PersonalizeThe Washington PostCampaign 2012CongressCourts &LawThe Fed PageHealth CarePollingWhite HouseBlogs & ColumnsIssues: EnergyIn the NewsSupreme Court SOPA and PIPA South Carolina debate GOP race Polarized news SOTU ???initialComments:true! pubdate:10/21/2011 21:13 EDT! commentPeriod:3! commentEndDate:10/24/11 9:13 EDT! currentDate:1/21/12 3:0 EST! allowComments:false! displayComments:true!
Gingrich surge makes a sharper, tighter race
Happy National Squirrel Day
Share your snow photos
New public face of assisted suicide in the...Correction:Earlier versions of this article should have indicated that stimulus funding was used to finance government loans to Solyndra and other companies, but not Fisker Automotive.
Fisker, electric carmaker backed by $529 million U.S. loan, balks at Solyndra comparison
Jonathan Alcorn/BLOOMBERG - The plug-in charger for a Toyota Motor Corp. Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle is displayed in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011.
Text SizePrintE-mailReprints By Carol D. Leonnig and Joe Stephens, An electric car company backed by more than a half-billion dollars in Department of Energy loan guarantees has missed early manufacturing goals and has gradually pushed back plans for U.S. production and the creation of thousands of jobs.
This week, Fisker delayed until 2013 the production of the moderately priced family car it plans to build in Delaware. It also learned that its Finnish-produced luxury model, the $96,000 Karma, which is two years late in reaching U.S. markets, failed to meet a promised energy-efficiency standard.
Loading...CommentsWeigh InCorrections?
?Companies are always striving to be the most innovative. Here’s a look at the 10 companies that recently made Fast Company’s list of the most innovative companies in energy.With the demise of Solyndra, a solar company that also won a half-billion-dollar loan from a program to spur clean-energy technologies, the Energy Department’s loan guarantees have come under intense scrutiny, and the Obama administration has been under fire for making risky loans to unproven ventures. The administration has stood behind the lending, some of it funded by stimulus, saying that risk is inherent in backing emerging technologies.
Fisker was among the big winners in the administration’s effort for broader development of electric vehicles, and company officials said their problems bear no resemblance to those of Solyndra, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September.
“Without any excuses, yes, we did have some delays,” company co-founder Henrik Fisker said during a stop in the District this week to show off his company’s sleek new Karma. “But this is completely different. You can’t compare at all.”
The Energy Department confirmed this week that it has eased expectations after conditionally approving the loan to Fisker and has made allowances for scaling back projections in the final loan agreement. But the agency declined to make public those adjusted terms, including projected car sales volume or milestones the company must meet in connection with its $529 million loan. Agency officials attributed Fisker’s delays to regulatory hurdles and issues beyond the company’s control.
Henrik Fisker said in an interview Wednesday that, as of this week, the Karma had been cleared for sale in the United States. Forty have arrived from Finland to be delivered to dealers, and four identical silver versions of the low-slung sedan were parked outside the District’s Mandarin Oriental hotel.
“Next year we will reach the 12,000 or 15,000 vehicles we predicted,” Fisker said. “We are really past the start-up risks. That means the skeptics who said we would never produce a car were wrong.”
Energy Secretary Steven Chu was ebullient in September 2009 when he announced the Obama administration’s conditional backing for the California-based start-up.
“This investment will create thousands of new American jobs and is another critical step in making sure we are positioned to compete for the clean-energy jobs of the future,” Chu said in a statement at the time. He and President Obama had used similar language when heralding the future of Solyndra.
The Fisker commitment was questioned by some from the start, partly because of the company’s political connections. A key investor is a venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, whose partners include former Democratic vice president Al Gore. The investment house raised $2 million for Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Continued12Next PageSuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.
More about badges | Request a badge Culture Connoisseur BadgeCulture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.
More about badges | Request a badge Fact Checker BadgeFact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.
More about badges | Request a badge Washingtologist BadgeWashingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.
More about badges | Request a badge Post Writer BadgeThis commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.
Post Forum BadgePost Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge Weather Watcher BadgeWeather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.
More about badges | Request a badge World Watcher BadgeWorld Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge Post RecommendedWashington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.
You must be logged in to report a comment.
Sign in hereYou must be logged in to recommend a comment.
Sign in hereComments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.
All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.
More about badgesGet a badgeTo pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.
Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers. + SHARE THIS DEBATE
Featured Blogs & Columns
Election 2012News and conversation about the 2012 elections.
