Fisker Automotive Electric Car Company Received $ 528 Million Loan of Energy

Fisker Automotive, the electric car company that received $ 528 million in loan guarantees from the Ministry of Energy, announced layoffs at its plant in Delaware on Monday.
The Department of Energy has decided to support two projects Fisker electric car, a luxury model: the Karma $ 103,000, which is for sale - and a more affordable sedan, Nina.
Loans must be repaid in phases, but Fisker lost production targets, retaining much of the federal contribution out of reach for now. Fisker said it is working to renegotiate the loan agreement with the government.

"We have delayed temporary work at the plant on the basis of ongoing discussions with the Department of Education for funding for the proposed program of Nina. Accordingly, we laid off 26 people," the company said in a statement Monday.
The Department of Energy has been criticized in the past year, where some of start-up support that went bankrupt. Three companies that have obtained guarantees of loans or grants - advanced solar panel maker Solyndra, a manufacturer of battery-Ener1, Beacon Power and safety of alternative energy, have gone bankrupt.

The Energy Department spokesman Damien Lavera said the two sides continue to work together and that the problems were typical for startups Fisker.
"The ministry is working with Fisker to consider a revised business plan and determine the best way forward for the company to meet its criteria, the production of cars and employ workers here in America," has Lavera said .

Fisker Karma: low-calorie soft
Fisker said it received $ 193 million in government loan guarantees so far, most of its program of Karma, and continues to seek alternative sources of funding.
"We have brought together an additional 260 million shares in late 2011, bringing the total number of private equity financing to more than 850 million dollars," the company said.

Fisker production facility in Delaware is a factory of General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) is returned to service. The plant Fisker Nina sedan, but production has not started yet.
Vice President Joe Biden of Delaware Governor Jack Markell and CEO Henrik Fisker Fisker were together in 2009 to announce plans for the plant.
At that time, unionized workers were promised an opportunity to fill many of the 2,000 jobs in the factories that produce the plug-in electric sedan. It was unclear Monday how many of these positions were already filled.