Lithium-ion battery maker EnerDel Lithium Power Systems has struck a deal of intent with Fisker Automotive to provide batteries for its swanky hybrid-electric Karma vehicle, slated to be released next year. A long-term contract will depend on in-car performance testing. With Fisker leading the race to launch the first hybrid-electric car, this development would give EnerDel a huge leg up on its competition.
Until now, it was assumed that Advanced Lithium Power (ALP) would be the exclusive battery supplier for Fisker. The EV company had even acquired a stake in the Canadian battery maker. It’s unclear what changed in the meantime, though EnerDel tells Earth2Tech that its deal with Fisker wouldn’t preclude ALP from also supplying batteries. Considering that EnerDel would have to scale up production to make 22.6 kilowatt-hour battery packs for 1,200 cars a month by next June, its likely it will need some help — and a spokesman from Fisker has confirmed that the company will continue to work with ALP in some capacity.
With an $87,900 price tag on each car, Fisker plans to make 15,000 models a year. About 1,300 have already been pre-ordered for a $5,000 deposit. For now, the Irvine, Calif.-based company is running on venture capital, having brought in $85 million last month. It has also applied for a federal loan to fund development of a more affordable sedan over the next two years.
Coinciding with its agreement with Fisker, EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, just announced a new commercial-scale production facility in Indiana. The company is also one of the battery suppliers contracted by Norwegian EV maker Think Global (which filed for bankruptcy in December but plans to reinvent itself in America). In the meantime, ALP is working with Quantum Technologies to make batteries for a Chinese auto company and for the hybrids that Ford is converting into plug-in models for a project in Southern California.
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The bulk of Fisker’s last round of funding came from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and investment consortium Eco-Drive Capital Partners.
