The Fisker Karma is a
luxury
Luxury may refer to:
* Luxury goods, an economic good or service for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises
*Luxury tax, tax on products not considered essential, such as expensive cars
**Luxury tax (sports), surcharge pu ...
plug-in
range-extended electric sports sedan
A sports sedan (also known as sports saloon in British English) is a subjective term for a sedan car that is designed to have sporting performance or handling characteristics.
History
The term was originally introduced in the 1930s an ...
produced by
Fisker Automotive
Fisker Automotive was an American company known for producing the Fisker Karma, which was one of the world's first production luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, and first ...
in 2012. The cars were manufactured at
Valmet Automotive
Valmet Automotive (formerly known as Saab-Valmet) is a Finnish vehicle contract manufacturer and supplier for the development and production of battery systems as well as a supplier for roof and kinematic systems.
In its development, the Valme ...
in Finland.
The
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...
(EPA) rated the Karma's combined city/highway
fuel economy at
equivalent (MPG-e) in
all-electric mode
Charge-depleting or EV mode refers to a mode of vehicle operation that is dependent on the
energy from the battery pack. Battery electric vehicles operate solely in this mode. Most plug-in hybrids operate in charge-depleting mode at startup, and ...
, and at in gasoline-only mode. EPA's official
all-electric range is .
Due to the very small cabin interior volume, the EPA rated the Fisker Karma as a
subcompact car.
The first deliveries took place in the U.S. in late July 2011,
and deliveries to retail customers began in November 2011.
Pricing in the U.S. started at for the base model (EcoStandard), US$110,000 for the intermediate EcoSport model and for the top model (the "Animal Free" EcoChic).
Around 1,800 units were delivered in North America and Europe through December 2012.
The U.S. was the leading market, with about 1,600 units sold.
Production was suspended in November 2012 when the sole battery supplier to
Fisker Automotive
Fisker Automotive was an American company known for producing the Fisker Karma, which was one of the world's first production luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, and first ...
,
A123 Systems
A123 Systems, LLC, a subsidiary of the Chinese Wanxiang Group Holdings, is a developer and manufacturer of lithium iron phosphate batteries and energy storage systems.
The company was founded in 2001 by Yet-Ming Chiang, Bart Riley, and Ric Fulo ...
, filed for bankruptcy following two battery recalls.
Fisker Automotive
Fisker Automotive was an American company known for producing the Fisker Karma, which was one of the world's first production luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, and first ...
was unable to carry on production of the Fisker Karma in the absence of its sole battery supplier,
with about 2,450 Karmas built since 2011.
After
furloughing its US workers in late March 2013,
Fisker Automotive filed for bankruptcy in November 2013, after the
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the United Stat ...
auctioned its debt and sold it to Hybrid Technology LLC for .
Following the sale of some of the assets of the company, the designs, rights to a plug-hybrid powertrain and a manufacturing facility in Delaware to the Chinese company
Wanxiang
Wanxiang Group Corporation () is a Chinese multinational conglomerate, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Its automotive components subsidiary (Wangxiang Qiaochao) is the largest China-based automotive components company meas ...
, the new owners re-commenced production in September 2016 under the brand name Karma Automotive.
After several announcements by the Wanxiang Group to reintroduce an upgraded version of the Fisker Karma, the car was renamed the
Karma Revero
The Karma Revero is a luxury plug-in hybrid sports sedan manufactured in the United States by Chinese-owned Karma Automotive. It is a revamped version of the Fisker Karma car. The first of the new production, for model year 2017, was released ...
and Karma Automotive started taking orders in September 2016.
History
The Fisker Karma was revealed at the
2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
It was the first car from
Fisker Automotive
Fisker Automotive was an American company known for producing the Fisker Karma, which was one of the world's first production luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, and first ...
, a then new auto maker based in Anaheim, California, founded on September 5, 2007.
