Orange County Register

Fisker Karma

Fisker Automotive, the Irvine developer of a new hybrid electric sports car, has raised $94 million in venture capital, reports PEHub. That’s up from $65 million last fall.

The private equity publication says Fisker recently added another $3.5 million to its coffers as it prepares to roll out its Karma luxury hybrid. The $87,900 four-door sedan is scheduled to begin production in October with delivery of the first of its 15,000 cars in the U.S. expected by the end of the year.

Fisker’s financial backers include Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Palo Alto Investors and Al Ghaffara Investment Co. (Qatar).

Reuters reports Fisker also is contemplating creating a lower-cost small plug in, if it gets a loan the company has applied for with the Department of Energy. The company plans to build a family-oriented version of the Karma before going forward with the cheaper small car, Reuters says.

For other Fisker news:

• O.C. venture capital booms in the third quarter
• O.C. green car maker counts on GM parts
• Arbitrator backs Fisker over Telsa in green car spat

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