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Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire
Fisker Automotive can't seem to catch break -- because its Karma hybrid EV sedan has yet again become too hot. Similar to an incident last spring that left a model burnt to near smithereens and damaged its owner's house, the Karma above caught fire in a Woodside, CA parking lot while powered off. Jalopnik was the first to get word of the incident, noting that the damage remained reserved to the front left of the vehicle, near where an exhaust is located. As the story goes, the owner found the vehicle emitting smoke after returning from a grocery run, prompting a call to Fisker and then the local fire department, which arrived as it was already engulfed in flames. In a statement to Wired's Autopia, Fisker has been vehement to note that the damage appears to be far from where the car's battery and sensitive electrical components are located, and that it wasn't plugged in for a charge -- furthermore, it's already had correspondence with the owner and is actively investigating the matter with plans to issue an update when there are findings to share. All that said, it remains to be seen whether the Karma's battery system, supplied by A123 Systems (and the focus of previous recalls), had any role in igniting the car. Thankfully there were no reports of injuries from the incident, but as you can tell from the photo, the car was essentially totaled. You'll find a video of the Karma in flames being quelled by firefighters after the break, along with the official statement by Fisker given to Autopia.
A123 Systems' new lithium ion tech keeps EV batteries cool, your wallet in check
EV battery maker A123 Systems has had a rocky history as of late following a Fisker battery recall, but it may just be turning the corner with a new lithium ion advancement. Nanophosphate EXT widens the temperature range that A123's lithium iron phosphate-based batteries can withstand before losing power: an EXT battery musters 20 percent more power than before when it's as chilly as -22F and can keep over 90 percent of its original capacity after 2,000 full charges, even if it's been run in a blistering 113F heat. The longevity has its obvious advantages for anyone who lives in an extreme climate, but it could also lead to cheaper EVs and hybrids -- the less cooling a car battery needs, the lower the up-front cost and the lighter the car gets. Full production won't start until the first half of 2013, though that's ample time for companies to at least think about slotting Nanophosphate EXT battery packs into 2014 or later cars such as the Atlantic.
Fisker leak shows Atlantic production delayed to mid-2014, 0-60 in 6.5 seconds
Our hopes of taking the Fisker Atlantic for a spin next year just got dampened considerably: a big document leak has revealed that the more reasonably-priced alternative to the Karma won't be rolling off the production lines en masse until mid-2014, a year later than we'd expected. Thanks in part to a factory overhaul, the only Atlantics rolling on their hybrid-powered wheels in mid-2013 will be prototypes. On the upside, we've learned more about the car itself, including a fairly brisk 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds courtesy of a 300HP-equivalent motor. Green drivers who thought that the promised lower price would put it into entry-level luxury will nonetheless get a reality check with that $50,000 to $60,000 target, even if it's still a big savings over the six-digit Karma. There's still a huge amount of leeway for things to change, but with our compatriots at Autoblog having confirmed that the documents were real and "highly confidential," they may be a sign that the Tesla Model S will have free rein in the green luxury sedan world for a good year or more.
Fisker rep defends Karma hybrid sedan in garage fire aftermath
Last week, a newly purchased Fisker Karma went up in flames, damaging its owner's home and earning the company behind that hybrid sedan plenty of bad press. The auto maker hasn't submitted an official explanation for the fire, though the former chief engineer for the late General Motors EV1 electric car places the blame on the hybrid's tight engine bay packing. Fisker clearly isn't having any of that -- according to the company's director of powertrain: Our technologies and engine design have been fully tested and certified at the highest level. It is irresponsible and ill-informed for technology pundits to suggest otherwise in order to secure media attention for unfounded claims. No defensiveness there, then.
