Fisker Automotive, Irvine, Calif., finalized on July 19 its purchase of a onetime GM factory in Delaware where it will build plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
The Southern California-based environmentally driven automotive company took full possession of the 3.2 million-sq.-ft. Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington, Del., for which it paid Motors Liquidation Co. $20 million. Motors Liquidation is the holding company formed by General Motors Corp.’s bankruptcy.
The purchase is supported by a $528.7 million Department of Energy loan for the development of two lines of plug-in hybrids.
The Wilmington plant will be home to Project NINA, Fisker’s second line of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and where Fisker expects to ultimately create more than 2,000 factory jobs.
“This is a major step toward creating thousands of manufacturing jobs and restoring America as a leader in the global auto industry,” said Bernhard Koehler, COO, Fisker Automotive.  “Wilmington will be instrumental in fulfilling our plans to export more than half of Fisker premium plug-in hybrid production to global markets.”
Fisker announced its intent to acquire the idled factory in October 2009.  A federal bankruptcy judge approved the sale in June.