Published November 15, 2012
By Jeff Cobb
Today Fisker Automotive announced it is scouting Midwest locations with intent to establish a new Technical Center for continuing work on its Atlantic due for production in late 2014 or by 2015.
The Anaheim, Calif.-based company said its first choice is to locate its center in South Eastern Michigan as this will put it closer to suppliers and mid-way to its wholly owned production facility in Wilmington, Del.
As the company’s second car after the Karma, the Atlantic is based on similar architecture, and while Delaware production has not been settled as we previously reported, Fisker is saying again this is its “intended” location. It first revealed the Atlantic in April 2012, but has been delayed by loss of federal funding although Fisker reports good results in garnering private equity, and says while on hold, it is not as far off track to Atlantic production as some publications have said.
“This important step signals our commitment to bringing the Fisker Atlantic to market as soon as we can,” said Fisker Automotive, President and CEO, Tony Posawatz. “We will be bringing our own engineering footprint closer to our supplier base and the expertise and professional workforce that have driven the American automotive industry for more than a century.”
When Fisker was previously finalizing and engineering the Karma, it had another technical center from Fall 2008 through Spring 2010 in Pontiac, Mich., and plans for the Atlantic appear to be following a similar course.
“We brought the Fisker Karma to market in record time with the help of our previous Michigan Technical facility, and now is the time to open up a permanent Technical Center to support the final Atlantic development,” said Fisker Executive Chairman and Co-Founder Henrik Fisker.
Posawatz added this engineering presence in Michigan is like “having the best of both worlds” given its 400-plus employee global headquarters is still rooted in California.
The company said the plug-in Atlantic with BMW 2.0-liter turbo generator and undisclosed battery pack is “aimed at young families who want to drive a practical, low-emission, vehicle that also combines design flare, sports performance and premium engineering.”
A “significant number” of its components are already designed, Fisker said, and the final location for its Technical Center will be made public early next year.
0 comments:
Post a Comment