Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have tossed quite a bit of money at Tesla Motors, but they did so as private individuals. Now there’s word that Google itself could get behind another automotive effort.
Don’t get too excited; the focus of these rumors, a vehicle dubbed the Think, is nowhere near as sexy as the Tesla Roadster, and as admitted by the Think’s official website, its top speed is under 65 mph. The Think is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an electric Ferrari. It’s not even an electric Hyundai. But the Think would fall in line with the sort of environmentally sound thinking that Google supports.
According to Pandia, Dean Kamen (of Segway sorta-fame) “would like to use the Th!nk as a mobile generator that can draw energy from the power grid when needed and send electricity back during periods of peak demand . . .”
Now, nothing’s decided yet, but “[f]or that to happen he needs a partner that can handle large amounts of data over global networks. The most obvious choice for that kind work is, of course, Google.” And Google actually had the Think people over for a little sit-down.
I can’t get too excited about this little vehicle, but, even as a car guy, I’ve got no objections to seeing it enter the market. I’d even be interested in seeing Google support the Think – that could bring those electric Ferraris here all the sooner.
