Clive Sinclair driving his C5 electric micro-car at its launch in 1985.
Clive Sinclair, Born 1940
technology entrepreneur
Sir Clive Sinclair is an English entrepreneur and inventor, most commonly known for his work in consumer electronics in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After spending several years as assistant editor of Instrument Practice, Sinclair founded Sinclair Radionics in 1961, where he produced the first slim-line electronic pocket calculator in 1972 (the Sinclair Executive). Sinclair later moved into the production of home computers and produced the Sinclair ZX80, the UK's first mass-market home computer for less than £100. Sinclair Research also produced the TV80, a flatscreen portable mini television utilising a cathode ray tube. In 1983 Sinclair formed Sinclair Vehicles and released the Sinclair C5, a battery electric vehicle that was also a commercial failure. Since then Sinclair has concentrated on personal transport, including the A-bike, a folding bicycle for commuters that folds down small enough to be carried on public transport.