Fisker automotive signs supplier deal with BMW

Fisker Automotive, a Southern California electric car maker, announced on Thursday that it has signed a pact with BMW regarding the supply of engines and other related components for future models in a major tieup. The Anaheim, Orange County-based U.S. car maker will get a four-cylinder turbocharged engine, totalling 100,000 units every year, for its next generation of cars under a project code-named "Project Nina," the company said. The production of the model, a mass-market plug-in hybrid sedan, will begin at the end of 2012 and the sale is slated for 2013. "The BMW engine was an obvious choice for us, as BMW is known for producing the best and most fuel efficient gasoline engines in the world," Fisker's CEO and Executive Design Director Henrik Fisker said. "We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with BMW." The firm did not disclose the terms. The U.S. automaker, founded in 2007, has produced electric vehicles with extended range (EVer). The first derivative of "Project Nina" will be a mid-sized premium sedan which utilizes the technology. The company's other products include Fisker Karma Sedan, a luxury sports car and the world's first premium electric plug-in hybrid.