After facing what could be charitably described as a terrible year, Fisker founder and Chairman Henrik Fisker admitted in a recent interview that his company is "actively engaged in conversations with potential strategic partners." Speaking with TheDetroitBureau.com, Fisker went on to say that he'd, "like to see if we can get something done next year."
As of this writing, Fisker has declined invitations to divulge which companies those partnership conversations are happening with. If one cared to hazard a guess though, BMW and General Motors – both loosely associated with Fisker in past dealings – might be good front-runners.
The urge to seek a tie-up with a larger, more stable entity does not come out of the blue for the independent Fisker. The reputation of the company's Karma model has been rocked by battery fires and a scathing review from Consumer Reports earlier this year, and now its production schedule is being held hostage by a battery shortage because its supplier, A123 Systems, has gone bankrupt. More significantly still, the company's plans to launch a second, more affordable Atlantic model have been stymied due to the US Department of Energy putting the brakes on a promised low-interest loan to the automaker.
This isn't the first time that the Fisker founder has admitted that all is not completely rosy, certainly, but there does seem to be a more pragmatic tone this time around than in interviews past. Which large company would make for a "dream" mashup with Fisker? Give us your two cents, in Comments.
As of this writing, Fisker has declined invitations to divulge which companies those partnership conversations are happening with. If one cared to hazard a guess though, BMW and General Motors – both loosely associated with Fisker in past dealings – might be good front-runners.
The urge to seek a tie-up with a larger, more stable entity does not come out of the blue for the independent Fisker. The reputation of the company's Karma model has been rocked by battery fires and a scathing review from Consumer Reports earlier this year, and now its production schedule is being held hostage by a battery shortage because its supplier, A123 Systems, has gone bankrupt. More significantly still, the company's plans to launch a second, more affordable Atlantic model have been stymied due to the US Department of Energy putting the brakes on a promised low-interest loan to the automaker.
This isn't the first time that the Fisker founder has admitted that all is not completely rosy, certainly, but there does seem to be a more pragmatic tone this time around than in interviews past. Which large company would make for a "dream" mashup with Fisker? Give us your two cents, in Comments.
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