Tesla "Disagrees" With Fisker Decision, Now Focusing on Its Cars, Spokesman Says
By John O'Dell November 3, 2008
Tesla Motors' chief spokesman said the company disagrees with the findings of a private arbitrator
who ruled late last week that the electric vehicle manufacturer's theft of trade secrets suit against auto designer and potential Tesla competitor Henrik Fisker were "baseless."
"The only comment is [that] we disagree with the decision and are focused on producing and delivering cars to our customers," Tesla marketing vice president Darryl Siry said in an e-mail exchange this morning with Green Car Advisor.
Siry's comment appears to signal an end to Tesla's suit, which was handed over to a private arbitration service under terms of Tesla's contract with Fisker. The EV maker retained the designer last year to help design an electric sedan for Tesla
Tesla later filed a suit claiming that Fisker, his business partner and two Fisker companies had stolen technical secrets and used them to help design the Fisker Karma, a luxury sport sedan with a plug-in hybrid electric drive-train that Fisker Automotive plans to introduce in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Terms of the arbitration decision have not been disclosed.
Tesla -- which recently slowed production of its battery-electric Roadster and laid off almost 25 percent of its workforce because of a cash crunch -- was seeking return of $800,000 paid to Fisker for his design services and now, at the least, is likely to be ordered to pay all of the legal costs incurred by Fisker in defending against the suit.
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