Production began in July 2011,
and the first two deliveries took place in the United States on July 26, 2011.
In October 2011 the first Karma delivered in the UK was auctioned to benefit
Pratham UK and raised a bid of (around ).
Following the sale to Chinese company Wanxiang of assets, designs, rights to a plug-hybrid powertrain, and a manufacturing facility in Delaware, the new owners in September 2016 commenced production under the name Karma Automotive.
After several announcements by Wanxiang Group to reintroduce an upgraded version of the ''Fisker Karma'', it has been renamed the
Karma Revero
The Karma Revero is a luxury plug-in hybrid sports sedan manufactured in the United States by Chinese-owned Karma Automotive. It is a revamped version of the Fisker Karma car. The first of the new production, for model year 2017, was released ...
and .
Specifications
![2012 Fisker EVer Karma EC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/2012_Fisker_EVer_Karma_EC.jpg)
The Karma is a
range-extended electric vehicle or
series hybrid driven by a pair of electric motors that receive power from a 20.1
kWh lithium ion battery
A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also see ...
supplied by
A123 Systems
A123 Systems, LLC, a subsidiary of the Chinese Wanxiang Group Holdings, is a developer and manufacturer of lithium iron phosphate batteries and energy storage systems.
The company was founded in 2001 by Yet-Ming Chiang, Bart Riley, and Ric Fulo ...
and/or an engine powered generator. The battery pack runs down the center of the car, between the pairs of left-hand and right-hand seats, preventing a rear bench and seating four rather than five passengers. Once the battery is depleted, or when the driver activates the "Sport" paddle on the steering wheel, the front-mounted 260-hp, 2.0-liter
Ecotec four-cylinder direct-injection
turbocharged gasoline engine powers a generator that sends electricity directly to the drive motors. The engine is sourced from
General Motors.
The battery can also be charged from the grid, making the vehicle a type of
plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
The Karma's engine is mated with a generator to provide an electrical connection to the motors and also recharge the batteries, and as such the electric motors are the only mechanical driving force connected to the wheels.
However, in
all-electric mode
Charge-depleting or EV mode refers to a mode of vehicle operation that is dependent on the
energy from the battery pack. Battery electric vehicles operate solely in this mode. Most plug-in hybrids operate in charge-depleting mode at startup, and ...
, the Karma is around half as efficient as the
Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid manufactured by General Motors, also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in th ...
.
The proprietary Q-Drive hybrid drive train is supplied by Quantum Technologies, which operates in a joint venture with Fisker Coachbuild known as Fisker Automotive. The Karma's
curb weight
Vehicle weight is a measurement of wheeled motor vehicles; either an actual measured weight of the vehicle under defined conditions or a gross weight rating for its weight carrying capacity.
Curb or kerb weight
Curb weight (U.S. English) or kerb ...
is .
The Karma includes as standard a solar paneled roof manufactured by Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, a Quantum Technologies affiliate, to aid the cabin climate control system. The solar roof is capable of generating a half kilowatt-hour a day and was estimated to provide up to of additional range a week assuming continuously sunny days; however, the solar panels as delivered only recharge the 12-volt lead-acid accessory battery.
![FiskerKarma 7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/FiskerKarma_7.jpg)
The base model features an "eco-friendly interior", including salvaged/reclaimed
lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
. The interior space is rated as subcompact by the EPA. Optional leather seating is available, but it will use much more of the cow hide than would customarily be found on luxury models; hides with scratches and other marks (which should not affect functionality) will be used. The EcoChic features a natural fabric interior with an ultra-suede dash, as part of Fisker's ecological "animal-free" offering and real leaf fossils embedded in door and central console glass inserts.
The Karma has a
warning sound system designed to both alert pedestrians of its presence and enhance the driver experience. The sound is emitted through two external speakers, one located under the front bumper and the other located behind a grill under the rear bumper. The sound-generator was developed by Fisker Automotive.
