Think City EV promises 80 percent charge in 15 min.

January 27, 2010 9:51 AM PST

by Candace Lombardi

Think City, like EnerDel, has manufacturing facilities in Indiana.

(Credit: Think)
Think announced Monday that EnerDel will be the exclusive supplier of lithium ion batteries for Think City's U.S. cars and for 60 percent of its cars sold in Europe.

The company also announced that AeroVironment will be partnering with Think in the U.S. to build a series of "very-fast-charge stations."

The result of the fast-charging stations, combined with EnerDel's lithium ion batteries in Think City cars, will be electric cars that take only 15 minutes to charge from zero capacity to 80 percent capacity, according to Think.

As previously reported, the Think City all-electric car will have a range of about 112 miles per charge. It will be compatible with both a standard U.S. 110-volt household outlet, as well as a special 220-volt fast-charging outlet designed for home use.

In conjunction with Mazda, EnerDel and Think Global have already partnered on a pilot project in Japan set to start March 2010. Drivers will be able to rent all-electric Mazda2 cars (known as Mazda Demios in Japan) that will have Think drivetrains with EnerDel batteries and utilize fast-charging stations.

EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, is an automotive lithium ion battery manufacturer that has become an auto industry darling and a poster child for the U.S. stimulus package success.

In August, it was announced in conjunction with President Barack Obama's trip to Elkhart, Ind., that the Indiana-based battery manufacturer would receive $118.5 million in federal grants to double its U.S. production facilities resulting in the creation of approximately 1,700 new jobs as part of the U.S. stimulus package. Since then, EnerDel has also signed a contract with Volvo for its C30 electric-car project, and a $1.29 million contract with the U.S. Army to develop a lithium ion battery system for a hybrid version of the iconic High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV aka Humvee).

EnerDel also has deals with Fisker Automotive, Nissan, and the Japan Postal Service among others.

AeroVironment, on the other hand, is probably best known in recent years for its high-profile work on unmanned aerial vehicles for DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. But the California-based company has actually been involved in electric cars for decades. AeroVironment has made charging systems for industrial and construction electric vehicles (forklifts, light duty trucks), and was involved in General Motors' EV1 project in the 1980s. Most recently, AeroVironment signed a deal to supply Nissan with 220-volt home charging stations as part of its widespread Nissan Leaf rollout in the U.S.

Electric Vehicles: 10 Predictions for 2010

The electric vehicle (EV) revolution will see hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles on roadways within five years. This will have obvious impacts on the automotive industry, utilities and consumers, but deeper analysis reveals trends that will reshape the way vehicles are built and used. By looking beyond the market data, we have identified 10 key trends to watch out for as the EV market takes shape.

Pike Research’s “10 Predictions for 2010″ white paper explores hot topics including the true cost of owning an EV versus a gasoline vehicle, key challenges facing OEMs as they prepare for the mainstream launch of PHEVs, the role of Lithium Ion batteries, and utility grid infrastructure upgrades that will be required to support the adoption of EVs. Conclusions and predictions in this paper are drawn from our in-depth coverage of the Clean Transportation industry, and market forecasts are included for key sectors.

This white paper is published in partnership with HybridCars.com. Click here to sign up for the free HybridCars.com email newsletter.

What Does This Report Answer?
When will Vehicle to Grid services take off?
Will plug-in and electric vehicles cause a reduction in demand for hybrids?
How will the plug-in hybrid market evolve?
Which region of the world will dominate the production and use of electric vehicles?
What is the grid’s weak link in meeting the power demand of EVs?
Who Needs This Report?
Automotive industry
Fleet managers
Battery suppliers
Stationary energy storage suppliers
State and federal legislators
Smart grid companies
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. 10 Predictions for 2010
3. Additional Reading
4. Sources and Methodology
List of Figures
Cost per Mile Driven: Gasoline vs. Battery Power
HEV, PHEV, and EV Sales, World Markets: 2012
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Sales, World Markets: 2010-2015
Average Consumer Miles Driven per Day
Li-ion Battery Cost per kWh, World Markets: 2008-2015
Electric Vehicle Sales, Asia Pacific and Rest of World: 2010-2015
Charging Station Unit Sales, North America: 2010-2015
Example of Evening Charging

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