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Karma Automotive, LLC was an automaker originally based in Anaheim, California. The company's first and only product was the Fisker Karma, one of the world's first production plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, creating the premium green car segment in which most major manufacturers have since announced they would compete. Production was suspended in November 2012 due to financial difficulties, with about 2,450 Karmas built since 2011. The assets of the company were purchased by Wanxiang America, Corp., a Chinese auto parts maker, and the company was renamed the New Fisker. Fisker originally intended to sell the Karma in late 2009, but after repeated delays, the Environmental Protection Agency certified the car’s vehicle emissions and drive range in October 2011, and thereafter Fisker commenced delivery of production vehicles in the USA. Fisker stopped production in the summer of 2012, and was seeking new investment. Matters were further complicated by the bankruptcy of its battery supplier A123 Systems, the costs involved regarding a recall and repairs to customer cars, as well as the resignation of the company's co-founder and CEO, Henrik Fisker. In addition to production stopping for over five months, with no date announced to recommence, the planned production of the second model, the Fisker Atlantic, was postponed, together with the cessation of development of the new model. Fisker eventually declared bankruptcy in November 2013, and in February 2014 the company was bought by Chinese auto-parts conglomerate Wanxiang Group. On September 30th, 2015 Fisker Automotive announced they would be changing their name to Karma Automotive. James Taylor, Karma’s Chief Marketing Officer said, “With new ownership, a new management team, and a new production site, all here in California, it was time to communicate change,.” == History == Henrik Fisker co-founded the company in 2007 with business partner Bernhard Koehler (Fisker Coachbuild) and Quantum Technologies after securing a relatively small investment from Gianfranco Pizzuto, an Italian businessman, and Palo Alto Investors. Henrik Fisker is responsible for designing many premium cars such as the Aston Martin DB9 and V8 Vantage, Artega GT and BMW Z8. He also served as design director and sat on the board at Aston Martin. Prior to Fisker Automotive, Henrik Fisker and Koehler left Aston Martin in 2005 to establish Fisker Coachbuild, in an attempt to revive the art of coach building automobiles to customer specifications. The Fisker Tramanto and Latigo utilized chassis and power trains from Mercedes-Benz SL and BMW 6-Series automobiles. Several were purchased but the business soon gave way to Fisker Automotive, a true automobile manufacturer. In 2009 Henrik Fisker mentioned plans for another plug-in hybrid, a "high-volume vehicle for a lower price", subject to getting a U.S. Department of Energy loan to build about 100,000 vehicles annually in the United States. On April 14, 2008, Tesla Motors filed a lawsuit against Fisker Automotive, alleging they stole Tesla's technology and are using it to develop their own hybrid car, the Fisker Karma, which was announced at the North American International Auto Show in January 2008. Tesla's suit claims that the design work done for the Model S by Fisker Coachbuild was substandard, and that Fisker diverted its best ideas to the Karma. In early 2009 the suit was settled in Fisker's favor and Tesla was ordered to pay Fisker more than US$1.1 million in legal fees. Fisker received a US$528.7 million conditional loan in September 2009 from the Department of Energy's US$25 billion Advanced Technologies Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program (ATVM). A total of US$169.3 million is for engineering work with primarily USA suppliers to complete the Fisker Karma, design tools and equipment, and develop manufacturing processes. The DOE announcement of the conditional loan went on to reveal the code name for the new vehicle: "The second stage includes a $359.36 million ATVM loan for Fisker's Project Nina, involving the manufacture of a plug-in hybrid in the U.S.", expected to reduce pollution corresponding to 30,000 fewer cars.〔 For comparison, the US$465 million ATVM loan to Tesla corresponds to 5,000 fewer cars. "Project Nina" was later revealed as the Fisker Atlantic. On October 27, 2009, Fisker officials announced that the company had signed a letter of intent to take control of the Boxwood Road Plant (previously owned and operated by General Motors as Wilmington Assembly) in Wilmington, Delaware: Vice President Joe Biden attended the announcement.〔 In addition to a purchase price of US$20 million, Fisker expects to invest US$175 million re-tooling the plant. The Government of Delaware provided US$21 million in funding for the plant.〔 〕 Fisker later suspended development of the Wilmington plant as a result of a freeze on its federal loan and suggested that production might shift elsewhere unless its funding is restored.〔〔 After drawing US$193 million, the government froze Fisker's credit line in May 2011 after it was determined that the company had not met milestones set as conditions for the loan and hired Houlihan Lokey to assist in monitoring Fisker's progress. The loan received additional scrutiny for being awarded for the manufacture of luxury vehicles that are too expensive for much of the general public.〔 Fisker investor Ray Lane responded that the issues were being blown out of proportion due to election year politics. In February 2012, Tom LaSorda was named the new CEO, and Henrik Fisker became Executive Chairman. but only six months later on August 14, La Sorda was replaced by Tony Posawatz, previously General Motors Vehicle Line Director for the Chevrolet Volt. In April 2012, Fisker announced it had received US$392 million in a recent round of financing. In July 2012, Fisker shut down all production and hired financial adviser Evercore Partners to find new partners and investors but in December 2012 Fisker claimed it was not for sale. With government credit lines suspended and no income, company officials have sought further government loans and subsidies, and continued to search for investors, lenders, and buyers, and still hopes to find customers in China, England, and continental Europe. By the end of 2012, the search for funding continued, and Fisker had to cease development of the second model line which was around 90% complete.〔 The company suffered a setback on October 29, 2012 when Hurricane Sandy flooded and destroyed its entire European shipment of 338 Karmas at Port Newark, New Jersey. Sixteen of the cars burned, because six to eight feet of seawater caused a short circuit in a Vehicle Control Unit in one Karma, and high winds spread the resulting fire to fifteen others. The company said that its Lithium Ion battery was not at fault.〔 Insurer XL Insurance America initially denied the approximately US$30 million loss claim and was subsequently sued by Fisker in New York State Supreme Court. The case was settled with an undisclosed out-of-court agreement. In late March 2013, Fisker hired a law firm to prepare for a possible bankruptcy filing.〔 On April 5, 2013, Fisker laid off 75% of its workforce with no notification, retaining only a core group of 40 workers as it continues to negotiate with prospective investors. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Fisker Automotive」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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