Compact EV now carries four

Norwegian EV maker Think has unveiled the latest version of its Think City compact, doubling the passenger capacity of the vehicle.

The firm released more details on the new four-seater Think City December 20, confirming that the upgraded model will go on sale across Europe this month.

The new version is likely to substantially widen the market for the Think City, which until now has been a two seater vehicle in the style of the Smart Fortwo, also set to be released as an electric vehicle in 2012.

"At the heart of everything Think does is flexibility to the customer - and we have just taken this a step further this Christmas with the introduction for the first time of the 2+2 seating configuration," said the company's Michael Lock.

However, the chassis of the car hasn't been modified for the extra seats, meaning that storage space is reduced int he 2x2 seating configuration, although Lock says that the seats will stow away to give largely the same load space as before.

Last week, Think began production of the Think City in the US, as it prepares to begin for US retail delivery of the cars in late 2011.

Think claims that its diminutive City car is the world's best selling EV, but while it has enjoyed a considerable first to market advantage in the past, it's about to find itself in a very different marketplace.

With the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf on sale in the US, and the Peugeot iOn and Mitsubishi i-MiEV soon to hit the roads in Europe, Think is likely to face some significant competition from major automakers.

http://www.thinkev.com