It seems Fisker may be the new name in performance electric cars. As Tesla is scaling back and delaying its sedan, Fisker is announcing production plans of its electric Karma. The plug-in hybrid sedan will start production in the fourth quarter of 2009 and that the annual production is set at 15,000 vehicles. They will be built at the Valmet Automotive facility in Finland.

Fisker's Karma is looking to make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than six seconds and will hit a top speed of 125 mph. Estimated price is around $80,000.

Tesla and Fisker are well-linked. Tesla sued car designer Henrik Fisker back in April because Tesla accused Fisker of purposely performing shoddy engineering work for Tesla's own four-door sedan. The suit claims Fisker purposely did this to delay Tesla's car, so that he could advance the plans for his own car, now know as the Karma. The case was dropped earlier this month.

Press release after the jump

Press release

Fisker Automotive, Inc., a green American premium car company, today announced that they have signed the final assembly contract with Valmet Automotive to manufacture the Fisker Karma in Finland. Valmet Automotive will be the engineering and manufacturing supplier for Fisker Automotive.

The Fisker Karma is a new four-door plug-in hybrid sports sedan and its production is planned to start in the fourth quarter of 2009. The first vehicles will be delivered in fourth quarter 2009 with an annual production projected to reach 15,000 vehicles.

For the production of the Fisker Karma, a new body welding line will be built at Valmet Automotive. The painting and assembly process can be easily adapted to the production of electric and hybrid cars.

"The agreement is very significant for us and our employment situation in the years to come," says Ilpo Korhonen, President of Valmet Automotive. "With the planned full production volume, the cooperation with Fisker Automotive will employ some 500 blue collar workers at Valmet Automotive."

"Fisker Automotive and Valmet Automotive make a great, professional team. The schedule is demanding, but I'm confident that with good cooperation the production will start on schedule. A hybrid drive train, battery technology and a new body design with light weight materials is a great challenge to our engineering and production teams. Our supplier quality management team is also involved in the project," said Ilpo Korhonen, President of Valmet Automotive.

"We are pleased with the current progress in this working relationship and know that we have the team that will help us meet our production goal," said Fisker Automotive COO, Bernhard Koehler.

"We are very pleased to have the final contract signed and are looking forward to a long business relationship with Valmet," said Fisker Automotive CEO, Henrik Fisker.