The warning sound is emitted automatically and activated only when the car is traveling in
all-electric mode
Charge-depleting or EV mode refers to a mode of vehicle operation that is dependent on the
energy from the battery pack. Battery electric vehicles operate solely in this mode. Most plug-in hybrids operate in charge-depleting mode at startup, and ...
at less than .
Performance
The Karma's two electric motors produce each for a quoted total of and of torque. The Karma features a top speed and is capable of reaching from a standstill in 5.9 seconds in Sport Mode according to Fisker.
Fuel economy and range
![Fisker Karma EPA label](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Fisker_Karma_EPA_label.jpg)
The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official all-electric range for the Fisker Karma is under the agency's five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls. EPA's estimated energy consumption is 65
kWh per 100 miles (1462
kJ/km). The total range with a full tank of gasoline and a fully charged battery is . EPA's official rating for combined city/highway
fuel economy in
all-electric mode
Charge-depleting or EV mode refers to a mode of vehicle operation that is dependent on the
energy from the battery pack. Battery electric vehicles operate solely in this mode. Most plug-in hybrids operate in charge-depleting mode at startup, and ...
is 52
miles per gallon gasoline equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPGe or MPGge) is a measure of the average distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. MPGe is used by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compare energy consumption of alternative ...
(MPG-e) (4.5 L gasoline equivalent/100 km; 62 mpg-imp gasoline equivalent). The EPA rating in gasoline-only mode is .
Regarding EPA's rating
Henrik Fisker
Henrik Fisker (born 10 August 1963) is a Danish automotive designer and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles, California. He is best known for designing luxury cars including the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Fisker Karma, ...
, CEO and co-founder of Fisker Automotive commented that "...as with all electric vehicles, range varies greatly on the conditions of the road and how you drive the car. We firmly believe that most owners will get up to 50 miles of driving range on a single charge."
The German
Technical Inspection Association (TÜV) found through independent tests that the Fisker Karma has an all-electric range of in stealth (all-electric) mode. TÜV found that in
charge-sustaining sport mode the Karma achieves a fuel economy of 26 mpg (9.2 L/100 km). The combined fuel economy was rated at 112 MPG-e (2.1 l/100 km equivalent) and the emissions level is 51 g/km CO
2.
[ ''See details in Press Release.''][ ''See details in Press Release.'']
Production and delivery
Fisker Automotive and
Valmet Automotive
Valmet Automotive (formerly known as Saab-Valmet) is a Finnish vehicle contract manufacturer and supplier for the development and production of battery systems as well as a supplier for roof and kinematic systems.
In its development, the Valme ...
reached agreement in 2008 to manufacture the Karma in
Uusikaupunki
Uusikaupunki (; sv, Nystad, ) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the Southwest Finland region, northwest of Turku and south of Pori. The municipality has a population of () and covers an area of of which is inland wate ...
,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, with the final assembly contract signed by both parties on November 13, 2008.
![Fisker Karma Interior](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Fisker_Karma_Interior.JPG)
In 2008 Fisker Automotive began accepting
pre-order
A pre-order is an order placed for an item that has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came because people found it hard to get popular items in stores because of their popularity. Companies then had the idea to allow customers to r ...
s in the United States, and Europe and initially scheduled sales of its Karma PHEV by the fourth quarter of 2009 in the United States, and starting in 2010 in Europe.
In 2009 Henrik Fisker reported 1,300 orders for the Karma. Henrik Fisker showed the first production model Karma at the
2010 Paris Motor Show. In July 2011, Fisker stated that it had received 3,000 pre-orders and that the plug-in hybrid was sold out until early 2012.
After re-scheduling the Karma market launch to September 2010, and missing its target to build 70 to 100 test cars in 2010, production began in July 2011,
and the two first deliveries took place in the United States during the same month.
The
Valmet plant in Finland began production with five cars a week. By December 2011 the production rate was 25 units a day. Production was suspended in November 2012 due to financial difficulties,
with about 2,450 Karmas built since 2011.
