2008 Fisker Premium Hybrid Sedan
by Jonathon Ramsey on Oct 31st 2007 at 11:31AM 
Click the image above for a high-res pic of the Fisker Hybrid Sedan concept.
Henrik Fisker is a car designer. It's not his fault that his designs -- some of the finest -- have clothed some of the thirstiest (and beautiful) cars. But design is a portable endeavor, and Fisker has transferred his métier over to the frugal side of things. The car you see above is undeniably Fisker, with some Maserati Gran Turismo thrown into the mix up front and a healthy dose of Artega out back, gracefully sculpted sides in between. We like.
The sedan doesn't have a name yet, it's simply referred to as a premium sports sedan, and it's a plug-in hybrid. Engineered by ex-BMW man Thomas Fritz, the car's battery pack is in the middle of the car for better dynamics. Supposedly, it will have a 50-mile range running on electricity alone, and with a gas or diesel engine in place, the car can go 620 miles (though Fisker doesn't yet say how that system would work). Additionally, it will get 100 MPG, so the word goes. The car is being developed by Quantum Technologies.
Irony of ironies that a man associated with premium guzzlers could lead the way in premium green designs. Fisker's new baby will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. According to the company, it will go on sale in late 2009 with a price tag of $80,000. Follow the jump to read the full press release.
[Source: Fisker]
PRESS RELEASE
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Technologies, a publicly traded company (NASDAQ:QTWW) and Fisker Coachbuild, LLC disclose continuing developments of the first production vehicle to come from Fisker Automotive, Inc. -- the green American premium car company. The four-door plug-in hybrid premium sports sedan will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January with a starting price of $80,000. Initial deliveries will commence in the 4th quarter of 2009 with annual production projected to reach 15,000 cars.
Each Fisker Automotive vehicle will feature an all-new from the ground up platform. Certification, testing and drive train development will be conducted by joint venture partner Quantum Technologies. Quantum has a proven track record of delivering technological advancements to clients such as Toyota, GM & NASA. This new chassis truly allows designer and CEO of Fisker Automotive, Henrik Fisker, the opportunity to create an amazingly proportioned four-door premium sports sedan.
"The sleek design accentuating the long hood is a direct result of our breakthrough chassis which carries the battery pack at the center of the vehicle between the two axles," explains Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker Automotive, Inc. "This positioning provides optimal vehicle driving dynamics, maximum safety, proportionate design as well as industry standard performance figures within this car class."
Performance details for the first car are impressive achieving 50 miles (80 kilometers) on a pure electric charge. Additionally, by further utilizing a gasoline or diesel engine offered by Fisker, one can extend the total range of their Fisker to more than 620 miles (1000 kilometers). The first Fisker will also deliver an extraordinary 100 miles per gallon -- performance figures that will ultimately help to reduce the need for the importation of foreign oil.
Further company developments include the appointment of ex-BMW engineer Thomas Fritz to ensure the continuation in the development of high quality Fisker Automotive vehicles. In Fritz's 19 year career in the auto industry, he has held prominent positions in the field of engineering for companies such as BMW, Ford & Magna. He has been involved in such projects as the current Range Rover, Rolls Royce, BMW Z8 and various Lincoln concept programs. Thomas will hold the position of Director of Engineering for Fisker Automotive.
Fisker Automotive has received initial funding from Palo Alto Investors of Palo Alto, CA USA.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
drew 11:40AM (10/31/2007)
so it gets 100 mpg but can only travel 620 miles? either the figures they give are wrong or the car only has a 6.2 gallon gas tank...
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AnthWax84 12:26PM (10/31/2007)
you know what that whole paragraph makes no sense. either they are eluding that the engine before fisker gets their hands on it gets a 50 mpg electric only range, and then it will simply rely on engine power (strange for a hybrid) or they are talking about 2 separate cars as it says the first car and then the first fisker...... its just largely complicated vague wording......confusing
ItsMe 11:19AM (11/17/2007)
I am told it will have a small gas tank. It doesn't need a large one, and that is why it will have a 600-mile range, even at 100 MPG. The way a PHEV like this works is this: it will run on battery until the battery gets low, then the engine kicks in. If you don't plug it in, the gas engine will just keep charging the electric battery which runs the electric motor. The gas engine will be small and run at low revs so the gas use is low, even when you don't plug it in. But if you drive less than 50 miles, the gas engine never kicks in and you just plug it in again. In that way, it is just an all-electric car to those who use it less than 50 miles or so (depending on your own foot-to-floor tendencies, Im sure).
DJ 11:42AM (10/31/2007)
At $80,000, this is an absolute STEAL! Which is why I just don't see it happening. The startup costs are going to be so great that he'll have to sell a 150,000 at that price in the first year just to break even and I don't think there's that large of a market yet.
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1337 12:51PM (10/31/2007)
Don't get to excited; it's probably $80k plus the cost of a Gran Turismo.
dskinner 11:44AM (10/31/2007)
Another beautiful design by Fisker! My question though, is it still a coachbuilt vehicle, or is this vehicle 100% Fisker? Either way, it looks like another homerun (in design at least).
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adam.jordison 11:46AM (10/31/2007)
This guy is a genus when it comes to car design and execution.
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nissanfreak87 12:39PM (10/31/2007)
with Hollywood probably wanting out of their Priuses due to a lack of good looking design and "high-end" interiors, I could see this being a hit with the wealthy-eco friendly crew.
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Leaf 12:09PM (10/31/2007)
It's so... long.
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Micah 12:16PM (10/31/2007)
That's wha.... oh i just can't. it's too easy.
AnthWax84 12:20PM (10/31/2007)
lol ill say it because it just needs to be said.........
THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!
Leaf 1:01PM (10/31/2007)
Hahah.. i knew someone couldn't resist.
mk 12:23PM (10/31/2007)
I like most of it, but the gap-tooth joker evil-smile face is a bit much.
the shadowed illustration looked better. I love the coke-bottle curves in the sheetmetal, but I wish the lower windowline were a bit stronger and straighter, and just turned up a bit on the back end. I love the color.
Interesting. Rapide is still better, though.
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amastadon 1:05PM (10/31/2007)
One of the best looking four doors ever!
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James 1:03PM (10/31/2007)
Now this is what the Porsche Panamera should look like...
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raz 1:03PM (10/31/2007)
Fisker is based in California....this car is as much American as GM was 40 years ago. Yes it is started by a german but it is based here, so i hope all those detroit groupies will start buying from this company
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k.w.a 2:55PM (10/31/2007)
wow. WOW! don't really like the front grille but that can be taken care of. I would SO get this car.
I better not see some 16 year old brat get this on MTV.
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Gary Blomquist 3:14PM (10/31/2007)
Great! As usual, the wealthy folks get the ultra-expensive miserly gas eaters to assuage their consciences, while flying in their private jets to a Sierra Club rally, and the rest of us wonder and hope if 100 MPG will ever be affordable for the masses. :(
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Toy Yoda 5:18PM (10/31/2007)
Which is why you shouldn't poo-poo the rich. They are the early adopters of new technologies and help "de-bug" the technology and buy enough of them to bring the costs down to the masses. This was also true of the first cars, which were novelty items for the rich.
Heydn 9:30PM (10/31/2007)
Good Lord that car is beautiful!! Wow!
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