Chesterton, IN-Lake Erie Land Company hosted a Th!nk planning session at Sand Creek Country Club on the evening of November 14th and the morning of November 15th, in order to brainstorm the application of technology for transportation that will use Coffee Creek Center as a national beta site.
Representatives from Ford Motor Company, Th!nk, William McDonough + Partners, Institute for Transportation at the University of California-Davis, and others came together in order to discuss the possibilities of electric powered vehicles at Coffee Creek Center. Additional participating companies included Intel, Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist, and Citizens for a Better Environment director, Susan Mudd. Th!nk is a two-seat electric car that is manufactured by Norway-based, Nordic AS. Ford Motor Company has taken a major step to jump start the development of these affordable small electric vehicles with its purchase of a majority interest in Th!nk. Th!nk represents a new mobility concept and a unique vehicle for city and urban driving. The compact Th!nk features a corrosion-proof, matte-finish, thermoplastic body that measures under 10 feet in length. The plastic body is integrated with a steel frame that provides overall strength for the car. "Looking at transportation and mobility in the 21st century is truly a multi-disciplinary job. We were thrilled to host such a diverse group as we begin creating a system that encompasses land use, innovative vehicles, and technology to address people's transportation needs, and offer real choice," said LEL's Director of Marketing, Kevin Warren.