As a result of
flash floods caused by
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...
in October 2012, 16 Karmas caught fire and another 330 units were lost when an entire shipment from Europe was flooded while being parked at
Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal
Port Newark–Elizabeth Marine Terminal, a major component of the Port of New York and New Jersey, is the principal container ship facility for goods entering and leaving New York metropolitan area and the northeastern quadrant of North Am ...
.
Deliveries to retail customers in the U.S. began in November 2011.
[ ''See details in Press Release''.] In the United States the first vehicles were sold for for the basic model, and for the top model.
In December 2011 prices were raised to for the base EcoStandard model, and for the top model, the EcoChic.
Retail sales
Over 2,000 Karmas were delivered to customers in North America and Europe through December 2012, of which, around 200 were delivered in 2011 and approximately 1,800 in 2012.
About 1,600 units were sold in the United States through December 2013.
[ ''Around 1,800 Tesla Roadsters and 1,600 Fisker Karmas had been sold in the U.S. by the end of 2013.''] A total of 533 units were sold in Europe through December 2014. The Netherlands was the top selling European market for the Karma, with 166 units sold through June 2013.
[ ''Download PDF file for detailed sales in 2011 ("Download nieuwverkoop personenautos 201112"), 2012 ("Download nieuwverkoop personenautos 201212") and 2013 ("Download nieuwverkoop personenautos 201304")''.][ ''Table shows May and June 2013 sales''.] A total of 55 Karmas were sold in Switzerland through June 2013,
[''Download the files ModellePW2013.xls, ModellePW2012.xls and ModellePWQuartal2011.xls''.] 52 in Belgium through November 2012,
and 44 in France through December 2014.
Reception and controversies
Government investment
In 2010, the United States Department of Energy awarded Fisker a US$529 million green-energy loan, primarily to assist the company in transitioning the Karma, which is assembled in Finland, into the American markets. Fisker collected nearly US$200 million until February 2012, when the government froze the loan, because the company was failing to meet the government's milestones. Three months later, in May, Fisker spokesman Roger Ormisher told ABC News that negotiations with the DOE were ongoing, and "We're hoping for a conclusion fairly soon."
''Top Gear''
The Karma was praised on the British television series ''
Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
'' for its looks and hybrid technology while being road-tested by presenter
James May
James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme '' Top Gear'' alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from 2003 until 2015. He also ...
and special guest,
AC/DC front-man
Brian Johnson
Brian Johnson (born 5 October 1947) is an English singer and songwriter. In 1980, after the death of Bon Scott, he became the third lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC. He and the rest of the band were inducted into the Rock and Rol ...
. Johnson noted that it is probably one of the first production cars that actually looks like the
concept version that is sketched beforehand, saying, "It's a cracking looking jam-jar". May noticed similarities in the hybrid-powertrain to his own idea that was used in a segment for ''Top Gear'' a few years earlier (The ''Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust''), though he admits that his idea was very crudely executed. He joked that Fisker would be hearing soon from his lawyers. After his test of the Karma EcoChic, James May awarded it his Top Gear "Car of the Year Award" for 2011.
Recalls
In December 2011, Fisker recalled the first 239 Karmas built from July through November 3, 2011, and delivered to the USA, due to a risk of battery fire caused by coolant leak. Of the 239 cars, fewer than fifty had been delivered to customers, the rest were in dealerships, and at that time no car had been involved in a fire. In the report filed by Fisker Automotive with the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rel ...
(NHTSA), the carmaker said some hose clamps were not properly positioned, which could allow a coolant leak. "If coolant enters the battery compartment an electrical short could possibly occur, causing a thermal event within the battery, including a possible fire in the
orstcase." The problem was discovered on December 16 at the Valmet Automotive assembly plant in Finland when workers noticed coolant dripping.
