Another High MPG(e) Convert; A Work in Progress

Over some 75k miles, I've been able to maintain just over 50 lifetime
MPG in our "big car," a red, '08 Prius Touring, AMAPOLA, "poppy" in
Spanish. In our mostly urban driving it takes using hyper mileing tactics
to get/keep that number. OTOH, my wife never does much better than
low/mid 40's MPG. Despite my gentle urgings to follow my example, she
just drives the Prius like the car it replaced, an older Maxima. Since the
Prius doubles the MPGs we got earlier, she sees no reason to go all out.
And since the gas gauge goes down so slowly, she never felt any pressure
to try. She found the ScanGuage distracting at best, and more like no use
whatsoever. (The only issue then and now is remembering to glance at the
"guess gauge" at least once a week to prevent running out of gas!)



Enter our red, all-electric, Think City, ESPERANZA, "hope" in Spanish, our "little car." We
got her in May '12 and since then my wife uses it almost exclusively. We were very happy
with the range we got through the summer and early fall, IIRC up to 60 miles between
30% SOC and fully charged. As the temps dropped in late fall, and more so in the winter,
my wife started to notice increased SOC use on her typical 15 mile round trip daily
commute. Due some careful observation over time she was able to identify increased
SOC use/reduced range due especially to the heater, but also the headlights and even
the wipers. I was slack-jawed with amazement and pleasure. She was finally starting to

"get it," as to energy use all on her own. So, we talked about things diverse about how the
Think was different from the Prius.

Later she reported the she had switched to using E(con) drive exclusively. This was
significant because earlier she had found the dragfrom regen when slowing down in E
unsettling, "weird" even. She had absolutely refused to use E, using only D(rive), no

regen, and the brakes as needed. This even though I had explained that E would capture
some small portion of otherwise about to wasted excess potential energy through regen
which saved $$, though realistically it was only pennies. And on her own she discovered

that by keeping plenty of distance ahead between cars and planning ahead for lights and
stops she could use regen for most brakeng, just like I did. She really liked "driving with
one pedal," her terminology. So, we talked about the benefits of "driving without brakes" --
drifting is better than regen, regen is better than brakeing, and braking is infinately better
than a collision -- and other tactics. I was careful not to mention "hyper mileing" for fear of
spooking her.

And what of our beloved Prius, the big car? We have to remember to use her for the longest
errandruns on weekends to keep the 12V battery topped up. Or on the rare occasions when
we both have to be on the road going separate ways. My hope of course is that she will
transfer her newfound realizations to driving the Prius. And I'll have to wait patiently to see if
she discovers on her own that regen is mostly in the brake pedal, not the acceleraor.

We both like our little red Think immensely, and use her every chance we get, literally every
day of the week. My wife is looking forward to getting back to the lesser SOC use that we saw
in the "wine and roses" days of late spring and summer. (For the most part we used the air
cond. very little last sumer. I said nothing about it's SOC hit and I am waiting to hear when
she figures it out. I see no need whatsoever of trying to hustle things along and risk reducing
the excitement that we have both felt and shared.

 

All the external body panels are color impregnated, slightly pebble-grained,
egg shell gloss ABS. These over a high strength steel frame. The inner panel of
the pax doors are a steel pressings.

Wash, no need to wax. Chemical cleaners strongly discouraged. If you're
going to use one anyway, first test on a hidden spot, like inner surface of hood
so that any irreversible horrific result isn't visible.

Borbet alloy rims , type CA, 6x14, hub centric, weight 19?? lbs (heavyish)
Tires: 165/65R14, OEM Michelin Energy Saver- front and rear

Bisco,

I know what you're thinking. But it ain't so, the roof on all Thinks
matches the body color. Hahaha, the kid laughs at you!


You have to have a good sense of humor or thick skin to drive a Think.

 

Unfortunately, no. The Think was designed and built following classic
Scandinavian furniture minimalist concepts, as in keep it simple. Some examples:
* it has a stereo, and it has two speakers;
* it can carry two people, and it has two cup holders;
* you need to clear the windshield, and it has one bus-like wiper,
* the power windows need switches, and there is one for each window on the center
console, no auto-down on drivers side;
* there is a glove shelf, it does not have a door;
* there is preciously small storage on the doors and in the sides behind the seats, it
is a hammock-like nets.
(From these lastt two. I take it that Scandinavians are obsessively if not anally neat
and clean.)

The only extravagance I've found is that unlike the Prius, there is a switch on the
dash to release the rear hatch ;-)

There is but a single interior color scheme: headliner is cream colored (This
wraps down to the floor behind the seats.); door panels are silver. Door panel
inserts, dash, center stack, floor mats and seats are black. Take it or leave it.

I know of but a single exception. At sometime in the past, one of the company
owners had the seats, dash and door panels done in red for his personal car.