Help! Need the name of an alternative "car"...

[neweurope]

Some weks ago people were discussing gas prices here and somebody posted a link about a new European "car" which uses very little gas. It comes in two varieties - one only "car", the other somehow combined "car" and "bycicle". I have misplaced the link and cannot remember the name of it - it was "Tweak" or something similar but Google cannot help me. And I cannot use the search function here on DU.
Does anybody remember?

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Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[smurfygirl]

1. think

is it a think vehicle?

Ford makes these only in Europe

[leveymg]

11. Car-bike? Sounds like one of these:

FlintstoneMobile - Yabba dabba do!

[CascadeTide]

2. smart car?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5217861/

[ihaveaquestion]

15. Oohhh, I like this one. I'm getting on their mailing list! n/t

[CascadeTide]

3. Why does the "auto-industry" insist americans don't want efficient cars?

Isn't the Prius on eternal backorder? I would buy one of these cars to get around town.

[neweurope]

4. No, it wasn't a smart, it was something totally different.

It sits two, you can use it as a bicycle if you want or use the motor or alternate between both, the maximum speed is 80 km/h, and it is incredibly low on gas - a full tank costs 50 cent. That's pretty much all I remember.

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Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[greyl]

5. "a full tank costs 50 cent."

Ok, that's a small tank.

[smurfygirl]

6. it's a think vehicle then

just google THINK!
vehicle

or try Think ford

should pull it up.

I have seen them before. They are really cool. Supposedly they are going to release some here in 2007 or sometime.

[CascadeTide]

7. it's TH!NK

http://www.21stcentury.co.uk/cars/ford_th!nk.asp

[Dover]

10. It's possible Ford purchased a controlling interest in order to prevent

it from being sold before they were ready for it to be in the market.

"The company has plans for TH!NK to be sold in North American in the year 2000..."

[neweurope]

8. No "Think" - it's a "TWIKE"! I've found it... look at this:

http://www.twike.com/

Wish I had the money for it... it's incredible!
Thank you for your help - I finally found the link when I googled for "Think" :)


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Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[CascadeTide]

9. that is cool, how much is it?

i want to get one now ;)

[neweurope]

12. me, too *sigh*

"TWIKE EASY"
The new TWIKE basic version without pedal gear with 3 kW asynchronous motor and 3 kW quick charger.
11.448€

"TWIKE ACTIVE"
The well-tried TWIKE classic version with 3 kW asynchronous motor, 3 kW quick charger and pedal gear.
12.310€

Battery module
NiCd with 3,6Ah - 1,2 kWh - 336 V - quick rechargeable, incl. battery management
To opperate a TWIKE at least 2 modules are required. Up to 3 modules can be installed.
1.810€

All prices are recommended retail prices of the FINE Mobile GmbH and are valid ex factory excl. shipping costs and tax.


To order a TWIKE for North America contact:

[e-mail]

I'm determined to tell everybody I know about this car - the more people buy it, the cheaper it will get...
With gas prices ar 1.50 Euro/liter here, it will soon be a real alternative even as a second car. And my little bus I will only use for the longer rides and vacations.
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Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[npincus]

14. cute!

[Mairead]

13. It's the right basic idea, but any US/Canada version will need more range

Imagine trying to commute every day from Cuxhaven to Bremen and back, or Bremen to Hamburg. Nobody could use a Twike to do it.

There's a tiny company in Britain that makes a 3-wheeler similar to the Morgan of sainted memory (http://www.triking-cyclecars.co.uk/Still%20Photos.htm). Those are made for sport, and haven't the best mileage they could have.

But imagine the Twike principle (materials of the lightest possible weight, pedalable, aerodynamic) combined with, say, a small biodiesel engine rather than an electric motor. That would make it practical for a primary vehicle in today's North America.

Of course, what we need in tomorrow's North America is much less sprawl and much more light rail. But that's not going to happen overnight. Idiocy reigns supreme.