On January 2, 2012, Fisker announced that most customer cars and cars stocked in dealerships affected by the recall involving
A123 Systems
A123 Systems, LLC, a subsidiary of the Chinese Wanxiang Group Holdings, is a developer and manufacturer of lithium iron phosphate batteries and energy storage systems.
The company was founded in 2001 by Yet-Ming Chiang, Bart Riley, and Ric Fulo ...
-supplied battery packs are back in service. The vehicles have either had brand new battery packs installed or the confirmed repair to the hose clamp assembly undertaken. The remaining customers have been contacted and appointments were made for their replacement battery installation.
On August 18, 2012, Fisker announced it is recalling about 2,400 Karma plug-in hybrids to repair a faulty cooling fan unit.
''Consumer Reports'' test drive
On March 7, 2012, a Fisker Karma purchased for US$107,850 by ''
Consumer Reports'' magazine was taken out for a test drive at the ''CR'' test track facility in Connecticut. The Karma had fewer than on its odometer. While performing a routine speedometer calibration check prior to actual road testing, the car broke down and could not be restarted. "We buy about 80 cars a year and this is the first time in memory that we have had a car that is undriveable before it has finished our check-in process."
The fault was traced to a defective battery caused by a misaligned welding robot at the A123 factory. The battery was replaced in a week. A123 is replacing affected batteries in the Karma and four other customers to a cost of $55 million. Warranty for the Karma will be extended to 60 months and 60,000 miles in North America.
[Vieau, David]
"Livonia Prismatic Cell Field Campaign"
''A123 Systems
A123 Systems, LLC, a subsidiary of the Chinese Wanxiang Group Holdings, is a developer and manufacturer of lithium iron phosphate batteries and energy storage systems.
The company was founded in 2001 by Yet-Ming Chiang, Bart Riley, and Ric Fulo ...
'', March 26, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.[Craig Trudell & Alan Ohnsman]
"A123 Replacing Batteries That Led to Fisker Karma Shutdown"
''Bloomberg Bloomberg may refer to:
People
* Daniel J. Bloomberg (1905–1984), audio engineer
* Georgina Bloomberg (born 1983), professional equestrian
* Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), American businessman and founder of Bloomberg L.P.; politician and m ...
'', March 26, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.[Kaiser, Tiffany]
"A123 Systems to Replace Faulty Fisker Karma EV Batteries for $55 Million"
''DailyTech
DailyTech was an online daily publication of technology news, founded by ex-AnandTech editor Kristopher Kubicki on January 1, 2005. The site featured a prominent "comments" section that acted as the forums for the publication. Users were able ...
'', March 26, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.["A123 replacing battery that failed Fisker Karma during testing"]
''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
''/''Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was esta ...
'', March 26, 2012. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
Fire incidents
A Fisker Karma was involved in a home fire that also burned two other cars in
Fort Bend County, Texas
Fort Bend County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county was founded in 1837 and organized the next year. It is named for a blockhouse at a bend of the Brazos River. The community developed around the fort in early days.
Th ...
in May 2012. The chief fire investigator said the Karma was the origin of the fire that spread to the house, but the exact cause is still unknown. The
plug-in electric car
A plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is any road vehicle that can utilize an external source of electricity (such as a wall socket that connects to the power grid) to store electrical power within its onboard rechargeable battery packs, which th ...
was not plugged in at the time the fire started and it was reported that the Karma's battery was intact. The carmaker released a public statement saying that there was uncertainty and conflicting reports surrounding the event. Fisker Automotive also stated that the battery pack "does not appear to have been a contributing factor in this incident." The NHTSA is conducting a field inquiry of the incident, and is working with insurance adjusters and Fisker to determine the fire's cause.
A second fire incident took place in August 2012 when a Karma caught fire while stopped at a parking lot in
Woodside, California
Woodside is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula. Woodside is among the wealthiest communities in the United States, home to many technology billionaires and investment manager ...
