Last February, Fisker Automotive appointed former Chrysler boss Tom LaSorda as its new CEO. The move was considered a positive sign by many, as LaSorda is a well respected automotive industry professional with all the contacts that a young automaker like Fisker needs to grow to the next level.
Now comes word from Green Car Reports that LaSorda’s days at the helm of Fisker will soon be coming to a close. On Tuesday, Fisker announced the appointment of former GM executive Tony Posawatz as its new CEO, a move that caught many in the industry by surprise. As the former head of the Chevy Volt program, Posawatz brings a unique and highly specialized background with him. In fact, he’s probably the only auto industry executive (aside from Henrik Fisker) with experience in developing, building and marketing a range-extended electric vehicle.
Like the Chevy Volt, the Fisker Karma is an electric car. When the batteries are depleted in either model, a gasoline-fueled engine powers a generator, supplying the needed electricity to the motors and battery. Unlike conventional electric cars, which have only a limited range and then require a long recharge cycle, the Volt and Karma can be driven as long as there’s gas in the tank (or charge in the batteries).
LaSorda, who will be leaving Fisker, reportedly was positive about Posawatz’s hiring. This much is clear: Fisker is an automaker that’s struggling to survive, faced with challenges like insufficient funding and a series of mysterious (and unexplained) vehicle fires. Perhaps LaSorda knew he wasn’t the man to right the ship, but the question remains: can Posawatz move the company forward?
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
