Fisker Car Forum

Fisker Automotive and the US Department of Energy have agreed to terms for a loan of more than half a billion dollars to create affordable, fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid electric cars.

A majority of the low-interest funds will go toward Project NINA, which will see the design, engineering and assembly of Fisker Automotive’s next-generation plug-in hybrids, starting at about $39,900 after tax credits. The remainder will help finalize development of the Fisker Karma, the technology leading plug-in hybrid that will enable the company to develop such lower cost models.

Fisker Automotive expects to create or save at least 5,000 US jobs among auto suppliers and thousands more to manufacture a plug-in hybrid in the U.S.

Project NINA — inspired by the ship belonging to explorer Christopher Columbus — is symbolic of the automobile industry’s transition from old world to new.

“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 US as an auto industry leader.”

All Fisker automobiles prove eco-friendly vehicles can be stylish, functional and exciting. They combine the low energy-cost and tailpipe-emission free benefits of an all-electric car with the unlimited range of a gasoline powered car.

The funds are part of the US Department of Energy’s -billion pain relief Advanced Technologies Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program, created by Congress in November 2008 to help promote the development of energy-efficient, advanced-technology vehicles.

Fisker Automotive has already created hundreds of jobs by partnering with Tier 1 US automotive suppliers to develop the Karma. The company has also recruited a network of 45 premium retailers to market and service its vehicles. With Project NINA, that network is expected to grow to more than 100 US retailers, in addition to those in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The Fisker Karma’s real-world, annual average fuel economy can exceed 100mpg, significantly more than that of today’s hybrids. Its exclusive Q-DRIVE(R) powertrain is expected to deliver an emission-free 50 miles per full charge of its Lithium-ion battery, and a total extended range of more than 300 miles through the use of its gasoline powered engine/generator. If driven fewer than 50 miles per day and fully charged overnight it is possible the Karma can use as little as one tank of gas per year. More than 1,500 of the plug-in hybrids have already been ordered.

It is estimated some 821 million gallons of gasoline will be saved and 8 million tons of CO2 offset from sales of Fisker plug-in hybrids through 2016, based on SAE J2841 Electrical Usage Statistics.

[Source: Fisker Automotive]

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The Sound of Silence: The Fisker Karma, will warn pedestrians by emitting a noise “akin to a jet fighter.”

A great debate. To noise, or not to noise?

Is it really needed? After so many years of hearing about noise pollution, we now have a solution and are being asked to add sound to it. The Fisker Karma has been design to specifically address this issue. There are a set of speakers in the rear bumper where you would typically expect to see tail pipes. The HYBRID HZ label literally means: Hybrid Sound. Not many details have been given about this feature. Right now the sound is said to have been set to that of a jet fighter. Of course this could easily change in the future.

An interactive debate has started over at Newsrag. The comments start out with talking about “looking  both ways before you cross the road.” That should be enough for anyone to know a car is coming. The response to that is a case where fog is an issue. Really, fog that’s the main issue? No one has address the issue of the blind. That one can get into a little more philosophical debate. Cars make sound so you can identify them with your sense of hearing. If cars had always been silent would sounds have been added already? Just because it can be done, that doesn’t mean it should. Of course, just because it has always been that way doesn’t mean it’s right either (Tramadol).

What would you like your Karma to sound like? Would you like to have the option for the sound  to be customized? How about an option to turn the sound off?

[Source: Popular Science Image: Sport Cars]

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Fisker Automotive’s Russell Datz, explains why after so many years of ineffective attempts by American start-up car manufacturers to compete against the big three, that this time it’s different.

“What you have right now working for us is a perfect storm socially, politically and industrially,” said Mr. Datz.

“Socially, more and more people are becoming aware that if we are to sustain our car-centered lifestyle, we have to reduce our dependence on gasoline-powered cars.”

Politically, he said, arthritis “The Obama administration is more supportive of new automotive technology and entrepreneurship, perhaps more than any other presidency in history.” He pointed to a multibillion-dollar program that encourages the development of new technology in the U.S. auto industry. Fisker has an application in for funds that Mr. Datz is optimistic will be approved.

Industrially, he said, all of the recent turmoil in the auto industry has created opportunities for new auto companies.

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The latest reports from both the AlwaysOn Going Green conference in Sausalito, Calif. and from the Frankfurt Motor Show confirm that Fisker Automotive is targeting a sub $40,000 hybrid by 2012.

At the AlwaysOn Going Green conference Ray Lane of Kleiner Perkins investor, and former President of Oracle, hinted that one of their clients is developing a new type of hybrid car.

And the hybrid vehicle is expected to have one major difference from the typical plug-in vehicle, Lane said. It’s not going to be an electric car.

“I cannot talk about it because we have not described what it is. It requires protection today,” Lane said. “But it is not an electric vehicle. Do not think batteries.”

Speculation is that the client is Fisker Automotive. This was fueled further from an interview with Henrik Fisker at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Here he announced:

…the lower-cost hybrid will sell for $39,900. The company is looking at several closed assembly plants in the United States for a potential site to build about 100,000 vehicles annually.

Many questions are still left unanswered. Are the two announcements really tied? Does this have something to do with another Kleiner Perkins client such as Think Global or ultracapacitor developer EEStor? Has Fisker been approved for the DOE loan? Just what the heck could  a hybrid be that’s not electric?

[Source: Cleantech Group, Forbes]

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Tomorrow as the doors open to the Frankfurt Motor Show there will be at least one peice of new information available to North American Fisker fans. For the first time Fisker Automotive will have the high voltage home charging unit on display. No details have been released about the unit. Since it is notes as being High Voltage that would imply the unit would allow for at least a 220 volt charge. 

Fisker is still trying to build the largest diabetes amount of fanfare around the officially announced mpg numbers. At 67mpg the Fisker Karma will be one of the most fuel economical cars on the road. It will be very interesting to see how GM’s Chevy Volt numbers get  calculated on their next run. The GM marketing team will have their work cut out for them.

[Source: Fisker Automotive] 

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