THINK Delivers 17 EVs to Utility Fleet Customers and Employees in Indiana

Think City Electric Vehicle

THINK has delivered 17 THINK CIty electric cars to utility fleet customers and employees in Indiana. Duke Energy in Plainfield, Ind. received 10 electric THINK City cars, and the remainder were delivered to Indianapolis Power & Light for company fleet use.

Electric utilities and their employees are a natural extension of our fleet strategy. By targeting electric utilities in the early deployment of EVs, we can help address several important challenges to the successful commercialization of these cars, such as establishing residual values for batteries, the cost of installing infrastructure and understanding the local impact of charging networks on the grid. Electric utilities are impacted by all of these issues, not only as customers, but also as fuel and service providers.

—THINK spokesperson Brendan Prebo

THINK is working with Duke, IPL and the Energy Systems Network (ESN) to collect data on the deployment and use of electric cars as part of Project Plug-IN. THINK has contracted with Tom Wood Automotive in Indianapolis to support the sale and service of THINK City electric cars in the metropolitan area.

By early 2011, Project Plug-IN will place 100 or more electric vehicles and supporting charging infrastructure with government and corporate fleets, as well as selected individual commuters, across the Indianapolis metropolitan area.

The THINK City model is an all-electric, zero-emission car designed in Scandinavia for fleet applications and urban commuters. The THINK City can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge, using Lithium-ion batteries manufactured in Indiana by Ener1, Inc. THINK plans to roll out retail distribution in select US cities in the second half of 2011.

Source: Green Car Congress