Sen. Carper Statement on Fisker Furlough Announcement

WASHINGTON – Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) released the following statement on Fisker’s decision to furlough employees in its U.S. operations, including in Delaware:

“I am disappointed by the news that Fisker Automotive will furlough several employees from its Delaware factory. My thoughts are with the workers and their families during this difficult time and I am hopeful that they will return to work at Fisker in the near future. Businesses old and new, small and large are facing a very challenging economic climate, and many are being forced to make tough decisions. Bringing a new car to market can be difficult for auto manufacturers, especially a vehicle with new, cutting edge technology. It’s not unusual for car companies to experience delays and I expect this pause to be similar to the delays seen with new vehicles such as the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf.

“Fisker has delivered new hope to the once-shuttered Boxwood Road Assembly plant as they embarked on the difficult yet promising challenge of bringing a new era of automotive manufacturing to the First State. Today, Fisker hit a speed bump, but not a permanent road block . One of my core values is to ‘never give up.’ I still see a bright future for Fisker and its growth in Delaware. I’ve worked with the auto industry long enough to know that delaying production is better than launching a vehicle before it is ready.

“This delay gives Fisker the opportunity to regroup and launch an even better product built in Delaware. In the meantime, I will continue to work tirelessly for initiatives that create a more nurturing environment for all businesses – including innovative companies like Fisker – and put more Delawareans and Americans back to work.”