EV-Maker Think is Still Alive and Wants To Build Its Electric City Cars in the U.S.

EV-Maker Think is Still Alive and Wants To Build Its Electric City Cars in the U.S.

Struggling Norwegian EV maker Think , which has managed to stay alive after filing for bankruptcy in December, is holding a press conference in Michigan next week to announce a plan to manufacture its plastic-bodied city cars in the U.S.

The company, which has a history of ups and downs - mostly downs - recently received a bridge loan of $5.7 million from investors led by the equity firm Ener1 Group, which holds the controlling stake in Think's battery supplier Ener1.

An outside spokesman for the company said today that Think is "in the process of re capitalizing" and is "refocusing ... and wants to bring its manufacturing to markets where it would make sense to do so."

That means, we think, that Think is looking for government aid - and in the U.S. there's the potential of a lot of federal and state aid for an electric car maker that already has all the parts, plans and processes and just needs a factory, suppliers and some funds to get rolling.

In any event, Think's press conference on Thursday will center on the company's meeting in Ann Arbor, Mich., with representatives of that state and seven others" to discuss options to bring electric vehicle manufacturing jobs to the U.S.," the company said today.

Think also said today that is still plans to launch U.S. sales by the middle of next year. The company now has a 2-seat city car and intends to launch a 4-seat version later this year - if funding holds out.

Stay tuned.

John O'Dell:  is an AutoObserver Senior Editor. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.