SAN FRANCISCO - Norwegian electric car maker Think Global said it plans to build vehicles in the United States in 2011 and has picked a site in Indiana for its U.S. manufacturing facility.

Think said on Tuesday it plans to assemble vehicles in Elkhart County and would invest $43.5 million in building improvements and equipment.

The company estimates its investments will support manufacturing capacity for more than 20,000 vehicles a year.

Lithium-ion battery maker Ener1 Inc, which has a 31 percent stake in Think Global, also has a manufacturing site in Indiana.

Think Global, which emerged from court protection last year, said it started delivering the latest generation of its electric car to customers in Europe in December.

The Think City all-electric vehicle can travel more than 100 miles on a single charge, the company said.

In addition to incentives provided by the State of Indiana and Elkhart County, Think said it plans to utilize funding from the U.S. loan program to establish its new production facility.

Think has been in the electric car space since the 1990s but has changed owners and struggled for cash through the years.

It was formerly part of U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co and its Think City electric car was produced after Ford took a major stake in 1999.

(Reporting by Poornima Gupta, editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

Ford Motor Company