The Laguna Seca hosted a number of impressive race cars over the weekend, some of them thrilling fans with their sheer speed, while others making them cringe for crashing into tire barriers. Lost in the hoopla of the vintages and exotics that drove around Seca was a car that could very well be the future of sports cars: the Fisker Karma hybrid.
The Karma – we love the name, by the way – made its driving debut at the Seca last weekend as part of the Monterey Historic Automobile Races and by any and all indication, impressed the gathered crowd by attaining speeds in excess of 100 mph without using a drop of gasoline. The hybrid sports car is unique for its twin-electric motors – which are capable of producing as much as 403 hp and 959lb/ft of torque – are connected to a 200kW lithiuim-ion battery pack that allows the car to travel by as much as 8o kmh.
The car’s performance at the Seca re-affirmed the growing belief that ‘green’ sports cars are more than just a pipe dream now. Henrik Fisker, the CEO of the company was on-hand for the demonstration and made no bones about the Karma’s impressive showing. “This demonstration represents a significant milestone for Fisker Automotive and PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) technology,” he said.
Even if it is a hybrid, the Fisker Karma still looks like a pretty capable sports car. The environmentally friendly automaker is also preparing a convertible variant, but there is also a third model, a smaller electric version. Hopefully the future models will look as good as the current Karma, but until then we can enjoy the current Fisker in what appears to be comfortable surroundings.
Fisker revealed today the first promotional video for the Karma - world’s first luxury hybrid sedan.
Karma uses a lithium-ion battery pack to power two 200+ hp electric motors for about 50 miles. Once the juice runs out of the batteries, a GM-sourced 2.0-liter gas engine making 260 hp generates the electricity needed to power the sedan. Fisker says the Karma makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than 6 seconds and can hit a top speed of more than 125 mph.
Fisker Automotive founder Henrik Fisker is no dummy. Before he was in the hybrid car game he was supplying the world with sleek coupes and convertibles like the Tramonto and Latigo. So when his company put out the production Karma sedan at the Detroit Auto Show, Fisker also lobbed off two doors and the roof to create the Karma S concept car.
The Karma S shares its aluminum spaceframe architecture and Q-Drive powertrain with the Fisker Karma sedan. So just like the sedan, the convertible can run up to 50 miles on using its lithium-ion battery pack to power the combined 403 hp of the two electric motors. Beyond the battery-packs range a 260 hp 2.0-liter GM Ecotec engine will generate the electricity.
The design provides for a compact folding hardtop that doesn’t interfere too much with the car’s design lines. No word yet on how much added wright comes with losing the Karma’s top, but that will become clear when/if this car makes its planned 2011 production deadline.
Appearing in almost the same clothes as last year, the production Karma is being marketed as an eco-friendly luxury sedan. It’s a plug-in hybrid that uses a lithium-ion battery pack to power two 200+ hp electric motors for about 50 miles. Once the juice runs out of the batteries, a GM-sourced 2.0-liter gas engine making 260 hp generates the electricity needed to power the sedan. Fisker says the Karma makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than 6 seconds and can hit a top speed of more than 125 mph.
The hybrid Karma has the height of a Porsche 911, length of a Mercedes Benz CLS and the width of a BMW 7-Series. Those may be sexy benchmarks but odd dimensions. Either way, it seems to work on this car because Fisker gave the Karma a distinctively sleek, wind-cheating body. The whole package is one of the most aggressive-looking electric vehicles out there. This is undoubtedly helped but the short height of the car combined with its 22-inch wheels.
Fisker says its already received 1000 orders for the new Karma. Deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 2009. Price will start from $87,900.
Fisker is not only going to unveil the Karma sedan at the North American International Auto Show, but it also will show off a convertible version in Detroit. There was an official teaser image of the Karma S Sunset Concept released by Fisker, and the team from KORS Design decided to fill in the gaps.
The Fisker Karma S will be powered by the Karma’s Q-Drive gas/electric powertrain. The Q-Drive should use a similar setup to the Chevrolet Volt. The car can be plugged to give a range of 50 miles on a full charge, and then a gas engine can recharge the batteries to extend the range. The Karma line will run off of a Lithium-Ion battery pack and should provide about 408hp from two electric motors.
Fisker is feeling a real kinship to The U.S. The Karma may be produced in Finland, but it premiered at last January’s North American International Auto Show and it plans to use a General Motors engine. Now Fisker is showing its American fever again by returning to the Detroit Auto Show next month.
"We are very excited to be bringing the Fisker Karma back to NAIAS," said Fisker Automotive CEO Henrik Fisker. "In the year since we debuted the Karma, the reception we’ve received has been tremendous." Tremendous indeed - according to Henrik Fisker, the Karma’s premier doesn’t need to drum up sales considering the car is sold out until mid-2010.
The Karma is out to give itself a performance image with GM’s 2.0 direct injection, turbo 4-cylinder Ecotec gasoline engine that will deliver 260 hp. The Karma should post 0-60 mph times in about 5.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 125mph. Powertrain organization will supply the gasoline engine that generates electricity when the driver has exceeded the 50 mile electric-only range.
The company will start deliveries of the Karma in the 4th quarter of 2009 in North America with planned delivery to Europe in 2010.
Fisker’s Karma is planned as a plug-in hybrid that can have its batteries recharged through a gas-powered engine - much like the Chevrolet Volt. Now Fisker is getting closer to the Volt by using a General Motors engine for recharges. But unlike the Volt, which has a 1.4-liter unit planned, Fisker will use a much more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged unit.
The Karma is out to give itself a performance image with GM’s 2.0 direct injection, turbo 4-cylinder Ecotec gasoline engine that will deliver 260 hp. Powertrain organization will supply the gasoline engine that generates electricity when the driver has exceeded the 50 mile electric-only range.
The company will start deliveries of the Karma in the 4th quarter of 2009 in North America with planned delivery to Europe in 2010. Fisker Automotive’s annual production is projected to reach 15,000 cars, with more than half of sales expected to be overseas.
It seems Fisker may be the new name in performance electric cars. As Tesla is scaling back and delaying its sedan, Fisker is announcing production plans of its electric Karma. The plug-in hybrid sedan will start production in the fourth quarter of 2009 and that the annual production is set at 15,000 vehicles. They will be built at the Valmet Automotive facility in Finland.
Fisker’s Karma is looking to make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than six seconds and will hit a top speed of 125 mph. Estimated price is around $80,000.
Tesla and Fisker are well-linked. Tesla sued car designer Henrik Fisker back in April because Tesla accused Fisker of purposely performing shoddy engineering work for Tesla’s own four-door sedan. The suit claims Fisker purposely did this to delay Tesla’s car, so that he could advance the plans for his own car, now know as the Karma. The case was dropped earlier this month.
Fisker announced today the company raised $65 million for Karma hybrid sedan production. The first-of-its-kind four-door plug-in hybrid premium sports car was unveiled in January at the Detroit Auto Show.
Featuring plug-in hybrid technology known as Q DRIVE, developed by Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide for Fisker Automotive. Initial deliveries of the Karma are expected late in 2009 with annual production projected to reach 15,000 automobiles.
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