Ford TH!NK

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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. [1][2][3]


Contents

[edit] 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 9.8 feet long, 5.25 feet wide, and 5.1 feet high. [4]


[edit] 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.

[edit] 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. [5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "CSPC, TH!NK Mobility Recall Electrically Assisted Bicycles", U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 18 September, 2001. Retrieved on 2006-06-18. 
  2. ^ 2002 TH!NK Recall, Auto Recall, Safety Problems, vehicle Defects. AutoWorld. Retrieved on 2006-06-18.
  3. ^ "TH!NK Again Protesters", A Better Earth, September, 2004. Retrieved on 2006-06-18. 
  4. ^ TH!NK Different. Automotive Design and Production. Retrieved on 2006-06-19.
  5. ^ "TH!NK Again: Ford Does a U-Turn", Greenpeace, September 17, 2004. Retrieved on 2006-06-18. 

[edit] External links

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