Think™ delivers its first U.S.-Built electric cars

Governor Mitch Daniels taking delivery of the THINK City EV's from THINK CEO, Barry Engle

INDIANAPOLIS : December 18, 2010 – THINK™, the world’s leading dedicated electric vehicle maker, has delivered its first U.S.-built cars to the State of Indiana for use in its government fleet. The 15 vehicles, which were shipped from THINK’s manufacturing facility in Elkhart, Ind., will be the first electric passenger vehicles with American-made, Lithium-ion batteries used in an American fleet operation.

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CARB approves THINK CITY zero-emission vehicle

2010 THINK CITY

DEARBORN, Mich. : December 13, 2010 – The California Air Resources Board has approved the THINK City as a zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV). The approval paves the way for THINK to sell the all-electric THINK City in California, 12 other states and the District of Columbia that have adopted California’s ZEV requirements.

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Think continues global expansion with announcement of new U.S. assembly facility

The THINK City in Detroit

• Elkhart County, Indiana selected as location of North American production facility
• Joint announcement by THINK and Governor of Indiana Mitch Daniels today
• Start of production slated for early 2011
• $43.5 million investment in Indiana by THINK, creating up to 400 jobs by 2013

OSLO, Norway : January 5, 2010 – THINK, the Scandinavian electric vehicle (EV) maker, today announces plans to start production in Elkhart County, Indiana and the launch of the THINK City into the North American market.


The pioneering global manufacturer of electric vehicles plans to begin selling the THINK City, one of the world’s first highway-capable urban EVs, in the U.S. later this year. The company plans to invest $43.5 million in building improvements and equipment in Elkhart County, and the plant could begin assembling vehicles in early 2011.

THINK’s investments in Elkhart County will support manufacturing capacity for more than 20,000 vehicles a year. The company started delivering the latest generation of its THINK City model to customers in Europe last month.

The THINK City is a purpose-built, all-electric car designed for urban environments. It can travel at highway speeds for more than 100 miles on a single charge with zero local emissions. It is the world’s first EV to be granted certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate). To achieve these exacting standards, the THINK City has been through extensive testing and validation and several hundred computer simulations and correlations.

European production of the THINK City is already underway in Finland with manufacturing partner Valmet Automotive, which also assembles the Porsche Boxster and Cayman models for Porsche AG. Production will continue at Valmet Automotive to support European market demand, where sales have begun in selected key EV markets such as Austria, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

THINK CEO Richard Canny, said: “We are extremely pleased to announce plans for a second THINK production location today. Things are moving very swiftly for the company in Europe following the start of production in Finland and the subsequent start of sales at the end of last year. Now its time for us to do the same in the North American market – and there’s no better place to start than Indiana.”

He continued: “Indiana is quickly becoming an international leader in advanced, clean technology manufacturing. It’s an industry with a future, and EV’s are right in the center of the convergence of where the auto and energy sectors are heading. We’re proud to be part of this effort to reinvent and reinvest in U.S. auto manufacturing.”

THINK is joining Indianapolis-based lithium-ion battery maker, EnerDel in choosing Indiana for a North American manufacturing location. Ener1, the parent company of Enerdel, is a 31% equity stakeholder in THINK. In addition to incentives provided by the State of Indiana and Elkhart County, THINK plans to utilize funding from the U.S. Department of Energy ATVM loan program to establish its new production facility.

[Source : THINK via NEWSPRESS]

THINK City production starts at new state-of-the-art facility in Finland

The THINK City back in production, Valmet Automotive, Uusikaupunki, Finland

• First vehicles roll off the line at Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki
• First new customer deliveries scheduled before Christmas
• Sales roll-out into key European markets continues

OSLO, Norway, 10 December 2009 – THINK, the Scandinavian electric vehicle (EV) maker, has re-started production of the THINK City – one of the world’s first urban EVs – at a state-of-the-art new facility with manufacturing partner Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki, Finland.


Valmet Automotive is a leading provider of engineering and manufacturing services to the automotive industry and recently became a THINK shareholder and strategic industrial partner. Today marks the start of production at Valmet Automotive’s high-tech manufacturing base, which also produces Garia and Fisker alternative-fuel vehicles as well as Porsche AG’s Boxster and Cayman.

The THINK City back in production, Valmet Automotive, Uusikaupunki, Finland

The start of production at Valmet Automotive also marks a new start for THINK, which has made significant progress since announcing its re-capitalisation earlier this year with major new investors coming on board. In recent months THINK has made a series of senior executive appointments from the automotive and clean-tech industries, won major new contracts in the drivetrain supply business, started the roll-out of sales into key European markets and now, re-started production in Europe.

Richard Canny, THINK CEO, says: “This is a very significant day for THINK. We are back in production and I am so pleased that some of our very loyal customers can look forward to delivery of their long-awaited THINK City before Christmas. The order bank stands at around 2,300 vehicles, and our first priority is to deliver to these customers now that our vehicles are rolling off the production line again. Our next priority is to build on this order book with continued expansion in Europe and around the world.”

He added: “Our strategic alliance with Valmet Automotive is much more than just about assembly – we are already reaping the benefits of Valmet’s expertise in manufacturing and engineering – with time being taken out of the production process, more manufacturing done on site and an overall more efficient industrial solution, from product development support right through to final assembly.”

