Electric cars on the motorway

The market for environmentally-friendly transport solutions has matured in recent years as environmental awareness has increased and the climate issue has made its way up the agenda. The company Think Global is attempting to come up with a solution to the climate and environmental challenge by offering environmentally-friendly solutions.

The company’s electric car TH!NK City does not, for example, emit any CO₂, and the bodywork is made of 95 per cent recycled plastic. By using this car, energy consumption can be reduced by 70 per cent. The cars are manufactured at the company’s factory in Norway where CO₂-friendly production is the order of the day. The factory was built to the specifications of Porsche Consulting and, according to Think Global, is the most efficient small car plant in the world.

Top speed on a par with the IC4 train
What is different about this car is its battery, which makes it possible to achieve a top speed of 180 km/h, which means the car can drive on normal roads, even motorways.
Customers can choose a specially adapted car to match their needs. Think Global also wishes to sell a whole package of services with the car. The idea is that customers will subscribe to these services. This will allow the company to achieve its goal of selling transport which is 'carefree and carbon free' (maintenance and CO₂-free).

Time is ripe
The company was originally established in Oslo in 1991, under the of name PIVCO (Personal Independent Vehicle Company). Since then, the company has changed ownership several times. Following financial problems, Ford acquired the company in 1999 and invested $150 million in Think Global, before the group had to give up and pull out in 2002. After this, a group of Swiss owners came into the picture.

And in 2006, the company was acquired by Norwegian owners. The group of owners included the current managing director. His background is not in electric cars, but he has experience in working with environmentally-friendly companies. Based on this, he assesses that the time is ripe for the electric car.

The issue of shares in 2007 meant that Think Global managed to raise enough capital to allow the company to start preparations for mass production of the car.