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Fisker Automotive's 2010 Karma, the world's most luxurious hybrid
Given that July 4th celebrations occur this Saturday, it seems only appropriate that we begin the week in the auto industry with some true American engineering technology, Fisker Automotive’s, Karma hybrid.
With all the talk surrounding the restructuring of GM and Chrysler, and the Federal Government doing it’s best to reduce the number of inefficient cars in “Cash for Clunkers” deals, it’s easy to forget that smaller American companies are quietly getting on with producing amazing products. Fisker Automotive, as mentioned, is one such company and like the concept of hybrid technology, it emerged in 2007 after the melding of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC and Quantum Technologies, in a joint venture partnership. The Karma must be one of the most exciting products set for delivery in 2010 for a few lucky customers.
Fisker Automotive claim their mission is to “create a range of beautiful environmentally friendly cars that make environmental sense without compromise.” They see an opportunity for producing vehicles in a “new segment…within the auto industry where people can really use their power of choice. They can choose to be environmentally friendly with their car purchase without compromising on the style and luxury that they are used to. We believe in less compromise and more efficiency.”
The 2010 Karma is definitely a step in this direction and is arguably the most aggressive and attractive looking hybrid vehicle currently being produced. The low slung appearance and wide wheel arches which house those huge alloy wheels make it look ready for action. The car’s top speed is around 125mph and is powered by two electric engines as well as a 260hp Turbo-charged GM sourced 2.0L Ecotech™ engine. The company claims that “Karma drivers who charge their car overnight and commute less than 50 miles a day will achieve an average fuel economy of 100 mpg (2.4L/100km) per year.”
The secret is the “Q-DRIVE plug-in hybrid technology” which was developed exclusively for Fisker by Quantum Technologies. Fully charged, the car will burn no fuel for the first 50 miles after that the vehicle’s generator will be used to charge the lithium ion battery and operates as a normal hybrid vehicle.
In addition to the advanced electrical and automotive engineering within the vehicle’s engine and drive components, the company has made extensive use of recycled materials as part of its eco-friendly company vision. Wood trim is sourced from non-living trees such as those from lake bottoms, or naturally fallen timber from forests or recovered from forest fires in places like California.
“Ecoglass” used in the vehicle is from recycled sand and their ‘“EcoChic,” is based on a completely animal-free approach that offers the most luxurious automotive environment. This series uses a soft hand textile composed of 100% Bamboo Viscose and frames authentic fossil leaves inside the EcoGlass.’ In essence, considerable thought has gone into the production of this vehicle and the initial run suggests only about 15,000 units will be produced, making it relatively exclusive.
Nevertheless, the market for hybrid vehicles is increasing rapidly, with Toyota’s Prius and Honda’s Insight being amongst the most popular and best selling vehicles in the market place right now: www.hybridcars.com/hybrid-sales-dashboard/may-2009-dashboard.html. Fisker argue that more than 60% of Europeans and Americans travel less than 50 miles on their daily commutes or dropping kids off to school. “If this 60% of commuters would drive a plug-in hybrid like the Fisker Karma, we could see the fastest possible reduction both in oil consumption and emissions - all without sacrificing their daily driving habits.” karma.fiskerautomotive.com/pages/karma/technology.
For those who are wondering about the commercial viability of the company, it should be noted that Henrik Fisker has some 18 years experience in the auto industry. He has designed some of the most beautiful automotive vehicles in recent history, including the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9 and the V8 Vantage. The company states his latest creations, the Tramonto and Latigo CS, were “designed under the Fisker Coachbuild nameplate.”
If the success of some of these other fantastic brands is anything to go by, then it will be no surprise if the Karma becomes an American engineering success story even with the higher price tag being a few grand under 90,000. You can pre-order a vehicle or make enquiries through their website, apparently the color spec seen at the Detroit auto show has already sold out karma.fiskerautomotive.com.
2010 FISKER KARMA SPECIFICATIONS:
Chassis/Body Configuration
• Four-door, four-passenger sedan
• Lightweight extruded aluminum spaceframe
• Lightweight aluminum and composite body panels
Powertrain
• Dual electric rear motors, rear wheel drive with mid-mounted battery pack and
front/mid-mounted Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)/Generator combination
• Electric Drive Motors: 2 x 150 kW (403 hp total)
• Battery: 200 kW (peak) Lithium-ion
• Gasoline Engine: 260hp Turbocharged 2-liter GM Ecotec®
• Transmission: Not Required
Performance
• Stealth Mode (Lithium-ion power only)
o 0-60 miles/hour 7.0 seconds (0-100 km/h in 6 seconds)
o Top speed (continuous) 95 miles/hour (153 km/h)
o Range 50 miles (80km)
• Sport Mode (Lithium-ion power/ICE)
o 0-60 miles/hour 5.8 seconds (0-100 km/h in 6.0 seconds)
o Top speed (continuous) 125 miles/hour (200 km/h)
o Range 300 miles (483km)
Suspension:
• Fully independent Short-Long Arm (SLA) architecture
Lighting:
• Bi-Xenon headlamps
• Low-energy LED tail lamps and turn signals
Safety:
• Dual front airbags
• Antilock Brakes (ABS)
• Traction Control (TCS)
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Meets or exceeds global crash protection standards including rollover
Brakes:
• Electro-hydraulic brake boost unit with integral chassis control functions
• Electrically regenerative brake combined with friction braking
• Electrically actuated parking brake
Steering:
• Electrically driven hydraulically power-assisted rack and pinion with a
programmable servo assist feature
• Ratio 14:1; 2.7 turns lock-to-lock
• Overall reduced parking efforts
Tires:
• Front: 245/35R22 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 with optimized rolling resistance
• Rear: 265/35R22 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 with optimized rolling resistance
Exterior Dimensions:
• Overall Length 199.5in/4987 mm
• Overall Width 79.4in/1984 mm
• Overall Height 53.2in/1330 mm
• Front Overhang 36.5in/913 mm
• Rear Overhang 36.6in/914 mm
• Wheelbase 126.4in/3160 mm
• Front Track 67.6in/1689 mm
• Rear Track 68.8in/1720 mm
Nathan can be contacted at pricklyhedgehog@yahoo.com and welcomes your comments and suggestions. Images and technical information of the 2010 Karma is courtesy of Fisker Automotive.
For more info: http://karma.fiskerautomotive.com www.hybridcars.com/frontpage
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