This Week:

• Premiere of the W12 Coupé at the Tokyo Motor Show 2001
  .

• Ford Motor Company Announces Senior Management Changes
  .

• Willys2 Concept Expands Go-Anywhere, Do-Anything Attitude of Jeep® Brand
  .

• Porsche extends partnership with Valmet Automotive
  .

• Renault and Nissan plan to step up development of the Alliance
  .

• Pontiac Introduces Aztek SRV, A Go-Anywhere Do-Anything Vehicle
  .

• Ford Launches New Era of Personal Mobility with TH!NK Neighbor
  .

• Top design award for AUDI AG's "museum mobile" / North Rhine-Westphalia Design Centre awards "red dot:grand prix"
  .

• Toyota Financial Services Forms Mexican Company to Complement Toyota's Entry into Mexican Market
  .

• Chrysler Group Unveils Industry-First Vehicle Communications System
  .

• PSA PEUGEOT CITROËN -  Consolidated sales up a comparable 13.9% to 38.9 billion of euros at September 30, 2001
  .

© 1998 - 2001 Copyright & 
Disclaimer
Automotive Intelligence,
www.autointell.com
All Rights Reserved .
For questions please contact
editor@autointell.com  

News of  October 31, 2001

Ford Launches New Era of Personal Mobility with TH!NK Neighbor

Ford Motor Company President and CEO, Jacques Nasser and Detroit Mayor, Dennis Archer drive ceremonial first TH!NK Neighbor off the line 

Photo: Ford

DETROIT - Ford Motor Company began production of a unique new zero-emissions vehicle today when the first TH!NK neighbor low-speed electric vehicle rolled off the line at the TruMack Assembly Detroit Chassis Plant (DCP). Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer and Ford President and CEO Jacques Nasser were behind the wheel. The TH!NK neighbor is being introduced at Ford dealerships in selected markets nationwide, with the first shipment bound for southern California.

"The TH!NK neighbor is another first for Ford Motor Company in the area of developing sustainable transportation," said Nasser.  "We are also committed to working with the city of Detroit to develop employment opportunities." "The partnership between Ford and DCP embodies the important effort to create a work force in the Detroit Renaissance Zone and dedication to building the local economy, both of which are imperative to continuously furthering growth and development in Detroit," Archer said.

A new production line was developed and tooled for manufacturing the TH!NK neighbor at DCP in just 10 months.  Up to 10,000 vehicles per year will be built.

Built in 1999 in a Renaissance Zone on Detroit's east side, DCP is a 218,000-square-foot state of the art assembly facility.  It has, to date, created over 300 jobs in the local community.

The TH!NK neighbor is part of Ford's lineup of zero emission electric vehicles.  It is designed for commuting on speed-limited roads, resort and golf course use or as a security or maintenance vehicle inside business parks, corporate campuses and industrial areas.  It has a top speed of 25 mph and range of up to 30 miles.  The vehicle is battery powered and can be recharged using any household outlet in six to eight hours.

Ford became the first automaker to dedicate an entire brand to environmental products with the TH!NK Group.  Other vehicles include the pedal-assist TH!NK bike fun and the folding TH!NK bike traveler and the TH!NK city urban vehicle.  The TH!NK city is a two-seat vehicle that has a top speed of 55 miles per hour and a range of approximately 55 miles.

(Oct. 29, 2001)

[Homepage] [ News] [ Companies] [ Management] [ Publications] [ Events] [ Careers]
[Services] [Discussion] [ Guestbook] [ Search]