http://auto-report.net/?p=6383 News and Commentary on the Global Automotive Industry Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:06:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://auto-report.net/?p=6383&cpage=1#comment-11828 Andrew Charles Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:38:36 +0000 http://auto-report.net/?p=6383#comment-11828 It appears Think has as many lives as a cartoon cat. You have to ask, can Think survive without additional sources of revenue, or a parent company willing to subsidize the business? Venturi and Tesla not only charge much more for their EVs, they started converting an existing IC platform (Venturi’s Fetish began as a gasoline-engine Elise rival, while Tesla’s roadster was based on the Elise itself); and have crucial contracts to convert vehicles for larger manufacturers (PSA and Toyota respectively). More direct rivals Aixam-Mega and Polaris (the new owner of GEM) have profitable synergistic businesses selling IC-powered low-speed and off-road vehicles. Investing in Think may give Valmet an independent product line to compliment its contract manufacturing business. Ener1 gets a guaranteed outlet for its battery technology, but with demand for batteries growing, does it really need one? Bailing out Think could prove to be simply a big cash drain for both companies.

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