TWENTY companies in Edinburgh are to take part in an 18-month trial of Ford's environmentally friendly TH!NK City electric car.

The 'TH!NK @bout Edinburgh' project is a joint partnership between Ford, the City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Executive and the Energy Saving Trust initiative, TransportAction Powershift.

Two groups of 10 companies will use the vehicles over 18 months on a subsidised lease scheme for just £80 a month.

They will report back their experiences every month during the project which will study the future of sustainable mobility and demonstrate the environmental benefits of electric vehicles in cities.

The scheme follows the successful roll-out of the Think @bout London project, launched in September 2001, in which 30 firms took part including Sainsbury's, Body Shop and BT.

  • FORD is extending the customer base for its ground-breaking electric TH!NK vehicle by offering new leases to private clients and businesses. The monthly lease cost, including full servicing, is £325, excluding VAT, with no lump sum down payment, for three years. Charging the TH!NK city car overnight costs about 40 pence in electricity and it plugs into any domestic socket. For details, go to www.thinkaboutlondon.co.uk