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(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) February 26, 2008 2 Comments

Think to Partner With Large Automaker

The Norwegian electric-car company known for its iconic tiny car says its next model will be bigger -- and will be developed together with a large automaker.

Norwegian electric-car company Think Global plans to announce it will partner with a large automaker next week in order to build a bigger vehicle, Chairman Jan-Olaf Willums said Tuesday.

It’s a change for the company, which has been producing distinctive cars about the size of a Mini Cooper.

At the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco, Willums said he wouldn’t divulge any more details until next week.

It would be interesting if the partner turned out to be Ford Motor. Think’s technology originally was developed by Ford (see Recharged Runabout).

The company isn’t alone in its all-electric efforts to team with auto-industry giants.

All-electric sports car maker Tesla Motors also said last week it wants to partner with a large automaker to manufacture its third model at "high volumes" (see Tesla to Big Three: Let’s Be Friends).

Tesla’s third model is expected to be a compact sports car with a price tag of between $30,000 and $35,000.

Electric cars haven’t always been a joy ride for large automakers (think "Who Killed the Electric Car"), but Willums sees that changing.

For example, Renault-Nissan Alliance said in January it would partner with Project Better Place to mass-produce electric cars.

All this partnership news shows that alternative-vehicle companies are beginning to focus on forming their supply chains, an important step toward mass production and distribution, said Thilo Koslowski, lead automotive analyst at Gartner, last week (see Green Cars Cruise Forward).

"It’s a healthy development. It’s very important for the entire industry that the companies are making headway," he said.

But even with large manufactures getting on board, electric vehicles still have a ways to go.

Among the biggest challenges facing electric vehicles are batteries, which are key to getting better mileage out of hybrids and better range out of all-electric vehicles, and the difficulty of recharging them.

Case in point: One conference attendee asked how she could drive from Arizona to California in one of Think’s vehicles. "I think you are typically a noncustomer for us," Willums responded, adding Think is targeting drivers who commute short distances.

Comments [2]

  • Barry Bernsten 07/24/08 8:43 AM

    America needs to stay FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED.

    History reminds us that every time oil prices peak and the North American market/consumers start to discuss alternative energy sources, the oil exporting countries start to trim down their prices. History also tells us that the oil exporting nations have been very successful in the past and in fact, we have lost our enthusiasm and dropped many of our alternative energy initiatives after oil prices are reduced.

    WE need to stay focused this time.

    1) Al Gore and his energy initiative is on course.
    2) T. Boone Pickens and his wind power initiative is on course.
    3) BG Automotive Group?s mass production electric vehicle program is on
      course.
    4) Richard Branson from the UK is on course.
    5) The Gas Reduction Act of 2008 might not be the most environmentally sound
        solution, but yet it shows that Congress has finally realized that we have an
        energy crisis (again), and a real threat to our national security.

    The continued dependence on foreign oil is a threat to our long term democratic values. We must become an energy independent nation, and with this, some sacrifices will have to be made by the American consumer.

    Be aware!!
    We are exporting approximately USD $700 Billion dollars per year of U.S. currency. The majority of this money is being transferred to the Trillion dollar ?sovereign wealth funds?. This is USD $700 Billion not being spent on America?s educational system, health care and security.

    The ?sovereign wealth funds? are directly buying major interests (large blocks of stock) in U.S. companies, including most of the major banks. Also, billions of dollars of ?sovereign wealth fund? money is being invested in our hedge funds, private equity firms, and the investment banking industry. A few of these firms are directly and indirectly investing large sums of money into our ?gas combustion? automobile industry. Do we want our auto industry in the direct or indirect control of the firms that are supplying us oil?  This is an interesting topic for an investigative reporter. 

    There are automotive consulting companies in Michigan (heart of our auto industry), lobbying States and our Federal Government, NOT to subsidize the Electric Vehicle industry. The latter seems to be contradictory to what the American public would like to see from our automobile industry. After the billions (excess of $20 billion) the automotive companies have lost in the past 6 months producing gas combustion vehicles, you would think they too would change course. Changing course is not adding 2-4 miles per gallon w/Hybrids. Drastic measures in our auto industry must take place and NOW!

    Do not let the temporary reduction in oil prices push us off course?.AGAIN.

    Read, Read, Read- Stay on top of the issues. Let?s not be fooled again.

    STAY FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED! 

    Reply
  • Barry Bernsten 07/24/08 8:43 AM

    America needs to stay FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED.

    History reminds us that every time oil prices peak and the North American market/consumers start to discuss alternative energy sources, the oil exporting countries start to trim down their prices. History also tells us that the oil exporting nations have been very successful in the past and in fact, we have lost our enthusiasm and dropped many of our alternative energy initiatives after oil prices are reduced.

    WE need to stay focused this time.

    1) Al Gore and his energy initiative is on course.
    2) T. Boone Pickens and his wind power initiative is on course.
    3) BG Automotive Group?s mass production electric vehicle program is on
      course.
    4) Richard Branson from the UK is on course.
    5) The Gas Reduction Act of 2008 might not be the most environmentally sound
        solution, but yet it shows that Congress has finally realized that we have an
        energy crisis (again), and a real threat to our national security.

    The continued dependence on foreign oil is a threat to our long term democratic values. We must become an energy independent nation, and with this, some sacrifices will have to be made by the American consumer.

    Be aware!!
    We are exporting approximately USD $700 Billion dollars per year of U.S. currency. The majority of this money is being transferred to the Trillion dollar ?sovereign wealth funds?. This is USD $700 Billion not being spent on America?s educational system, health care and security.

    The ?sovereign wealth funds? are directly buying major interests (large blocks of stock) in U.S. companies, including most of the major banks. Also, billions of dollars of ?sovereign wealth fund? money is being invested in our hedge funds, private equity firms, and the investment banking industry. A few of these firms are directly and indirectly investing large sums of money into our ?gas combustion? automobile industry. Do we want our auto industry in the direct or indirect control of the firms that are supplying us oil?  This is an interesting topic for an investigative reporter. 

    There are automotive consulting companies in Michigan (heart of our auto industry), lobbying States and our Federal Government, NOT to subsidize the Electric Vehicle industry. The latter seems to be contradictory to what the American public would like to see from our automobile industry. After the billions (excess of $20 billion) the automotive companies have lost in the past 6 months producing gas combustion vehicles, you would think they too would change course. Changing course is not adding 2-4 miles per gallon w/Hybrids. Drastic measures in our auto industry must take place and NOW!

    Do not let the temporary reduction in oil prices push us off course?.AGAIN.

    Read, Read, Read- Stay on top of the issues. Let?s not be fooled again.

    STAY FOCUSED, AWARE and EDUCATED! 

    Reply

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