Fisker Karma reportedly sets house on fire, doesn't restore cosmic balance (updated)
Fisker's Karma woes aren't relenting anytime soon, as one new owner just found out the hard way. A driver in Sugar Land, Texas parked his recently obtained hybrid sedan in his garage last week, only to have the car self-immolate minutes later and damage his new home. Despite the slight risk of lithium-ion batteries catching fire, the luxury car's power pack (unplugged at the time) appears to have been left in one piece -- suggesting that something more complicated is at fault. For their part, neither Fisker nor insurance investigators are ready to offer a definite explanation as to what set the car on fire, although an electrical panel in the garage is a possible lead. Hybrids and pure EVs typically aren't at significant risk of igniting, so we might not ask for a refund... but we would recommend keeping an eye (and a nose) on any potential fire hazards around your eco-friendly auto. Update: Looks like Fisker's about to take some more heat. Here's a statement from the owner's attorney: The fire department recently completed their investigation and determined the origin of the fire was, in fact, Gutierrez's newly purchased Fisker Karma hybrid electric vehicle that he just took possession of two weeks earlier Hit up our source link after the break to read the note in full.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: autos galore, electric trees and the world's largest rooftop farm
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Flying cars and taxis of the future drove out of our imaginations and onto the show floor of the 2012 New York Auto Show this week as autophiles poured into the Jacob Javits Center from far and wide. Inhabitat editors left no hybrid or electric cars unturned as they scoped out gems like the Fisker Karma's lower-priced but equally-sexy cousin, the Fisker Atlantic, and Infiniti's revolutionary LE electric car, which will use the world's first wireless home charging system. We were also wowed by reveals of the Lincoln MKZ hybrid vehicle and a special guest appearance by the back-to-the-futuristic electric DeLorean (shown above).Even though we kicked the week off with some pretty plausible April Fool's Day stories, some of the actual events from the past few days proved that truth is often stranger than fiction. Case in point: this Indian man single-handedly planted a 1,360 acre forest (really makes you question what you've accomplished in your life, doesn't it?) and a spooky unmanned Japanese ghost ship was recently spotted off the coast of Canada floating aimlessly in the sea. In other news, Harry the Hermit crab was picky about his abodes until he was presented with a custom-made LEGO shell, and the electric blue trees that sprouted up in Seattle weren't stragglers from a Dr. Seuss book, but rather the work of an artist calling attention to the dangers of deforestation. On the other hand, some reforestation is about to take place in NYC, as Marty Markowitz and celebrity chef Mario Batali announced that the world's largest rooftop farm will be coming to Brooklyn in 2013. And finally, it seems the media made April Fools of themselves last week when they jumped to the false conclusion that taxpayer money was lost after Solar Trust of America filed for bankruptcy.The world of design presented us with some inspiring new developments this week as we delved deep into tiny terrarium worlds, ogled IKEA's otherworldly new jellyfish lamp and witnessed an eco Easter egg sprout mini skyscrapers just in time for the holiday. More strides were also made in the race for cleaner energy as this young savant at the University of Delaware developed a self-sustaining solar reactor that could revolutionize clean energy as we know it and Bayer revealed a new seismic wallpaper that could actually keep walls from collapsing in an earthquake. Not to be outdone, scientists from Austria and Japan announced that they created micro-thin solar cells narrower than spider silk and Chinese researchers unlocked the secret of butterfly wings to make solar electricity more efficient. And, of course, no tech recap would be complete without an innovation from Google - the search giant just unveiled its new pair of "Project Glass" augmented reality glasses.
Fisker Atlantic EVer unveiled in New York, we go eyes-on
Fisker's Karma series-hybrid electric vehicle hasn't exactly been receiving a lot of great press lately, but the company didn't let the process of swapping out 640 battery packs dampen the launch of that car's smaller sibling, the Atlantic. This long-expected (and recently spied) auto is a shortened, slightly smaller car that is said to be priced at a "much lower price point" than its predecessor. But, like the bigger Karma (and the even larger Surf), there's an on-board motor that burns gas to generate more electricity to extend that range -- but sadly nobody's saying by how far.In this case it's a four-cylinder BMW-sourced engine providing that extra range, exhaust peeking out just behind the front-left wheel. A four-banger doesn't sound all that impressive in a car like this, but remember it's only tasked with spinning a generator. Moving the sedan (and its healthy complement of batteries) will be an undisclosed electric powertrain. Sadly no details are being given tonight for performance or cost, but we're told it'll set you back about as much as an Audi A5. Could that mean a $40,000 starting price? That'd be less than half the cost of the $102,000 Karma, and potentially quite a revolution. Needless to say we can't wait to find out.We weren't able to peek in the trunk, but we're told the new engine provides more space for your junk than the Karma's current arrangement. The car is said to match the A5 in terms of cargo space, which is certainly nothing to sneeze about. Now mind, this is just a concept and things are liable to change on the long road from here to production, but Fisker isn't known for tweaking much along the way. Suffice to say, this should be very close to the car that hits dealerships... eventually.
Fisker Nina / Atlantic gets unofficially pictured in official form
We got a quick glimpse of Fisker's once-halted Project Nina the other day courtesy of Autoblog, and we now have our best look at the car to date thanks to some seemingly official press photos that have turned up on Autoforum.cz. Now being dubbed the Atlantic, the car promises to be a smaller and more affordable version of Fisker's Karma sedan and, as those earlier shots indicated, we should soon be seeing plenty more of it at this week's New York Auto Show. Apart from an expected BMW-sourced four-cylinder engine, though, details on the car itself remain decidedly light -- including any indication of a possible price tag or rollout date. In the meantime, you can find more photos where this one came from at the links below.
