EV Weblog » fisker

Fisker secures $500+ million loan from the DOE

Jason — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:26:21 +0000

It’s been Christmas for a while now for automakers that intend on making EVs. The DOE has a large pool of money set aside to dole out to those it deems worthy. Fisker recently passed that test and was awarded $527 million to help them develop hybrids that will be affordable.

As of now the only car that Fisker has announced is the Karma. At $80,000+ I wouldn’t call that exactly affordable. So Fisker is going to have to produce another, cheaper car. And that’s exactly what they state they’re going to do. The majority of the loan will go to developing a plugin hybrid in the same vein as the Karma or the Chevy Volt that will cost just under $40,000.

“This conditional loan represents a significant step in America’s future,” said Henrik Fisker, CEO. “With it Fisker Automotive can rapidly develop affordable clean cars that satisfy our passion for driving and help restore the U.S. as an auto industry leader.”

Fisker says that the loan will save or create 5,000 jobs in the US.

Fisker Karma will get 67 MPG

Jason — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:15:07 +0000

67 isn’t nearly as high as the 230 MPG that GM claims the Volt will get. But for a luxury sports car that’s an outrageous number. The Karma will achieve that fuel economy based on testing methodology being developed for the next generation of hybrids by the Society of Automotive engineers.

Fisker also states that the Karma will emit 83 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, lower than the current Toyota Prius – so you can be greener than the Prius owners while looking good and going fast. Not a bad combination.

Fisker is aiming the $88,000 Karma at high-end sports sedans, offering 403 horsepower and a zero-to-60 mph time of around 6 seconds. Orders are being taken now, and production is planned to begin in the first half of 2010.

Fisker Karma makes debut in Monterey

Jason — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:29:57 +0000

Fisker Karma

The Fisker Karma, an electric sports sedan with a range extender like the Chevy Volt made it’s debut in Monterey. The Karma has over 400 HP going to the rear tires allowing it to accelerate from 0-60 in less than 6 seconds. It can go 50 miles on a fully charged battery pack before the range extender kicks in.

“This demonstration represents a significant milestone for Fisker Automotive and PHEV technology,” said CEO Henrik Fisker. “The future of clean cars is bright.”

The Karma has a top speed of 125 miles per hour. Sales of the Karma will begin towards the end of the year with pricing in the U.S. set at $87,900.