Reviews 2002 Ford Think Nev Neighborhood Electric Vehicle

2002 Ford Think Neighbour (8-14-02):

The purpose of this article is to share my experience with my new electrical vehicle and to respond the most frequent questions I am asked. Yes people stop me to enquire questions.

The Think is a new vehicle released for sale (locally) in Spring 2002, this is Ford�s entry into the electric vehicle market. This Retrieve is classified as a Neighborhood Electrical Vehicle, which meets the Federal government requirements for depression speed vehicles. This combines the benefits of economical electric transportation, no emissions and a prophylactic comfortable ride. These vehicles are available in simply 11 states, and Texas has but four dealers.

Why the Ford Recall? I traded my Kawasaki Mule (4 wheel ATV), for the Remember considering the police kept reminding me the Mule was not street legal. The Mule is like size, weight and performance, only had room for only ii passengers and is gasoline powered.

Frequently asked questions:

1. This Think is licensed and inspected in Texas (street legal)

2. Range, thirty miles on one battery charge

3. Top Speed express to 25 miles per hour past law

4. Recharge the batteries overnight at any 110-volt outlet, for less than fifty cents.

5. Dissimilar a golf game cart, the Call back is street legal; aye you can apply this every bit a golf cart, in Turf mode the top speed is 15mph.

What do I use this for?

Trips to the grocery store, mail part, shopping trips to Sam�due south Wholesale and short trips in the neighborhood (on streets with 35 mile per 60 minutes limits). No freeway driving.

Nosotros are planning to �trailer� the Recollect to Galveston to tour the historical Strand commune and the ocean wall area. The San Luis hotel has adequate off street parking for information technology�south guests, and my favorite view of the body of water.

Specifications for the iv-passenger model:

• Adjourn weight ane,400 pounds

• Overall length: 114 inches

• Overall width: 57 inches

• Overall tiptop: 68 inches (mini van height)

• Wheelbase: 78 inches

Cost: range, $6,500.00 for basic 2 passenger model to $nine,500.00 for a loaded 4 passenger, included below are links to the Ford Think website to price one for yourself.

Optional accessories on this automobile (this is the basic model)

1. Maintenance gratuitous batteries, you never take to add water.

2. Wide turf tires (they look improve than the narrow tires)

Kickoff Impressions

When I first saw the Ford Call up, I idea, �this is the Cyclops� from cartoons that Stan Mott drew for Route and Runway mag, xl years ago. Big windshield, big open space, bright colors.

My first �hands on� to bulldoze a Think was when Jeff Kuhl from McRee Ford brought a couple of demo cars to the Electric Motorcar Clan, lodge meeting on June 20, 2002. That night I was able to drive both the ii passengers and four-passenger model several times. Good seat position, skillful vision (y'all sit high plenty to see and exist seen in traffic), nifty steering wheel feel (rack & pinion), and surprising performance. The Think was easy to get in and out, with the grab handle in the right place. The three position seat belts hold y'all in the care securely. It drives and feels like a larger/heavier car. I had a positive outset impression from my test drives that nighttime.

This was my start time meeting with the EAA Gild and the members of the EAA club didn�t seem to notice I was monopolizing the test cars. Thank you to the EAA guys for letting me accept many examination drives. Here is the website for the Houston Electric Motorcar Clan, www.bwsoft.com/eaa/

Too here is a film of the 2002 Call up and the 1960 Cyclops, practice you lot agree they look alike?

I went home and did my research, and later purchased this car and took delivery on July 19, 2002.

Other Resource & Think Links:

For more information, go to the Ford Recall website, obtain model information, options, pricing, take a virtual bout and request a brochure, y'all tin too download the owner�s transmission in Adobe, pdf format. Download, print and read the owner�s manual to go a good idea how the Think works before you lot have a test bulldoze. www.thinkmobility.com

At this website you tin can also locate a �local� Ford dealer selling the Recollect.

To meet and bulldoze a Think, the Houston dealer is Jeff Kuhl at McRee Ford, 281-337-1529, e-mail: jkuhl@mcreeford.com or call Jeff and ask to schedule a test drive. You tin also bank check inventory, availability and prices at McRee at this website: www.mcreeford.com

Shop Transmission, Captain sells the Ford authorized shop manual on CD ROM disk for $75.00 plus shipping. See: www.helminc.com - The files are in Adobe pdf format and can be viewed and printed on your computer. This is a kickoff time for me to apply an electronic shop manual, and I like it. I print out the pages I�m interested in, have the pages to the garage, and don�t worry nigh getting the pages dingy, or returning the manual to the bookshelf.

My commencement driving Impressions

The first afternoon dwelling house with the Think I took my wife, brother in constabulary and sister in police force for a �drive� in the neighborhood. With four people aboard the Think had surprising performance, and it�s quite. (You don�t realize how much noise a gasoline powered vehicle makes until you drive an electric vehicle.) I drove effectually the neighborhood for almost six to eight miles, until it got nighttime. Here is what we noticed, we were able to encounter and visit our neighbors. We would stop several times to visit with our neighbors, many we have non seen for a year. In cooler weather nosotros run across these neighbors when we �walk effectually the block� but in the July Houston weather it�s too hot to walk. Getting this �face time� with my neighbors is hard to exercise driving my truck with the windows rolled upward, air conditioner going total smash, and radio on.

The cornering ability of the Think is unbelievable. The independent break gives the ability to corner faster than I thought possible. The low eye of gravity and weight of the batteries contribute to this stability.

I made the right choice to buy the four passenger model Retrieve, because everyone wants to go for a exam drive or catch a ride to the store with yous. This is a smashing take a chance to make new friends.

I of the reasons for writing this article is to provide some data for people who stop me and inquire �what is that? Is it a golf cart?�

Insurance, yes!

On Monday morning, I contacted my insurance agent to add the Recollect to my motorcar policy, and the agent had difficulty understanding what a Retrieve was. Finally I emailed her a copy of the purchase invoice, which showed the VIN (vehicle identification number) and a picture of the Call up. Two days later on I received an insurance card to show coverage for the Remember. I suspect the insurance agency needed to do their �homework� considering information technology took 2 days to go the insurance card, in the by this was a 1-60 minutes turnaround.

Who is interested in the Recall? Who ask the near questions.

The over 50 year old, men are the ones who notice (and accept interest in) the Think and stop me to ask questions. Of grade the teenage boys and girls await and wave at me when I�g driving. The women in SUV�southward care for me as an annoyance, because they must slow down, and desire me to get out of their way.

Federal Tax incentives bachelor...

IRS Form 8834, Qualified Electric Vehicle Credit, will give yous a Revenue enhancement CREDIT of 7.five% (of the Think buy price). This taxation credit is available for individuals, on their 2002 income taxation return. For more than information come across IRS Form 8834, and search the IRS website for �Qualified Electrical Vehicle Credit.�

For me this is a taxation savings (credit) of over $600.00 (six hundred) dollars. Non confuse this tax credit with a taxation deduction. A revenue enhancement credit means $600.00 less taxes paid by me for 2002. I rationalized, �it�s costing $600.00 less.� However, I must look to file the 2002 income tax render to �collect� the revenue enhancement credit and offset the purchase cost.

I intend to update this article with a longer-term evaluation, so be sure to bookmark this site, and check dorsum later. This article is to provide you lot some firsthand data and to answer your questions.

This article was written by Gus Hrncir, a squad member of the Figurer Build or Buy Group Network, and a frequent presenter at the weekly meetings. Please visit this website for some peachy computer engineering science, and join us for our weekly meetings (viii-14-02).

Comments, please contact: Gus Hrncir, Contributing Technology Editor.

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