Fisker Chairman Resigns

Henrik Fisker, who founded hybrid carmaker Fisker Automotive Inc. in 2007 and designed its zoomy Karma sport sedan, has left the company.

He tells Automotive News he quit as executive chairman because of "major disagreements" with Fisker's top executives about business strategy.

Observers suspect the former senior designer at Aston Martin, BMW and Ford was unhappy that the company might be sold to another automaker. The Anaheim, Calif.-based startup confirmed previously that it is considering bids from unidentified suitors in Europe and China.

The company has struggled to find sufficient funding since February 2012, when the U.S. Dept. of Energy froze its $529 million loan.

Fisker Automotive needs cash to revive development of its $50,000-$60,000 Atlantic plug-in sedan. The car originally was to go into production late last year.

The company's $107,900 Karma has been recalled three times and was unfavorably reviewed by Consumer Reports. Production was halted late last year after its battery supplier, A123 Systems Inc., went bankrupt.

Henrik Fisker ceded the CEO job to former Chrysler Group CEO Tom LaSorda in February 2012. Tony Posawatz, former chief engineer for General Motors Co.'s Chevrolet Volt plug-in sedan, took over as chief executive last August.