The World’s Most Controversial Electric Vehicle Startup
Fisker Inc has a troubled history, but they may be ready to put that behind them
In the depths of the Great Recession, the US Department of Energy extended lifelines, in the form of low-interest loans, to two struggling startups trying to produce electric vehicles.
The first was headed by a famed automotive designer, having previously designed flagship models for BMW and Aston Martin. The second was being run by a former tech entrepreneur with no previous auto industry experience to speak of.
If I told you that just one of these companies would survive, you wouldn’t be alone in predicting that it would be the first. Yet, that it isn’t how it played out.
Tesla has grown to become the largest automaker in the world by market capitalization, and unless you happen to be a huge sports car fan, you likely haven’t even heard of Henrik Fisker.
A Promising Start
After an illustrious career in the auto industry, Danish automotive designer Henrik Fisker decided to put his own name on the hood. He founded Fisker Automotive in 2007, and the company introduced the luxurious Fisker Karma, a plug-in hybrid, shortly after.
