The Auto Writer

The first batch of electric Think City models rolled off of a Valmet Automotive assembly line in Finland last week.

Green car automaker restarts EV assembly

The smallest and lightest electric vehicle in the world is back. Trouble is, only the most avid green car fans knew that the THINK City was around in the first place.

Think drew my attention earlier this year not so much for the car itself but for the spelling of the company’s name. Happily, the automaker has removed the exclamation mark from the Th!nk nomenclature, although having put the letter “I” back in its rightful place, they then proceeded to capitalize everything.

I won’t be playing along with either attention getter – they’re neither Th!nk or THINK. Me thinks that they’re distracting everyone from what this model is really all about – the first electric city car in the world.

Strapped For Cash

The Think idea nearly died earlier this year when the company ran out of money. And the timing of its near demise was when world markets had cratered as the scope of the financial crisis soon became apparent.

With its money now gone, Think shut down production and stepped up its quest to find new investors. Those investors include Valmet Automotive, an unusual Finnish company with a car manufacturing facility but no models of its own.

Indeed, Uusikaupunki-basedValmet is tapped to build car’s for other manufacturers including Porsche, Fisker, and the Garia golf cart. Valmet and other investors now have a stake in Think, a move which has allowed the EV manufacturer to resume production and hopefully get its first cars to customers in time for Christmas.

Fleet Models First

Think says that is has standing orders to deliver 2300 City models with the first batch going primarily to government sponsored fleets in Europe including Sweden, Spain, Norway, and the Netherlands. The automaker hopes to double its orders in 2010 and has already cast its eye on acquiring a second automotive plant, this one in the United States.

Indiana and three other states are apparently in the running for a Think plant with that decision expected by early February. According to Automotive News, the chairman of lithium-ion battery manufacturer Ener1 Inc. which has a 31% stake in Think told Reuters that Indiana was the pick. Think spokesmen James Andrew said last week that Indiana was in the running as were three other unnamed states.

Every City model features two seats although customers can order a pair of rear seats if they want to make room for children. The Think City is powered by its front wheels and features plug in electric technology giving it a range of about 180 kilometers (approximately 112 miles) before it needs to be recharged.

Airbags; ABS; regenerative brakes; electric windows, mirrors, and doors; GPS, and power steering are among the standard features. Optionally, customers can order their City with a full length sunroof, electrically heated windscreeen, premium sound systems, and more.

Nordic Winter Test

Pricing for individual customers hasn’t been announced yet or at least I haven’t been able to uncover how much the Think City will cost. Right now, the automaker is concentrating on fleet sales with utility companies and governments fleets acquiring the first models.

Likely, once all of the bugs are worked out the general public will get its chance to buy one. Importantly, if it can survive a Nordic winter, the diminutive City could quickly supplant the Smart Fortwo as a city car favorite in North America.