Think Releases List of Top 15 Cities Ready For EVs in U.S.

How do you find out if the city that you live in is ready for the electric car revolution?  Well there are several ways.  Search for the nearest charging station in your area, contact local utilities and ask about rates for charging vehicles during off peak hours, find out if your area has smart meters coming soon.  The list goes on, but one of the easiest ways to determine the readiness of your city is to listen to the automakers.  Are they launching EVs in your area first?  Do they list your city as a prime market?

Electric vehicle maker Think has just released their own list of the top 15 cities in the U.S. that they believe are ready for EVs.  Read on to see if your location is on the list.

Think will begin building and selling their Think City EV in the U.S.  In anticipation of the launch of this vehicle, the company has listed some prime markets for electric vehicles.  Think released their "U.S. EV-Ready Cities Index" last week at the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) annual meeting.  The company based their findings on government support, infrastructure, hybrid sales, traffic congestion, air quality, and the use of car pool lanes.

As Think CEO Richard Canny remarked, "Some cities are more likely to be early adopters of EV technology and the EV-Ready Cities Index will be a helpful tool to guide and prioritize the development of those markets."

If your city is not listed, you may not see EV sold in your location for several years.  For those making the list, EVs could be just months away.

Here's the list in descending order

Los Angeles

San Francisco

Chicago and New York (tied for third)

San Diego

Portland

Sacramento

Newark

Seattle

Atlanta

Denver

Boston

Washington D.C.

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Source:  Think Press Release

Today, pioneering electric vehicle company THINK released its first U.S. EV-Ready Cities Index. The top four cities included first-ranked Los Angeles and second-ranked San Francisco with Chicago and New York tied for third.

WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 28, 2010

The THINK EV-Ready Cities Index was presented by THINK CEO Richard Canny at the Electric Drive Transportation Association Annual Conference and Meeting at the Washington Auto Show. The company recently announced plans to manufacture the THINK City electric car in Elkhart, Ind. with U.S. production slated to begin early next year.

San Diego, Portland and Sacramento were rated fifth, sixth and seventh putting four cities in California in the top-15 index. Rounding out the top ten were Newark, Seattle and Atlanta. The remaining cities included Denver, Boston, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and Phoenix.

THINK developed the EV-Ready Cities Index to measure which markets are most likely to begin and benefit from the transition to electric vehicles, providing an objective comparison of the EV purchase and usage incentives as well as the market fit for EV's.

"We expect that the roll-out of EV's to the U.S. market will be quite focused in the early stages. Some cities are more likely to be early adopters of EV technology, and the EV-Ready Cities Index will be a helpful tool to guide and prioritize the development of those markets. It reflects the available government support, consumer acceptance, and the opportunity for EVs to provide the maximum benefits possible from electric drive," Canny said. "Since EVs are a unique solution for congested urban environments, we are taking a city-by-city approach rather than a national or state-by-state approach."

The THINK EV-Ready Cities Index takes into account purchase and usage incentives - such as HOV lane access and infrastructure support - for electric vehicles as well as market fit, which includes factors such as hybrid sales, traffic congestion, EPA non-attainment zone status (air quality), and potential lower-carbon energy sources for vehicle recharging. The index was compiled for THINK by ASG Renaissance, a market research and business services firm located in Dearborn, Mich.

The U.S. EV-ready index mirrors one THINK developed for targeting markets in Europe, which recognized Oslo, Copenhagen and Amsterdam as the top-three markets. The company plans to continue to monitor EV-ready factors and periodically update and release its index.

"Ideally, we would like the THINK City to be available throughout the U.S. next year, but in our early commercialization phase, it is important that we first establish a strong concentration of sales in key, highly attractive markets, which support early adoption of sustainable, zero emissions transport solutions," Canny said.

THINK plans to begin selling the THINK City, which will have a top speed of more than 70 miles per hour and a range of more than 100 miles per full charge, in target U.S. cities beginning this year.

THINK EV-Ready Cities Index scorecard

About THINK:

THINK is a pioneer in electric vehicles and a leader in electric vehicle technology, developed and proven over 19 years. It is one of the few companies that are currently producing highway-ready, fully electric vehicles for sale - the THINK City. THINK is also a leader in electric drive-system technology, and was the first to offer a modular and flexible EV drive-train solution in the business-to-business sector. With its Scandinavian origins and sustainability mindset, THINK is one of the most carbon efficient car companies in the world.

THINK has established a U.S. subsidiary - THINK North America, a stand-alone business that will include manufacturing, product development, sales