outside of the City, we had expected the inside would be reminiscent of a cramped Manhattan studio apartment. Since your author is taller than the average bear, we're very happy to report that the interior of the Think is closer to Central Park. Both seats make our backs happy, and all of the climate and audio controls sit close at hand. There's also a cloth roof that slides back at the push of a button, infinitely increasing our already ample head room. That tall roof combines with a short wheelbase for an interesting combination of front and rear visibility. The front windshield is cut at a tight angle, which puts the top right in …
Full Review
Bankruptcy Brings This EV's Range To Zero 2011 Think City - Click above for high-res image gallery We're all passionate about saving the world, but the amount of enthusiasm we each have is different for everybody. What's your passion level? Let's turn the question into a sliding scale; on one end sits, say, BP, while on the other end, we find Ed Begley Jr. It's a big scale. If you find yourself edging close to the Begley side of the spectrum, you're no doubt paying attention to the fresh crop of all-electric cars on the market. Electric automaker Think hopes you've been paying attention. At least, it did up until last week when the company filed for bankruptcy a second time. Clearly, attempting to bring a relatively affordable electric vehicle to the masses is difficult without federal funding (Tesla Motors) or the bank account of a major automotive manufacturer (Nissan Leaf). Think has been down this road before, and it's possible that a group of investors could arrive to save the day. But for the company to be successful, the cost of its car, called the City, would need to come down and marketing dollars would need to go up, both of which are easier said than done. Is Think's machine even worth saving? The 2011 Think City is a 100-percent electric hatchback wearing recyclable body panels and interior trim pieces. It's designed to attract urban eco-warriors, but does it have a broader appeal? We borrowed the key to one and spent a few hours scooting around the Orange County, California coast to find out. If Paula Deen were in charge of the Think City's exterior design, her recipe would call for a heap of Smart, a dash of Mini Cooper headlights, one squashed Suzuki SX4 and, of course, a load of butter. That last bit would explain the matte yellow color seen on our test vehicle. Despite our car's sunny exterior, Think only offers the City EV in three colors; Bright Red, Sky Blue and Classic Black. That's fine by us, because our tester would look better if it weren't wearing We-Don't-Know-The-Sex-Of-Our-Baby Yellow. Think has gone the ultra-compact route with the City EV, and this makes sense seeing that this tiny two-seater is designed to battle for parking spaces in urban environments. Staring at the outside of the City, we had expected the inside would be reminiscent of a cramped Manhattan studio apartment. Since your author is taller than the average bear, we're very happy to report that the interior of the Think is closer to Central Park. Both seats make our backs happy, and all of the climate and audio controls sit close at hand. There's also a cloth roof that slides back at the push of a button, infinitely increasing our already ample head room. That tall roof combines with a short wheelbase for an interesting combination of front and rear visibility. The front windshield is cut at a tight angle, which puts the top right in …
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Retail Price
$35,495
MSRP / Window Sticker Price
| Engine | |
| MPG | |
| Seating | 2 Passengers |
| Transmission | 1-spd auto |
| Power | 50 @ rpm |
| Drivetrain | front-wheel |
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