Where are they now (Fisker edition)? The story gets even weirder
The long disturbing tale of electric car maker Fisker Automotive keeps on going, and keeps getting more weird. Read more »
If Fisker goes for $20M, that’s an over 99 percent discount from its peak valuation
Is $20 million the final valuation of electric car maker Fisker Automotive? Yikes, that’s what a group is reportedly bidding on Fisker for, and which would be less than 1% of its original valuation. Read more »
Chinese auto giant building $200M factory to make EcoMotor’s efficient engines
Five-year-old, Bill Gates and Khosla-backed, EcoMotors is finally commercializing its efficient engine technology. And it’s got a killer deal to do it: a $200 million plant being built by Chinese auto giant Zhongding Power. Read more »
The state of cleantech venture capital: what lies ahead
Cleantech VC is receding because of poor short-term performance – no surprise in a post-bubble field with outsized time and money requirements. The category is about to go on a walk in the woods, where innovators will blaze a new trail. Read more »
Chinese companies slowly collecting discounted U.S. electric car assets
Fisker is the latest electric car maker to reach out to Chinese investors and auto tech giants for investment and acquisition. And it’s also the latest electric car company to struggle and face a discounted value. Read more »
Shocker: An electric car company actually meets production goals (and yes, it’s Tesla)
In contrast to the bulk of the electric car companies and vendors out there, Tesla actually reaches its planned production run rate of its Model S electric car. This is its path to profitability and mainstream auto status. Read more »
Battery startup Leyden Energy raises $10M for its next-gen lithium ion batteries
There’s still some venture capital money out there for next-generation lithium ion batteries. Startup Leyden Energy has raised $10 million to continue to commercialize its tech for tablets and start-stop vehicle technology. Read more »
Chinese giant Wanxiang wins bid for bankrupt A123 and its battery tech
If approved, the future of A123 System’s lithium ion battery tech will fittingly be owned by Chinese auto giant Wanxiang. China is increasingly becoming one of the most important markets for electric vehicles in the world. Read more »
A123 auction exposes fears of China, and politicization of electric vehicles
The auction of U.S. battery maker A123, expected to kick off today, will determine if the tech will stay in the U.S. with Jonhson Controls or be snapped up by Chinese conglomerate Wanxiang. The controversy exposes fears over China and the politicization of electric vehicles. Read more »
Beleaguered battery maker A123 Systems finally files for bankruptcy
Battery maker A123 Systems, which was awarded a sizable federal grant, has finally filed for bankruptcy protection, after bleeding cash for months. Johnson Controls will buy up some of the assets. Read more »
How a Chinese conglomerate became a cleantech powerhouse
While Wanxiang is not a known name in the U.S., it’s one of China’s largest industrial parts makers and it’s making very aggressive bets on U.S. cleantech startups, some of which have been struggling. Read more »
Chinese auto firm Wanxiang swoops in to rescue (& own) A123
Suffering battery maker A123 Systems has found a lifeline in Chinese auto giant Wanxiang. Wanxiang will invest up to $450 million in A123 which could see it own up to 80 percent of the company. Read more »
First Solar’s 2GW China Project Hits Snag
Looks like bad news for First Solar. The Washington Post reported Thursday that the thin film solar PV leader may not have actually secured that 2-gigawatt solar farm planned for China’s desert, which it announced back in September of 2009. Read more »
Ener1 Finds an Electric Car Battery Partner in (Where Else) China
As companies across the nascent electric vehicle market seek Chinese allies to gain a foothold in the world’s largest auto market, Indiana-based Ener1 has found itself a new dance partner: the electric vehicle division of Wanxiang, one of the largest auto parts suppliers in China. Read more »
