Commenting on the team’s trouble-free completion of this never-done-before grand tour in an electric car, without so much as a puncture to report back to THINK, BBC presenter Peter Curran, said: “The feeling, quite simply, is electric.”
There were another two THINK City electric vehicles with lithium ion batteries taking part in the Revolve Bridgestone Eco-Rally, one driven by Channel 4’s environmental designer, Kevin McCloud, and the other, a race-ready THINK City that will compete in next year’s EV Cup racing series, by Roger Saul, of fashion brand Mulberry and eco-farm Sharpham Park fame.
“The THINK City is a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” said Kevin McCloud, “It is a great car with plenty of punch and I even managed to burn-off an Alpha Romeo at the lights.”
Roger Saul agreed and also commented that, “the THINK City was very nice to drive and this EV racing edition was very tight. The whole aim of today was to drive from Brighton to London with the best carbon footprint and I managed to drive the full 50 miles using just half the battery capacity.”
The THINK City driven by Roger has been converted into a race-ready model by the EV Cup team of specialists in London, who have removed nearly 70kg of weight from the vehicle, achieved by stripping out the interior to leave one single lightweight racing seat and steering wheel, and replacing all glass with heat resistant and shatterproof Perspex.
A revised suspension system to lower the centre of gravity for the already well-planted car and further improve handling, complete the conversion.
These racing upgrades coupled with a software update of THINK’s patented EV drive control technology result in a very exciting performance from the race-ready EV Cup Edition. Watch the THINK City racer in action at a recent trial at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4gEoV1oWzI
The BBC team’s European adventure is concluded this Saturday on Radio 4 at 1030hrs (BST / GMT +1) as well as BBC Online (
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/electric-ride), Facebook (www.facebook.com/BBCelectricride), Twitter (www.twitter.com/bbcelectricride) and the project website (www.electricride.eu).
The latest generation THINK City is a purpose-built, all-electric car designed for urban environments. It can travel at highway speeds and cover 160 kilometers on a single charge (via conventional household outlet), with zero local emissions. It is the world’s first EV to be granted certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate). To achieve these exacting standards, the THINK City has successfully completed very thorough testing and validation procedures.
European production of the electric cars THINK City is underway in Finland with manufacturing partner Valmet Automotive, which also assembles the Boxster and Cayman models for Porsche AG. Customer deliveries are taking place across Europe in selected key EV markets such as The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Austria and Switzerland.
THINK has also announced plans to establish a U.S. production facility during 2011 in Elkhart County, Indiana, and is working with Japanese partner Itochu on developing operations in Asia.
THINK is a pioneer in electric vehicles and a leader in electric vehicle technology, developed and proven over 19 years. It is one of the few companies that has a ‘ready-to-market’ fully electric vehicle – the THINK City. With its market-leading range, driveability and recyclability, the THINK City is the first vehicle of its type to be granted pan-European regulatory safety approval and CE certification.
THINK is also a leader in electric drive-system technology, and was the first to offer a modular and flexible EV drive-train solution in the business-to-business sector. With its Scandinavian origins and sustainability mindset, THINK is one of the most carbon efficient car companies in the world.
START is the creation of HRH The Price of Wales to help people across the UK lead more sustainable lives. START aims to demonstrate what a more energy efficient, cleaner and healthier future could look like and how each individual can make a start.
Electric Vehicle Cup presents the world’s first ‘green’ motor racing series based totally around zero emission electric cars, providing the platform for sustainable motor sport.
