Th!nk Announces 0-80% Charging in 15 Minutes

[NeilBlanchard]

Wow, this is pretty cool news!

Th!nk Press Release

“THINK and AeroVironment are setting a new standard for extremely quick re-charging – zero to 80 percent in just 15 minutes,” said THINK CEO Richard Canny. “This is a major leap forward for electric vehicles. The development and deployment of very-fast-charge stations will help speed the electrification of automobiles in the United States and globally.”

THINK City, to be sold in the United States beginning this year, will have a top speed of more than 70 miles per hour and a range of more than 100 miles per full charge. THINK City has an onboard AC charger that can be coupled with an economically priced 220-volt THINK home charging station to provide overnight charging for the vehicle. It can also be charged using 110-volt current on a regular household outlet. The fast-charge system will be a supplementary alternative for customers’ added sense of security and for fleets with daily mileage requirements exceeding the car’s range.

[Daox]

I wonder what effect fast charging has on the battery life. It can't be the best for it I'd imagine.

I also looked over their site. They must still be in a fair amount of development. They state 100 km/h top speed. They also list three different battery manufacturers.

Still, it looks like a great little car.

[NeilBlanchard]

The press release I linked to says they will use EnerDel here in the USA, and also for ~60% of the cars in Europe. They currently use Zebra sodium (hot!) batteries in northern European locations.

Top speed is ~70mph, and range is over 100 miles.