Ford TH!NK

The Ford TH!NK was a line of electric vehicles produced by the TH!NK Mobility, an enterprise of Ford Motor Company. The short-lived line included four models: the TH!NK Neighbor and the TH!NK City, small electric automobiles, and the TH!NK Bike Traveler and the TH!NK Bike Fun, electric-powered motorized bicycle. The TH!NK line suffered from recalls and poor sales and was cancelled. [ cite news |url = http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01525.html|title = CSPC, TH!NK Mobility Recall Electrically Assisted Bicycles|publisher = U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission|date = 2001-09-18|accessdate = 2006-06-18 ] [cite web| url = http://www.autoworld.com/autorecall/recallnew.asp?fmake=TH!NK&fyear=2002| title = 2002 TH!NK Recall, Auto Recall, Safety Problems, vehicle Defects| publisher = AutoWorld| accessdate = 2006-06-18 ] [ cite news|url = http://www.abetterearth.org/article.php/785.html|title = TH!NK Again Protesters|publisher = A Better Earth|date = September, 2004|accessdate = 2006-06-18 ]

TH!NK City

The two door TH!NK City could comfortably seat two. Although the top speed was low - only 56 miles per hour - the car had good mobility. Taking seven seconds to go from a stop to thirty miles per hour (fifty kilometres per hour), the 2,075 pound TH!NK city was not built for speed. The model was convert|9.8|ft|m long, convert|5.25|ft|m wide, and convert|5.1|ft|m high. [cite web| url = http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/120003.html| title = TH!NK Different| publisher = Automotive Design and Production| accessdate = 2006-06-19 ]

TH!NK Neighbor

The Neighbor was designed to be used for small trips in gated communities or as a golf cart. Available in two models, a two-seater and a four-seater, the TH!NK Neighbor had an open enclosure, but it contained a rain cover that could protect the passengers from the elements. Although it normally had a top speed of 25 miles per hour, it also had a turf mode that set its maximum speed at 15 miles per hour. Many options were designed for use on the golf course: it featured a bag rack, a holder for scorecards, tees, and balls, and a club washer. Additionally, the front could double as a cooler.

Disposal controversy

A minor controversy erupted when Ford decided to crush the unsold TH!NK cars. After protesting by environmentalist groups, including a Greenpeace rally on the roof of Ford's Norway offices, Ford decided to ship the excess vehicles to Norway. [ cite news|url = http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/th-nk-again-ford-does-a-u-tur|title = TH!NK Again: Ford Does a U-Turn|publisher = Greenpeace|date = 2004-09-17|accessdate = 2006-06-18 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.ford.com/en/redirect/think/default.htm Official Ford TH!NK page]
* [http://www.thecarconnection.com/Vehicle_Reviews/Hybrid_Cars_Electric_Cars/2001_Ford_THNK_Bike.S274.A3696.html A review of the TH!NK Mobility]
* [http://www.life.ca/nl/72/ford.html TH!NK preview] at Natural Life Magazine
* [http://bellsouthpwp.net/t/r/troprent/ford.htm A review of the Sport Version of the TH!NK Neighbor] at TropiCar, Inc.