[major]

Yep, I wimped out and bought a ready-made EV. It is a 2011 Think City made in Elkhart, IN. Was a company demo with 3500 miles. Good deal. I don't think I could buy batteries and charger for what I paid. Better say we. A 50/50 split with Darlene (the usual deal between us :-)). Anyway, we've had it about 2 weeks. I get to use it about every other day or two. Pretty nice. I like it. Just got the L2 EVSE installed this weekend. Put in a kWh meter also.

[Ziggythewiz]

looks like a cool little car!

[McRat]

Nice! How long will it remain stock? (Famous last words in our family).

[O'Zeeke]

Great find Major, after working on my ev for over 1 yr now I wish I had gone ready made

O'Zeeke

[tomofreno]

Looks nice, sounds like a great price too!

[major]

I thought some might be interested so I will snip and paste in a story I posted on a Think list.

My first post:

From: Major

I have a dog & pony show on Tuesday in Lima, Ohio. O.K, it is some show and tell at the university there. I want to drive the Think from home. Maps-r-us-dot-com says it's like 56 miles each way. My range per the SoC dash meter hasn't been encouraging as of late showing over half used for my 30-35 mile daily trips. So today I put it to the test and ran 40 miles to and from the store and then circled my place in the country (it's a 3 mile around the block and can hit 60 mph mostly) until I was empty. Indicator lamps on and taking a while to get to speed so I quit at 62.9 miles and zero SoC on the meter.

So, do I try it?

I can charge there with the 110 V cord for 7 hours. From previous accounting, I can get about 5 mph on 110V. So that would put me at 98 miles of electrons for a 112 mile trip. Maybe I can arrive early and leave late, but don't want to hang for an extra 3 hours. Somebody says there is a L2 somewhere in Lima, but I hate to trust finding and using it.

And the most direct route is 85% on I-75.

Life's an adventure :-) I'll probably do it.

And my post Tuesday night:

O.K. I did it. Thanks to Jim for helping me find the L2 at the mall. It was Sixth National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day Odyssey at University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima. It was a nice little dog & pony show. My Think, a Leaf and PHEV Prius from local dealers, a UNOH owned Volt, a Crown LP forklift and Hydrogen fuel cell pallet jack, a CNG pickup truck, and a LNG hemi car. Oh, and the 2 EnerDel powered go-karts. Several speakers and about 1000 students and some locals passing thru.

I was having a range anxiety attack so started extra early this morning and drove 35mph to meet Tony at the I-75 ramp 5 miles from home. It was cold but I didn't turn on the heat, but needed the lights. Tony was hauling the karts in a step van (size of a UPS truck). So he was late and I started the interstate portion ahead of him driving 52mph. He caught up 20 miles south and I fell in and drafted him at 57mph the rest of the way to Lima. Off the interstate and 5 miles to UNOH campus. Total of 54.9 miles. Dash gauge reads 42% when I plug in the 110V cord. But next time I look, it reads 25%. Go figure.

So I charge there for 4 hours. Get to 60%. Then I drive to the mall (less than a mile) and plug into the L2. Digital readout on that thing says I put in 8.98kWh in 3h20m. Dash meter now reads 108%. Follow and draft Tony all the way to home exit ramp at 59mph. Off the ramp and 45mph for 5 miles home. Meter reads like 50% for 54.9 miles. Plug into my L2. Meter drops to 36%. About 4 hours later charge is complete to 108% with 11 (maybe 12) kWh from the 240V service.

Got to say....pretty impressed. I was trying to hypermile that sucker, but that final leg was 4.57 miles/kWh (219 Wh/mi) at mostly 59 mph. Normal for me is about 3.1 miles/kWh (322 Wh/mi). Morning leg was 3.66 miles/kWh (273 Wh/mi). That's my little adventure :-)

If Tony can get me some photos from his phone, I'll attach a few.

Regards,

major

[tomofreno]

Originally Posted by major

I thought some might be interested so I will snip and paste in a story I posted on a Think list.

My first post:

And my post Tuesday night:
If Tony can get me some photos from his phone, I attach a few.

Regards,

major

Thanks, entertaining. Also interesting to see the range of the Think. Look forward to hearing how it does in the OH winter. Don't understand the dash meter's readings sudden changes.

[major]

Originally Posted by tomofreno

Don't understand the dash meter's readings sudden changes.

Nobody does Some call it the guess-o-meter It apparently resets itself when it feels like it.

[madmike8]

Originally Posted by major

Nobody does Some call it the guess-o-meter It apparently resets itself when it feels like it.

I know how the meter feels... Example: My wife ask me if I'm up for some shopping after work. I say yes, Ive had a pretty good day so far, and I won't mind. I get home after work feeling good, sit in the chair and wait for her to get home. She gets home 30 minutes later, and I'm asleep in the chair, and completely worthless... Yup, I get that meter laugh...


Cool Car Major...

[Hollie Maea]

We got a black Think about a month ago (it may have been the last one sold in the US). We're loving it so far (and still marveling over the price tag-$16k before tax rebates!)