. According to Fisker engineers, the area of origin for the fire was determined to be outside the engine compartment, as the fire was located at the driver's side front corner of the car. The evidence suggested that the ignition source was not the lithium-ion battery pack, new technology components or unique exhaust routing. The investigation conducted by Fisker engineers and an independent fire expert concluded that the cause of the fire was a low temperature cooling fan located at the left front of the Karma, forward of the wheel. An internal fault caused the fan to fail, overheat and started a slow-burning fire. Fisker announced a recall to repair the faulty cooling fan unit.
In separate incidents during the storm and flooding caused by
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...
on the night of October 29, 2012, 16 Karmas and one
Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid
The Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (often abbreviated as the Prius and known as the Prius Prime in North America, South Korea, and New Zealand) is a plug-in hybrid liftback manufactured by Toyota. The first-generation model was produced from 2012 t ...
caught fire while parked at
Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
. The vehicles were partially submerged by
flash floods caused by the hurricane. Initially, a
Fisker Automotive
Fisker Automotive was an American company known for producing the Fisker Karma, which was one of the world's first production luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, and first ...
spokesman said the company "can't be certain exactly what happened at the port" but "we think being submerged in 13 feet of saltwater had something to do with it". The carmaker clarified that the Karmas were not charging at the time of the fire and there were no injuries. In the case of the Toyota's incident, a Prius PHV burned and two other Prius, a conventional hybrid and a plug-in, just smoldered. A Toyota spokeswoman said the fire "likely started because saltwater got into the electrical system". She also clarified that the incident affected only three cars out of the 4,000 Toyotas that were at the terminal during the storm, including more than 2,128 plug-in or hybrid models.
After an investigation by Fisker engineers, witnessed by NHTSA representatives, the company said that the origin of the fire was "residual salt damage inside a Vehicle Control Unit submerged in seawater for several hours. Corrosion from the salt caused a short circuit in the unit, which led to a fire when the Karma's 12-Volt battery fed power into the circuit". The company explained that Sandy's heavy winds spread that fire to other Karmas parked nearby, and also ruled out the vehicles' lithium-ion battery packs as a cause of, or even a contributing factor to, the blaze. Fisker reported a loss of around 330 additional Karmas when an entire shipment from Europe was flooded in the port terminal, the estimated value of the flood loss is in excess of million.
Tesla lawsuit
On April 14, 2008,
Tesla Motors
Tesla, Inc. ( or ) is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company headquartered in Austin, Texas. Tesla designs and manufactures electric vehicles (electric cars and trucks), battery energy storage from home to grid- ...
filed a lawsuit against Fisker Automotive, alleging that Henrik Fisker stole Tesla's
Model S
The Tesla Model S is a battery-powered liftback car serving as the flagship model of Tesla, Inc. The Model S features a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout, although earlier versions of the Model S featured a rear-motor and rear-wheel drive l ...
hybrid technology and was using it to develop the Karma. Tesla's suit claimed that the design work done for the Model S sedan by
Fisker Coachbuild
Fisker Coachbuild was a car design firm based in Orange County, California. The company produced custom luxury cars. It produced the Tramonto and Latigo CS. It also designed and manufactured aftermarket parts such as aluminum alloy wheels, ...
was substandard, and that Fisker Automotive diverted its best ideas to the Karma.
On November 4, 2008
CNET News
''CNET'' (short for "Computer Network") is an American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally. ''CNET'' originally produced content for radio and televi ...
reported that Tesla Motors would discontinue its suit after an interim ruling in favor of Fisker et al. A news release on the Fisker Automotive website stated that Tesla was ordered to pay US$1,144,285 in costs.
Related models
Fisker Sunset
![Fisker Sunset--DC](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Fisker_Sunset--DC.jpg)
Fisker previewed the Karma S "Sunset", which is based on the regular Karma, at the
2012 North American International Auto Show, Fisker has said that the Sunset only has minimum weight increases, when compared with the Karma. It was expected to be produced after the Surf, which was expected to be sometime after late 2013. The Fisker S Sunset was to be the world's first
plug-in hybrid convertible
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
, with a folding
hardtop, as well as the first convertible/roadster by Fisker.