Fisker's Project Nina exposed ahead of New York Auto Show debut
An unreleased gadget is pretty easy to conceal, but an upcoming automobile? Not so much. Thanks to some quick reflexes, you're looking at the first spy shots of Fisker's second and smaller plug-in hybrid sedan, heretofore known as Project Nina. Last we heard, the BMW-powered auto had been put on life-support, as the remainder of the company's DOE loan evaporated as it failed to meet timely deadlines in bringing its first EV, the Karma, to market. That could mean the above is a mere concept designed to woo potential investors -- but with less than a week before its supposed New York auto show debut, it won't be long until we know for sure. Until then, ogle at more eye candy of the beaut over at Autoblog in the source link below.
Fisker plans to replace the battery packs on 640 Karma sedans
Fisker Automotive hasn't exactly had the smoothest of launches for its all-electric Karma sedan, and it's now been dealt yet another small setback. As Wired Autopia reports, Fisker now plans to replace the battery packs on nearly all of the Karmas that have rolled off the assembly line -- apparently due to the same issue that caused the car to break down during Consumer Reports' test of the car. That includes some 640 cars in all (up from 239 in an earlier recall), although Fisker notes that it has only seen the issue on a "handful" of vehicles. If you're the owner of one of those, you can expect to receive a notice in the next few days, along with a software update (unrelated to the recall) that promises improvements on everything form the powertrain to infotainment system.
Consumer Reports' Fisker Karma gets fixed, testing resumes, for now
Remember Consumer Reports' bought a Fisker Karma that broke down while on the test track? Well after it had made the 200-mile round-trip to the dealership, it turned out the inverter cable and battery were both faulty and replaced them, before fully recharging the vehicle. The car has now been returned to the test track where a full review can begin -- give it a week, and we'll start taking bets on if it actually gets that "recommended" rating.
Fisker Karma breaks down in CR test, risks that 'recommended' rating (video)
Consumer Reports splashed out $107,850 to buy its own Fisker Karma, but before the car had traveled 200 miles, it had broken down. Partway through calibration testing on the CR Track, the car's dashboard began issuing warnings, but when tester Tom Mutchler pulled over to identify the issue, it wouldn't get going again. Mutchler was forced to call the dealership, located 100 miles away, to collect it on a flatbed for repair. It's the first time in memory that the testing organization can recall a vehicle breaking down partway through testing, but when it comes to the Karma, you can only be sure that nothing's too calamitous.
With federal loans blocked, Fisker halts work on Project Nina, lays off 66 workers
Fisker Automotive's bumpy 2011 appears to have given way to an even rockier 2012. A little more than a month after recalling 239 of its Karma plug-ins, Fisker has now stopped working on its second electric vehicle, following the US government's decision to suspend its federal loans. The manufacturer confirmed the news in an email yesterday, adding that a total of 66 workers in Delaware and California have been laid off, as a result. In 2009, the Department of Energy provided Fisker with $528.7 million in federal loans, but according to spokesman Roger Ormisher, access to those funds have been blocked since May. The money was supposed to be used to launch the Karma and Fisker's second, US-manufactured EV, known as the Nina. The Karma began rolling out to market in July, but did so well behind schedule, spurring the DOE to suspend its loan."Our loan guarantees have strict conditions in place to protect taxpayers," Department spokesman Damien LaVera explained in an email to Bloomberg. "The department only allows the loan to be disbursed as the company meets certain milestones and demonstrates results." Thus far, Fisker has drawn on only $193 million of federal funds and is looking to renegotiate the terms of the loan, in the hopes of accessing the remaining $336 million. The DOE, however, is still under intense scrutiny because of September's Solyndra debacle, so it's difficult to say what a renegotiated deal would look like. The manufacturer, for its part, says it's taking no risks, telling GigaOM that it "continues to pursue alternative funding sources." In the meantime, it'll continue to focus on the Karma for 2012, and hopes to revive Project Nina at a later date.
Fisker Karma recall is official, 239 cars will need their battery packs swapped
The folks at Fisker are probably more excited to see the calendar roll over than anyone, as a tumultuous 2011 comes to an end with another setback for the Karma. A battery issue previously thought to affect around 50 cars will actually result in the recall of 239. GigaOM points out an NHTSA notice confirming a problem with the positioning of hose clamps on the high-voltage Li-Ion batteries. It could result in said hoses leaking coolant into the battery creating the risk of an electrical short-circuit (still not seeing how this is a bad thing) and fire (oh), which the company will resolve by replacing the batteries. The recall probably covers everyone out there rolling like Walden Schmidt, since the CEO announced December 21st that 225 cars had been shipped and its factory was producing 25 cars per day. Still, assuming the ~$96k price tag isn't an issue, would you really let a little thing like potentially bursting into flames keep you away from such a sleek, smooth handling luxury sedan that puts 657hp of hybrid power at your disposal? Neither would we.
