Kleiner hopes for 50,000 electric car sales a year

SAN FRANCISCO, April 21 (Reuters) - Venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers hopes for sales of as much as 50,000 of its Think City all-electric cars per year in two or three years' time, a senior Kleiner executive said on Monday.

"It's a mass market vehicle," said Ray Lane, a managing partner at Kleiner and chairman of Think North America, a joint venture announced earlier on Monday. "In a couple of years, we hope to be selling 30-40-50,000 cars per year," Lane said at a press conference.

Kleiner's venture with Boston-based RockPort Capital Partners and electric car maker Think Global of Norway plans to start marketing Think City in the U.S. starting late in 2009.

He said Think City will be priced below $25,000.

The Think City will target Toyota Motor Corp's (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research) "Prius-class customers," Lane said.

The Prius is a popular hybrid car currently available in the United States.