Autoblog

Tesla has big plans, and to finance them it plans to raise big money. How? First, with an influx of venture capital that could put 10-percent of the company in VC hands. There has also been talk of an IPO, which Chairman Elon Musk thinks could raise $100 million dollars, and Musk said he plans to take the company public by the end of this year. And to make sure Tesla's coffers are topped up, the company plans to partake in a loan guarantee program offered by the U.S. Department of Energy for up to $200 million.

With a potential $300 million in the bank, not including the initial public offering, Tesla could get serious work done on the Whitestar sedan. Tesla hopes to have the sedan in production by 2010. If you're liking the sound of all this and want to know how you can get some Tesla stock, we recommend buying a Tesla. Musk wants to reward believers, and is trying to figure out how the company can offer customers the chance to legally buy in before the IPO.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

As we recently reported, rumors have been swirling regarding Henrik Fisker's involvement with Tesla Motors and its upcoming electric sedan prototype known as the WhiteStar. As is often the case, there's apparently some truth to the scuttlebutt, as Tesla has filed a lawsuit claiming that Fisker Automotive is using stolen design ideas from Tesla sourced when Fisker Coachbuild was employed by the young EV automaker for the styling of its sedan.

According to Tesla chairman Elon Musk, "We could not use the Fisker styling. The styling was substandard compared to what he unveiled for his product. He gave us an inferior work product, and it's obvious why." In the process of working for Tesla, the lawsuit contends that Henrik Fisker and a few of his associates stole design ideas and confidential information related to the design of hybrid and electric cars. Fisker has since announced his upcoming Karma hybrid-electric sedan. Tesla seeks to have Fisker Automotive stop using any design ideas garnered from its relationship with Tesla, and any money paid to Fisker Coachbuild returned along with other unspecified damages.



[Source: The New York Times]