Think City

Think City
Name	Think City
Manufacturer	Think Global (formerly Pivco)
Production	1999–2012
Class	City car, Microcar
Body style	3-door hatchback
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive / Electric motor options

Think City

The Think City was a compact urban automobile produced by Think Global (originally Pivco AS) that served as an early production electric and internal combustion microcar, competing with models from Nissan, Toyota, Renault, Smart, and Mitsubishi. It gained attention from environmental groups such as Greenpeace and policy bodies like the European Union for its low-emission credentials and appeared in initiatives linked to California Air Resources Board, NHTSA, and city fleets including Oslo and London. The model intersected with technology partners and investors including Ford Motor Company, EnerDel, Siemens, Daimler AG, and A123 Systems.

Overview

The vehicle was conceived as a short-range, two- or four-seater urban transport offering alternatives to the Mini (1959), Fiat 500 (2007), Renault Twizy, Toyota iQ, and Smart Fortwo. Early variants combined lightweight chassis engineering seen in projects at University of Oslo with battery systems developed by firms active in the LIB (lithium-ion battery) industry. Think City was positioned toward municipal procurement programs like those in Los Angeles, Paris, Oslo, Stockholm, and Berlin and featured in demonstrations alongside prototypes from General Motors, Tesla Motors, ZAP, and Bluecar.

History and Development

Development traces to Norwegian entrepreneurs and engineers at Pivco AS in the 1990s, with links to research at SINTEF, Norsk Hydro, and design influence from European small-car traditions such as Mini (1959), Citroën 2CV, and VW Beetle. After early showings, the program attracted capital from Ford Motor Company and later restructuring under Think Global led to production efforts in Aalborg and later contract manufacturing with Valmet Automotive and Magna Steyr. Corporate events included bankruptcy filings in Norway and restructuring under administrations similar to cases with General Motors and Nortel, and equity injections from investors such as InSpire Capital and industrial partners like Siemens. Think City production interacted with regulatory frameworks used by European Commission programs and incentive schemes administered by US Department of Energy initiatives.

Design and Specifications

The platform employed a compact three-door hatch layout with a turning circle suitable for urban grids of New York City, Tokyo, London, and Paris. Chassis and bodywork shared modular approaches used by manufacturers such as Daihatsu, Suzuki, and Renault. Powertrain options varied: internal combustion prototypes used small-displacement engines similar to units from KTM collaborations, while battery-electric variants used lithium-ion packs sourced through suppliers like EnerDel, A123 Systems, and technology licensed from Siemens and researchers at SINTEF. Dimensions and payload targets were comparable to the Smart Fortwo and Toyota iQ, with curb weights affected by battery chemistry developments pursued by firms like Samsung SDI and LG Chem.

Production and Sales

Initial low-volume production occurred in Norway before assembly was shifted to subcontractors including Valmet Automotive in Finland and Magna Steyr in Austria; parts sourcing involved suppliers such as Bosch, Continental AG, ZF Friedrichshafen, Delphi Automotive, and Denso. Sales channels targeted fleet customers and municipal buyers such as Oslo Municipality, City of London Corporation, and corporate fleets operated by firms like Siemens AG and E.ON. Markets included Norway, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, and France, but commercial volumes were constrained by capital shortfalls and competition from mainstream models like the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe.

Safety and Performance

Crashworthiness and compliance adhered to standards set by Euro NCAP, NHTSA, and testing protocols similar to those used for the Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Polo. Safety equipment integrated components from Autoliv and TRW Automotive and conformed to regulations administered by European Commission transport directorates and agencies such as Transport for London. Performance metrics—range, acceleration, and top speed—varied across battery chemistries and were influenced by pack suppliers including EnerDel and A123 Systems; comparable metrics were often benchmarked against the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and Nissan Leaf.

Electric Variant and Technology

The electric Think City used lithium-ion battery packs and electric drivetrains developed in collaboration with vendors and research institutes including EnerDel, A123 Systems, Siemens, SINTEF, and battery manufacturers like LG Chem and Samsung SDI. Its battery management and charging systems interoperated with standards promoted by the European Commission and infrastructure initiatives involving ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens, and public charging networks in Norway and California. The project intersected with broader electrification programs alongside vehicles from Tesla, General Motors Volt, Nissan Leaf, and research projects at MIT and Stanford University.

Market Reception and Legacy

Reception combined praise from environmental advocates such as Greenpeace and policy analysts at International Energy Agency with criticism regarding aftersales support and production reliability noted in reports from consumer groups like Which? and Consumer Reports. The program influenced later small electric vehicle efforts by Renault, Nissan, Smart, and startups such as Rivian and Lucid Motors, and its corporate history became a case study in industrial policy analyses by OECD, European Investment Bank, and academic work at BI Norwegian Business School and University of Oslo. Models entered municipal fleet trials in cities including Oslo, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Stockholm, leaving a legacy in discussions about urban mobility, electrification programs led by EU, and supplier development in the European automotive sector.

Category:Electric cars Category:Microcars Category:Cars introduced in 1999