First American-made THINK Electric Car Delivered In Indiana

It has been a minute since we have reported on the diminutive THINK City minicar. Last time we checked in on the THINK it was competing in the START Eco Car Trials on the other side of the pond. That said, THINK is in the news this week with the first 15 American-made THINK City electric vehicles being delivered to buyers…or in this case buyer. The purchase also marks a milestone in the American fleet industry by being the first American-made electric vehicle with Lithium-ion batteries to be purchased for U.S. fleet operation.

The first 15 THINK City EVs were delivered to the State of Indiana for government fleet use—a fitting first customer considering the significant community and government support of the Elkhart, Indiana assembly plant. “Our delivery today is part of a larger effort to help transform the U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet from one that is mostly dependent on imported oil, to one that is fueled entirely by domestically produced electric energy,” said Barry Engle, THINK CEO. So where is the State of Indiana going to use the vehicles? The vehicles will be rolled out to Indiana state parks. We saw this specific green initiative as an opportunity to test alternative energy vehicles in real-life situations. We believe the state parks provide the best locations to test these vehicles,” said Department of Administration director Rob Wynkoop said.

This move by the Indiana government is just another step in the states commitment to vehicles powered by alternative energy. Through the creation of an advanced electric ecosystem, Project Plug-IN is helping the State of Indiana and potential electric consumers utilize leading edge EV technology. Project Plug-IN is a initiative organized by the Energy Systems Network (ESN). “Our goal with Project Plug-IN is the seamless transition for consumers from gas-powered to electric cars,” said ESN president and CEO Paul Mitchell. “To make this happen requires collaboration among vehicle and battery makers, utilities and government agencies at all levels and the willing participation of fleet operators, like the Department of Administration. The response so far has been tremendous.”