2011 Think City: The Electric Car You've Never Heard Of
Here at J & J Auto Wrecking we are fans of electric cars, (yet still prefer the petrol powered vehicles and hope they live on for many years to come). But we are far bigger fans of the "weird"! It doesn't get much weirder than this 2011 Think City that we had the chance to part out a few years ago. So we want to highlight it in this "Rest in Parts" article, and tell you a little more about this often unknown pioneer of the electric car revolution.
Alright, folks, let's take a journey back in time, back to the wild, chaotic days of the 2000s, where people were still grappling with the idea of electric cars, and dial-up Internet was still fresh in our memories. Amidst all the chaos, in the corner of some Norwegian engineer's garage, the Think City was born, proving to the world that size indeed does not matter.
This adorable little toaster on wheels, hailing from Norway's Think Global, didn't just roll onto the scene - it squeaked. It looked like a toy car that had been zapped by a growth ray, yet it promised a driving experience that was anything but childish. I mean, who wouldn't want to be seen in a car that looks like it's just hopped out of a cartoon?
The Think City was a pure electric city car, making its debut when EVs were still considered as mythical as unicorns. This compact hero boldly whispered, "I'm electric" before Tesla made it cool. The cheeky Norwegian auto creation was a big advocate for social distancing before it was even a thing - it initially came with only two seats.
The exterior was made of recyclable ABS plastic, which basically means it's made from the same stuff as your Lego blocks. So, if you're ever bored, feel free to pop off a panel and start building! It also means you can slam shopping carts into it without worrying about nasty dents. Practicality or cost-saving? You decide.
This little dynamo was powered by an all-electic motor, promising a range of 99 miles (160 km) on a single charge. If you think about it, that's like driving the length of about 1,762 football fields. Not bad for a car that looks like it belongs in a kindergarten playground, right? And with a top speed of 68 mph (110 km/h), you could easily outpace a galloping giraffe. Now that's impressive!
But wait, there's more! The Think City came with its own in-car telematics system. Remember, this was in the early 2000s. Back then, having GPS in your car was as high tech as having a robot butler. This little guy was way ahead of its time.
Despite its quirks and, let's face it, laughable appearance, the Think City did play an important role in EV history. It dared to be different when others were playing safe. It was the clown car that made a serious point, showcasing the potential of electric vehicles in an era dominated by their fuel-guzzling counterparts.
Sadly, like all good things (or uniquely strange things in this case), the Think City came to an end in 2012. But let's not forget this oddball pioneer that nudged us towards a greener future. Today, as we zip around in our sleek, modern EVs, let's spare a thought for the Think City - the little toaster on wheels that could. And did.
So here's to the Think City, the car that was too small to fail but did anyway. Thanks for the memories, and for proving that in the world of automobiles, the size of the dream matters more than the size of the car.