Fact CheckerThe truth behind the rhetoric
The TakeDan Balz on politics WP Social Reader Hide this Friends' Activity Most Popular in politics Most Popular in politics Most Popular Right Now
Your Friends’ Most Recent Activity
View More ActivityPowered by
The Post Most: PoliticsMost-viewed stories, videos and galleries int he past two hoursMost PopularA fiery Mitt Romney comes alive at rally on eve of South Carolina primaryPolarized news market has altered the political process in South Carolina primarIn South Carolina, a sharply tightened raceObama: State of the Union to feature manufacturing, energy, education, AmericanRomney campaign looks to consolidate support of GOP establishmentTop VideosCain sings at rally with Colbert (2:35)Stephen Colbert: New attack ad targeting RomneyPresident Obama sings at fundraiser (00:54)Newt Gingrich slams John King for question on ex-wife (2:01)Colbert campaigns for Cain before S.C. primary (3:04)Top GalleriesColbert, Cain hold joint rally in South CarolinaWitness Campaign: Through the eyes of the American voterObama dines outThe GOP presidential contenders: JanuaryPresident Obama on the campaign trail Fact or Fiction? Loading... Track all the Campaign 2012 fact checks Campaign 2012 tools 
Republican primary tracker Explore the state of the 2012 race in key early states.
Mad Money: Campaign ads Watch the latest campaign ads and track how much candidates spend.
Campaign Finance Explorer See who's raising and spending the most money.
2012 Presidential Candidates
Mitt Romney
Newt Gingrich
Ron Paul
Rick Santorum
Barack ObamaSee AllFeatured Advertiser LinksMesothelioma cancer shatters lives. Find out what to do before the killer strikes the one you love.>>Actos gave you bladder cancer? You may be entitled to compensation. Learn how to file an Actos lawsuit.>>Join Pres. Obama. It's time to do it again.>>Are you in? Join Barack Obama's campaign now.>>Help Pres. Obama keep moving America forward.>>Join the 2012 campaign at BarackObama.com>>Looking to buy a home? Visit TWP Real Estate section for the latest open houses.>>Make Your Vanguard Investing More Profitable - Free Research Report Reveals Best & Worst Funds>>Top politics Stories People Also ReadMost Popular Videos
A fiery Mitt Romney comes alive at rally on eve of South Carolina primaryPhilip Rucker 
Polarized news market has altered the political process in South Carolina primaryMarc Fisher 
In South Carolina, a sharply tightened racePhilip Rucker; David A. Fahrenthold; Nia-malika Henderson 
Obama’s State of the Union: Blueprint for a better economy, implicit pitch for re-electionAssociated Press 
Romney campaign looks to consolidate support of GOP establishmentPhilip Rucker 
Center for American Progress, group tied to Obama, under fire from Israel advocatesPeter Wallsten 
Republican presidential contest has a day full of upheavalDan Balz; Chris Cillizza Congresswoman: All 6 killed in helicopter crash in Afghanistan were Hawaii-based MarinesAssociated Press 
House Republican Conference holds more somber annual retreatPaul Kane 
Gingrich paid $994,000 in taxes in 2010, nearly a third of his income that yearAssociated Press 
SOPA protests shut down Web sitesDavid A. Fahrenthold 
At South Carolina GOP debate, four survivors spar; Gingrich adds host to the frayPhilip Rucker; Rosalind S. Helderman 
Obama Keystone XL pipeline rejection draws criticism from GOP primary candidates::unspecified:: 
Ron Paul gets boos from South Carolina debate audience; can he reclaim momentum?::unspecified:: 
After Wikipedia blackout, lawmakers struggle to keep anti-piracy bills on trackAssociated Press 
Santorum finished 34 votes ahead of Romney in new Iowa tally; votes from 8 precincts missingDavid A. Fahrenthold; Debbi Wilgoren Romney scrambles to fend off Gingrich in South CarolinaRosalind S. Helderman; Dan Balz Ways you can get us Mobile Apps Newsletter & alerts RSS Post Store Facebook Photo Store Twitter Washington Post Live The Washington Post Work for us Community Relations PostPoints Corrections/Suggestions Archive Contact the Ombudsman Report a problem Web site Make us your homepage Digital Guidelines Ask The Post Newspaper Subscribe Home delivery service e-Replica Advertise In the newspaper On the web site Mobile Events The Washington Post Company Post Company web sites Partners Slate Express Night Out Captial Business El Tiempo Latino The Root Foreign Policy Trove Post Tickets Capitol Deal Service Alley Post Master Class WP Live Student Advisor College Reviews © 1996- The Washington Post Terms of Service Privacy Policy Reprints and Permissions Help Contact Us Ad Choices 
No comments:
Post a Comment