Fisker Karma battery poses 'potential safety issue' for about 50 autos, fix already in tow
Fisker has seen its fair share of delays on its Karma EV in the past, and now ''fewer than 50" of the vehicles -- which if you'll recall, cost over $100K -- are at risk for battery malfunction. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, A123 (the company which supplies the car's power pack) has issued a memo to customers and stakeholders, noting that "in rare circumstances" the car's batts could short-circuit due to coolant leakage from "misaligned hose clamps." A123 further explained that's already begun repairing the Karma's in question, and doesn't expect to experience to strain its relationship with Fisker due to the problem. Notably, Bloomberg also reports that 25 of the automobiles get assembled daily, with about 225 currently en-route to showroom floors -- a far cry from the company's earlier estimates for the 2011 production year. You'll find A123's full PDF memo at the source link below.
Fisker Karma gets EPA-certified 52MPGe, sales ready to begin
It hasn't had the smoothest birth, nor the cheapest, but Fisker can apparently start selling Karmas for real this time. The tantalizing plug-in hybrid that first wowed us nearly four years ago has just cleared US government testing, the final hurdle holding back deliveries. So, how did it fare after being brutalized by the EPA? Not as well as the company had hoped, as the 52MPGe and 32 miles of electric range fell short of the respective 67.2 and 50 figures the company had previously been touting. Not a huge drop, like another plug-in EV we know, yet probably less than you'd been hoping for something that costs over $90,000. And, when you do run out of juice, you'll be looking at just 20MPG while puttering around on gasoline. Actual customer deliveries are scheduled in the following weeks, but until then take a joy ride in one of 39 Karmas being rolled out to dealers.
Fisker Karma pushes deliveries back again as it awaits federal emissions certification
It looks like those eager to finally take a Fisker Karma EV home will have to wait a bit longer, again. This time, though, the delay is largely out of the company's hands, as it's simply waiting for final federal certification on emissions regulations before it delivers the first test vehicles to dealers. According to the company, the first of those are now expected to be delivered by the end of September, although at least some dealers apparently won't be fulfilling orders until the first week of November.
Fisker Surf plug-in hybrid: five doors of good Karma
Like Fisker's Karma but need a little more room for the kids -- or maybe the dogs? Check out the Surf. Fisker just unveiled this new five-door at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and, while it's based on the Karma (that has just finally entered full production), as you can see it's grown a bit. It's a five-door version of the iconic shooting brake body style (a three-door sporty hatchback) that houses the same series hybrid powertrain that powers the Karma. That means 80km (50 miles) of pure electric driving and, thanks to the gasoline motor in there that acts as an onboard generator, you can go up to another 400km (about 250 miles). Because of the similarity between the two cars this prototype was actually able to roll off of the Fisker assembly line, and it's said to go into production sometime in mid-2012. Fisker also announced a new partnership with BMW, which will provide the 2.0 liter engine that will come along for the ride. Interestingly the car will be built in Delaware, meaning this European beauty has some decidedly strong American roots. %Gallery-133358% %Gallery-133395%
Fisker inks BMW deal, Nina EVs gain Ultimate Driving Machine DNA
Fisker Nina -- sounds more like a Bolshoi ballerina to us, but these codenamed, future EVs are now on course for a German heart and soul infusion. BMW has recently inked a deal that will see its four-cylinder turbocharged engine and additional components included in 2012 production models of the American auto maker's mid-sized sedans. The line of electric cars are currently slated for an early 2013 debut, but we'd sprinkle a cup of salt on that date considering the Karma's long road to launch. Skip on past the break for the company's official eco-meets-luxury handshake announcement.
Fisker Karma boss nabs first set of keys, s'pose we'd do the same
In an old-fashioned display of corporate introversion, the keys to the first production Fisker Karma will be handed not to a real customer, or a profile-raising celeb, or even to a good cause. Nope, they'll be whisked straight into the silky pockets of Ray Lane, chairman of the board of directors at Fisker Automotive. Unless it's an entirely empty publicity stunt and he has to hand the keys right back, lucky Lane will be driving home this afternoon in a luxury EV with a 300-mile range and 125MPH top speed. The rest of us, however, will have to wait til October -- and cough up $95,900.
