WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy has seized $21 million from troubled automaker Fisker Automotive Inc. just weeks after the company laid off three-fourths of its workers amid continuing financial and production problems. Fisker had received $192 million in federal loans before a series of problems led U.S. officials to freeze the loan in 2011.
DETROIT—Sales of lithium ion batteries are expected to grow from $1.6 billion in 2012 to $22 billion by 2020, according to a report from Pike Research.
DETROIT—Wanxiang Group, a large Chinese auto parts maker, has won a high-stakes auction for the assets of A123 Systems, the bankrupt American battery maker.