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 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.
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.