Fisker Surf
![Fisker Surf (front quarter)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Fisker_Surf_%28front_quarter%29.jpg)
The Fisker Surf was unveiled at the 2011
Frankfurt Motor Show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
– described by
''Automobile'' as a
station wagon or as a
shooting-brake
Shooting brake (sometimes mis-identified as "shooting break") is a car body style which originated in the 1890s as a horse-drawn wagon used to transport shooting parties with their equipment and game.
The first automotive shooting brakes were ...
.
Sales of the four-door
plug-in hybrid, which has the same range as the Karma, were scheduled to begin in 2013. The production version was scheduled to be unveiled at the 2012
Paris Auto Show
The Paris Motor Show (french: Mondial de l'Automobile) is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently take ...
.
The Surf's entire powertrain, chassis, and interior are identical to the Karma sedan, with the only major cabin change being the additional room in back for a couple of adults, and expandable room in the back is up from to anywhere from to . Overall weight on the Surf versus the Karma increased by just .
VLF Automotive's VLF Destino
Retired General Motors Vice-Chairman
Bob Lutz and his business partner Gilbert Villarreal announced the debut of
VL Automotive at the 2013
North American International Auto Show. VL has acquired 25 unsold Fisker Karmas and is remaking the cars by taking out the hybrid electric powertrain and installing a Chevrolet Corvette LS9 supercharged V8 gasoline engine with 638 hp (476 kW; 647 PS) and 604 lbf·ft (819 N·m) of torque and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Lutz told Automotive News that he'll also change the grille, make it "silky and buttery to drive," and sell them at prices beginning around $200,000. The resulting vehicle will be called the VL Destino.
In May 2014 VL merged with
WM GreenTech Automotive, and resulted in the car being renamed WM Destino by its new owners.
In January 2016, the car was renamed as the VLF Destino V8, to mark the creation of the new company
VLF Automotive
VLF Automotive is a small American-based automotive company formed in January 2016. It was founded as VL Automotive in 2012 by Bob Lutz and Gilbert Villarreal, then renamed after Henrik Fisker joined the company.
Company history
The company wa ...
. Deliveries of new VLF Destinos began in mid-2016.
Karma Revero
The Karma Revero is the revamped, and updated version of the Fisker Karma, from
Wanxiang
Wanxiang Group Corporation () is a Chinese multinational conglomerate, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Its automotive components subsidiary (Wangxiang Qiaochao) is the largest China-based automotive components company meas ...
's
Karma Automotive
Karma Automotive is a Chinese-owned American producer of luxury electric vehicles founded in 2014. Headquartered in Irvine, California, United States with an assembly plant located in Moreno Valley, Karma sells vehicles via its dealer networ ...
, the rebranded successor to Fisker Automotive.
Awards and recognition
2009 marked the first time that an electric vehicle was named a North American Production Preview Vehicle of the Year by the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards. The award went to
Fisker Automotive
Fisker Automotive was an American company known for producing the Fisker Karma, which was one of the world's first production luxury plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, and first ...
for the Fisker Karma Sunset.
The Fisker Karma was listed among the "Green Design 100" of 2009 by ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' magazine. Also, Time listed the Karma among "The 50 Best Inventions" of 2011. In November 2011 the Fisker Karma won ''
Automobile Magazine
''Automobile'' was an American automobile magazine published by the Motor Trend Group. A group of former employees of ''Car and Driver'' led by David E. Davis founded ''Automobile'' in 1986 with support from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, u ...
's'' 2012 Design of the Year Award.
In December 2011, Karma was chosen as "Luxury Car of The Year" by ''
Top Gear Magazine
''Top Gear'' is a British automobile magazine, owned by BBC Worldwide, and published under contract by Immediate Media Company. It is named after the BBC's ''Top Gear'' television show. It was first published in October 1993 and is published ...
