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Battery Shortage Stalls Fisker EV Production
Fisker Automotive Inc. tells Bloomberg News it has been forced to halt production of its Karma extended-range hybrid sedan until it can get more lithium-ion batteries.
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Fisker Automotive Inc. tells Bloomberg News it has been forced to halt production of its Karma extended-range hybrid sedan until it can get more lithium-ion batteries.
The company's battery provider, A123 Systems Inc., filed for Chapter 11 last month. The supplier's assets are likely to be sold by mid-December.
Fisker CEO Tony Posawatz notes that switching to a new battery provider might mean a year of testing and validation work. He hopes that an A123 buyer might be able to quickly resume battery production and says he would welcome either of the highest-profile bidders: Johnson Controls and China's Wanxiang Group.
Karma inventories are running low, but the carmaker still expects to deliver about 2,000 units by year-end.
A123's bankruptcy is the latest setback in a string of exceptional bad luck for Fisker. The company has recalled the Karma three times, lost a $529 million government loan and suspended work on its second model, the Atlantic. Earlier this month Hurricane Sandy destroyed 340 unsold Karmas with a retail value of at least $35 million.
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