Fisker’s Cheap Hybrid Coming in Late 2012, After the Model S

Project Nina, the $39,900 plug-in hybrid for upper middle class families, from Fisker Automotive will start moving into production in 2012, thanks to a deal that will allow Fisker to take over a General Motors plant in Delaware.

Federal stimulus dollars have paved the way for Fisker to get the plant. Fisker will come out with its first car, the almost $90,000 Karma, next year. Earlier, it had hoped to come out with the Karma this year, but it's the electric car industry, people. Delays are endemic.

Although very few electric cars are in production today, the Nina will come out in a market that will be increasingly crowded. By then, Nissan, General Motors and Ford will have released, respectively, the Leaf (2010), the Volt (2010) and the Focus (2011) and Ford will be ramping up for a plug-in hybrid too. Many other Japanese manufacturers and some South Korean will likely have cars out then too.

And then there is arch rival Tesla Motors, which says the $57,000 Model S comes out in 2011. Panasonic will make the batteries for the Model S.

Granted, plug-ins, hybrids and all-electrics will only constitute a fraction of the market by 2012. Hybrids now account for 3 percent of new car sales and by 2020 it should rise to 10 to 25 percent. Still, The Nina won't be the only plugger in the showroom. Good news for consumers, but it makes it tougher for Fisker.