'', and "Car of The Year" by
James May
James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme '' Top Gear'' alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from 2003 until 2015. He also ...
of ''
TopGear''.
[Rana, Omar]
Fisker Karma wins Top Gear's Luxury Car of the Year award, James May gives it ‘Car of the Year'
''EGM CarTech'', December 1, 2011. Accessed: December 2, 2011.[Gordon-Bloomfield, Nikki]
Electric-Car-Hating Top Gear Names Fisker Karma Luxury Car Of The Year
''Green Car Reports'', December 2, 2011. Accessed: December 2, 2011.
In 2012, the German car magazine ''
Auto Bild
''Auto Bild'' is a leading German automobile magazine based in Hamburg, Germany.
History and profile
''Auto Bild'' was first published on the last week of February 1986. The magazine is published by Axel Springer AG on a weekly basis. The webs ...
'' awarded the Fisker the "Golden Steering Wheel Award" as "Classic Car of the Future.
In popular culture
Producers of the TV show ''
Two and a Half Men
''Two and a Half Men'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS for twelve seasons from September 22, 2003, to February 19, 2015. Originally starring Charlie Sheen in the lead role alongside Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones, t ...
'' chose the Karma as the vehicle for the character
Walden Schmidt
The American sitcom ''Two and a Half Men'', created and executive produced by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn, premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. The show initially centers on seven characters: brothers Charlie and Alan Harper; Jake Harper, ...
, a young and successful tech entrepreneur. The car was chosen to represent both Schmit's wealth as well as his eccentricity.
In the 2013 drama film ''
Paranoia
Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy co ...
'', a communications titan (played by
Harrison Ford) gives his young associate (played by
Liam Hemsworth
Liam Hemsworth (born 13 January 1990) is an Australian actor. He played the roles of Josh Taylor in the soap opera ''Neighbours'' and Marcus in the children's television series ''The Elephant Princess''. In American films, Hemsworth starred as ...
) the keys to a brand-new Fisker Karma as a symbol that he has "made it" in the corporate world.
[Bryan Alexander]
"Fisker turns up in new Harrison Ford movie 'Paranoia',"
''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'', 15 October 2012.
In the 2013 video game ''
Grand Theft Auto Online
''Grand Theft Auto Online'' is an online multiplayer action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It was released on 1 October 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, 18 November 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xb ...
,'' there is a vehicle manufactured by a fictional company called "Hijak" called "Khamelion", which is nearly identical to the Fisker Karma.
In the TV show ''
Lab Rats
A laboratory rat is a rat of the species ''Rattus norvegicus'' which is bred and kept for scientific research.
Labrat, lab rat, or lab rats may also refer to:
People and characters
* Dunash ben Labrat (920–990), medieval Jewish commentator ...
'' the Karma is used as a self-driving car in Season 2 Episode 1: "Speed Trapped".
See also
*
Fisker Atlantic
*
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established around the world to support policy-driven adoption of plug-in electric vehicles. These incentives mainly take the form of purchase rebates, tax exemptions and tax credits, ...
*
List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles
This is a list of battery electric vehicles that are mass-produced, formerly produced, and planned. It includes only vehicles exclusively using chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, with no secondary source of propulsion (e.g ...
*
Plug-in electric vehicle
A plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is any road vehicle that can utilize an external source of electricity (such as a wall socket that connects to the power grid) to store electrical power within its onboard rechargeable battery packs, which then ...
References
External links
Fisker Automotive official site(archived)
Fisker Karma road test
Photostream of the Fisker Karma from Fisker Auto*
*
Revero on the production line photos
{{Henrik Fisker
Full-size vehicles
Luxury vehicles
Plug-in hybrid vehicles
Hybrid electric cars
Sports sedans
Cars introduced in 2011
Henrik Fisker