news

Norwegian EV company back to production, Thinking big

Production of Think Global’s baby electric car resumes today in Finland with a full order book and ambitions to expand throughout Europe and the US.


The original Norwegian factory in Aurskog was forced to temporarily shut down in the second quarter of this year due to the pressures of the financial crisis.

But with investments over the European summer of more than $51 million, Think CEO, Richard Canny, said he plans to deliver the all-electric City to Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland by Christmas.

“The order bank stands at around 2300 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 said, with earlier statements suggesting that producing 4600 units in Finland is the goal for 2010.

A decision on the location of the fledgling company’s US manufacturing plant is expected in late January to early February, with four states on Think’s shortlist.

Indiana is perhaps the favourite after comments by Ener1 Chairman and CEO, Charles Gassenheimer, who said the site had already been chosen in November.

Ener1 is Think’s litium-ion battery supplier and a 31 percent stakeholder in the Norwegian business.

 

(with Automotive News)

Chat with us!







Chat with Agent