The THINK City is the world’s first EV to be granted certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate). To achieve these exacting standards, the THINK City has been through extensive testing and validation and several hundred computer simulations and correlations.

Ilpo Korhonen, President of Valmet Automotive, said: “Valmet already has expertise in the EV industry, but with the start of industrial production of the THINK City at our cutting-edge facilities in Finland, we aim to become a leader in the industry. The start of production is a very important step for both THINK and Valmet, and we aim to grow our strategic alliance alongside the growth of the THINK brand around Europe as more deliveries of the eagerly awaited THINK City are made in the coming weeks.”

Sales of the THINK City have started in selected key EV markets such as Austria, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, with first fleet deliveries due to start before Christmas. The majority of THINK sales in these countries have been made to municipal authorities and utility partners, supported by government incentives.

[Source : THINK via NEWSPRESS]

Think takes centre stage in Copenhagen with the largest fleet of zero-emissions electric vehicles at UN Climate Summit

THINK EV Fleet at COP15

OSLO, Norway : December 7, 2009 – THINK, the Scandinavian electric vehicle (EV) maker, and its largest fleet customer, Move About, the Norwegian car-share fleet operator, are providing 15 THINK City courtesy vehicles to the COP 15 Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009.


The low carbon battery electric vehicles will be on hand at the Bella Centeret conference centre from the opening of COP15 today and for the duration of the summit. All conference delegates will be invited to ride in the world’s first urban EV during their time in Copenhagen.

Move About’s THINK City vehicles will also participate in the Copenhagen Hopenhagen Live Parade on 13 December, which is a cavalcade of alternative fuels vehicles through the centre of the city to mark the close of the 2009 climate change conference.

Move About Chairman, Jarle Froshaug, said: “With our 15 THINK City cars we have the largest EV fleet here in Copenhagen, and we hope that many of the delegates, VIPs and media at COP 15 will ‘walk the talk’ and choose to ride with us, emissions free.”

THINK CEO, Richard Canny added: “We are proving that electric vehicles are a viable, safe, fun and practical method of urban transportation. We’re delighted to see governments around the world working together to accelerate this transition. This change to electric transportation is as profound as the change to the personal computer and the internet.”

He added: “THINK is proud to be a pioneer linking the new energy industry with the traditional auto industry, and our fleet of THINK City EVs proves that the change has reached a tipping point. With a range of up to 180km and zero vehicle emissions, the THINK City has to be the smart choice for visitors to ride in at COP15.”

The THINK City is the world’s first urban EV to be granted certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate). To achieve these exacting standards, the THINK City has been through extensive testing and validation, including hundreds of computer simulations and correlations, over 50 sled tests and more than 20 full vehicle crash tests.

Sales of the THINK City have started in selected markets, such as Norway, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Switzerland and most recently, Spain. Vehicles in these countries are primarily sold to municipal fleet holders, governments and utility partners as pilot and demonstration fleets with the support of government incentives.

[Source : THINK via NEWSPRESS]

EV maker Think makes its Finnish debut at Helsinki Electric Motor Show 2009

The ThinkCity at Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki, Finland

• The Think city appears at Helsinki Electric Motor Show ahead of start of production at Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki
  
• First test drives of the ready-to-market production ev offered to show visitors

HELSINKI, Finland : November 5, 2009 – Think, the Norwegian electric vehicle (EV) maker, makes its Finland motor show debut this weekend at the Helsinki Electric Motor Show, which runs from Friday to Sunday, 6 – 8 November 2009.


The Think City is the world’s first ‘ready-to-market’ urban EV and is among the world’s most carbon friendly vehicles, with zero local emissions and three times the energy efficiency of a traditional combustion engine car.

Richard Canny, Think CEO, says: “We are delighted to be a part of this dedicated EV motor show, which is testament to the rapidly growing market for electric vehicles around the world. Think has been producing EVs since 1991 and the Think City is the world’s first ‘ready-to-market’ urban battery electric vehicle – it is available for sale now in some European countries and we are inviting auto show visitors test drives in a production Think City, which will soon be manufactured here in Finland with our partners, Valmet Automotive.”

The Think City is a very safe vehicle to drive both in cities and on highways, as proven by its certification with the European CE conformity mark and EU homologation requirements (M1 certificate) – it is the first electric vehicle to be awarded a pan-European homologation certificate. To become the first EV to meet these exacting standards, the Think City has been through extensive testing and validation, including hundreds of computer simulations and correlations, over 50 sled tests and more than 20 full vehicle crash tests.

Ilpo Korhonen, President of Valmet Automotive, said: “Finland will soon be Think’s manufacturing base, therefore it is significant that the company is exhibiting the Think City at the very first Helsinki Electric Motor Show. Our strategic alliance in Europe with Think for manufacturing engineering, production and further product development consolidates Valmet’s expertise in the EV business, in which Think is a leader, given its outstanding carbon efficiency, proven safety attributes and fun driving characteristics.”

Pre-launch activities of the Think City have started in selected markets such as Norway, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and most recently, Spain. Vehicles in these countries are primarily sold to municipal fleets, government and utility partners as pilot and demonstration fleets with the support of government incentives.

[Source : NEWSPRESS]