The Think, a squat, battery-powered city car, celebrated its official production launch in Aurskog, Norway, late last month. After presiding over a modest ribbon-cutting ceremony, Jan-Olaf Willums, Think Global’s chief executive, took a visitor on a careering, skidding spin through the factory’s icy car park.

Asked whether the car – barely three metres long – was safe, Mr Willums cited the $150m spent on it by Ford Motor, the brand’s former owner, including on developing a crash-resistant steel frame that will help the car meet European and US safety standards. But were the electric cars, with their plastic panels, durable? Mr Willums smiles before delivering a swift karate-style kick to the side of the car, leaving no mark.