The Fisker Karma - Production-ready at Paris
The Fisker Karma – a 4-door plug-in hybrid with over 400bhp – will show as a production car at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
Henrik Fisker has automotive pedigree. He was responsible for cars like the Aston Martin DB9 (better not tell Ian Callum) and is intent on bringing hybrid electric super-saloons to the world. But it’s taking a bit of time.
We were lead to believe that the Fisker Karma – which boasts a pair of electric motors producing 402bhp (and a 2.0 litre turbo ICE for when the electric runs out) – was going in to production in 2009. That slipped somewhat and we were next offered this summer as the launch. The latest news we’ve had is that the Fisker Karma will be available from February 2011.
This time it is starting to look plausible. You may remember we reported that Fisker had managed to relieve the US DOE of $528 million to complete the Karma and launch Project Nina (a new low-cost electric hybrid) and that Fisker used some of that dosh to invest in a GM plant in Delaware to get production moving.
And they seem to have got production moving, but not in Delaware. For now at least the Delaware facility isn’t being prepped for Karma production, instead Fisker are using Valmet of Finland (who do stuff like the Boxster for Porsche) to bolt the Karma together.
And it’s a Valmet produced Karma expected at the Paris Motor Show in a couple of weeks. So a proper car from a proper production facility and over $500 million of taxpayer aid in the bank.
If the Fisker Karma doesn’t hit customers (1,300 have apparently paid deposits) by early 2011 we think those customers and Uncle Sam may have to start asking some probing questions.
But as we said, it looks plausible this time. Probably.
as you may remember, features two electric motors that produce 300 kW (402 hp / 408 PS) and 1,300 Nm (959 lb/ft) of torque. They are powered by a 200kW lithium-ion battery pack, which allows the car to travel up to 80.5 km (50 miles) before a turbocharged 2.0-liter petrol engine kicks in to recharge it.
Read more: http://www.worldcarfans.com/110091628461/first-factory-built-fisker-karma-to-debut-in-paris#ixzz0ziUeb3IP
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