Fisker Automotive

The quarrel between the companies sheds a light on the insular world of Silicon Valley’s investors in environmentally friendly technologies.

According to Fisker Automotive, the company has emerged the victor in a lawsuit that pitted the niche hybrid automaker against Tesla Motors, the niche electric car automaker. The original lawsuit, brought by Tesla, alleged that Henrik Fisker stole designs for the Tesla Model S for his Fisker Karma Hybrid. Fisker claimed this was false and, using a clause in his contract with Tesla, sought arbitration. The arbitrator agreed with Fisker, essentially piling on more bad news for Tesla, which has had to cut staff, close an office and panhandle from investors. Fisker's statement below the jump.

An arbitrator rules in favor of Henrik Fisker's design firm, which had been accused by Tesla Motors of stealing design information on a rival electric sedan.

There's still some bad blood between Elon Musk and Henrik Fisker

Tesla Motors, the manufacturer of the Tesla Roadster, has filed suit against Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler (yes that Fisker) claiming the duo stole confidential design information and trade secrets while working for Tesla. We're not trying to pick sides around these parts, but the Tesla claims make some sense.

The designer, entrepreneur, and namesake to now-defunct Fisker Automotive shares his next project.

Southern California is in the car business again. Fisker Automotive has signed a deal to lease a large factory in Moreno Valley, where it will begin building plug-in electric hybrid vehicles that could be offered for sale as early as the middle of next year. The region, the nation's biggest car...

Three years after bankruptcy, Henrik Fisker is back in business. The new Fisker, Inc. will launch long-range electric vehicles to rival Tesla.

The recent emergence of the modern plug-in electric vehicle has brought more automaker start-ups to the marketplace than we've seen in decades, with Fisker Automotive and Tesla Motors the most prominent examples.

The failure of Fisker Automotive is well documented, as is the current success of Tesla Motors. Both are startup automakers. Both focus on breakthrough technology. Both deliver a type of vehicle that the world has never seen before. So, why is one failing while the other continues to rack up achievements and to hit milestones that point towards continued success?

Tesla’s innovations in batteries give it an edge that Fisker, focused on design, lacks.