Advanced battery maker Ener1 saw its stock price drop 16 percent today to close at $5.18. The loss could be attributed to talks between the company and possible battery buyer Fisker Automotive that were supposed to lead to a supply contract.
Without a projected $150 to $200 million in revenues from Fisker, Ener1 only has one large-scale customer left in its arsenal: Th!nk, a Norwegian electric vehicle maker scheduled to branch out to the U.S. later this year. Fisker has already reassured its investors that the October launch date set for its luxury plug-in vehicle, the Karma, will not be affected, and that the company will name a new battery supplier by the weekend.
The major issue for Fisker seems to be timing. With Ener1 committed to filling a $70 million order from Th!nk, the company just didn’t have the manufacturing capacity to also meet Fisker’s demand. Both companies are still open to future battery supply agreements. All this according to comments made by representatives from the two at the International Auto Show in Detroit this week.
When it’s released later this year, the Karma is expected to travel 50 miles on battery power, and another 250 via its 2-liter engine built by Quantum. The vehicle will cost just under $90,000. But, depending on who ends up supplying its expensive battery packs, this is subject to change.
Ener1 stock fell roughly in accordance with analyst predictions that Fisker-related revenue would account for 15 percent of the company’s total 2010 cash flow. The contract with the car maker would have accounted for 28 percent of Ener1’s revenue in 2011. With talks breaking down prematurely, the battery company will need to find someone else to make up for this chunk, especially to reach its goal of $7 a share in the next year and a half. It’s not clear right now that it will make it in time.
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]