Fisker announces fuel economy estimate for Karma - 67.2 mpg and CO2 emissions of just 83 g/km
by Sebastian Blanco on Sep 8th 2009 at 2:29PM 
Fisker Karma - Click above for high-res image gallery
The miles per gallon rating of a vehicle that can get energy from an electrical outlet is a difficult thing to accurately calculate and get the public to accept. Just ask AFS Trinity, with their "150 mpg" SUVs, or GM with its 230 mpg number for the Chevy Volt. Still, it's valuable to have some sort of number to compare vehicles against one another, and Fisker Automotive has released the first such numbers for its Karma plug-in luxury hybrid: 3.5 liters per 100 kilometers (equivalent to 67.2 mpg U.S.) and CO2 emissions of just 83 grams per kilometer.
Fisker is basing these numbers on SAE methodology for measuring emissions for PHEVs. We're trying to confirm this with Fisker, but we think this means the J1711 methodology, about which you can read more here or in this PDF. (UPDATE: It's actually J2841) In any case, Fisker says that the Karma's CO2 emissions will be, on average, "less than that of today's cleanest production cars and 75 percent less than that of competing vehicles." If the company meets its ambitious goal of selling 15,000 Karmas a year starting when it goes on sale next year and then through 2016, they estimate that 248 million gallons of gasoline will be saved.
Gallery: Fisker Karma
[Source: Fisker]
PRESS RELEASE:
FISKER KARMA EMISSIONS, ECONOMY ESTIMATED AT 83G CO2/KM, 3.5L/100KM
Stylish plug-in hybrid sedan cleaner, more efficient than today's best
Fisker Karma002_LoResIRVINE, CA - September 8, 2009: The Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid electric vehicle will emit just 83g CO2/km and have an economy rating of 3.5L/100km, according to SAE methodology measuring emissions for plug-in hybrids.
Making its German debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, the four-door Karma will be one of the cleanest, most fuel-efficient cars in the world, but will still offer world-class style and performance.
Calculations developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) estimate carbon dioxide output will be less than that of today's cleanest production cars and 75 percent less than that of competing vehicles, on average. SAE is an internationally recognized organization of experts that help drive government automotive policy.
Some 941 million liters (248 million gallons) of gasoline could be saved and 2.3 million metric tons (2.5 million US tons) of CO2 offset from sales of 15,000 Karmas per year through 2016. Still, with 403hp and more torque than many supercars, 0-100km/h (62mph) takes about six seconds and maximum speed is 201km/h (125mph).
"The Fisker Karma is the future of driving," said Henrik Fisker, CEO. "It proves we can drive environmentally responsible cars without sacrificing the emotional things that made us fall in love with cars in the first place."
Fueling the Karma could cost just €0.02/km ($0.03/mile), consuming as little as 21 kilowatt hours per 100km in its electric-only Stealth mode, according to SAE methodology. However, a real-world annual average would be closer to €0.05/km ($0.07/mile) based on a mix of Stealth and Sport (gasoline) mode use. Actual economy and emission results will vary depending on individual driving habits and usage requirements.
In Stealth mode -- engaged on demand via steering wheel-mounted paddle switches -- the Karma can be driven into the growing number of traffic-restricting Low Emissions Zones (LEZ) across Europe. Some 70 cities and towns in eight European countries have opted for LEZs, including Berlin, Stuttgart, London and Amsterdam.
The Karma will be the first production Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) when it goes on sale in 2010. Its exclusive Q-DRIVE® powertrain is expected to deliver an emission-free 80km (50mi) per full charge of its 22kWh/200kW Lithium-ion battery, and a total extended range of more than 480km through the use of its gasoline powered engine/generator.
Fisker Automotive is poised to benefit immensely as support from countries around the world for clean vehicles increases. For example, the US has announced its intention to put 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on its roads by 2015. Germany recently unveiled an action plan to have 1 million electric cars on its roads by 2020. Japan wants electric vehicles to make up half of all vehicle sales within a decade.
ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
Fisker Automotive is a privately owned, premium American car company with a vision to lead the automotive industry into the next-generation of automobiles with high-end design expertise and eco-friendly powertrain technology. Global headquarters are in Irvine, California, USA.
The company was created in 2007 to leverage the design capabilities of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, founded by auto design veterans Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler, and the PHEV powertrain capabilities of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ-QTWW), a major Tier 1 supplier of clean vehicle technologies to the automotive OEMs. Previously, Fisker, CEO, was design director for Aston Martin and president and CEO of BMW's DesignworksUSA. Koehler, COO, led design operations at Ford, Aston Martin and BMW.
Fisker Automotive's first car is the Fisker Karma, the world's first production Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). The four-door Karma will be followed by two variants and a second line of lower cost, high volume premium green automobiles by 2012.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
letstakeawalk 2:35PM (9/08/2009)
Any word from Valmet about production schedules? We've seen a lot about the Volt in its IVER stages, it'd be nice to see how construction of the line in Finland is coming along...
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ken 2:39PM (9/08/2009)
Reasonable "fuel efficiency" in a pretty package. seems like a nice lady. hopefully this type of forward thinking sticks and becomes a lasting trend with automotive manufacturers.
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TonyInMI 2:40PM (9/08/2009)
Now THIS is how ya do it. The Volt is a joke.
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daleam 2:43PM (9/08/2009)
The Volt is an entirely different animal which will come in at less than half the price.
I'd prefer a slightly smaller mustache, but I do love the design.
TonyInMI 2:54PM (9/08/2009)
"entirely different animal which will come in at less than half the price" doesn't make it not a joke. It's a joke in general.
Jimbo 3:28PM (9/08/2009)
How does coming in at half the price make it an entirely different animal. Both the Karma and Volt are ER-EVs. Both use lithium batteries, GM engines, and very similar technology. Yes, the Karma is oriented more towards luxury and sporty driving, but they are fundamentally they same type of vehicle. An Arabian and a Thoroughbred are different in cost and ability but both are fundamentally still horses.
daleam 9:36PM (9/08/2009)
Tony - Apparently your rating shows that your comment is a joke, albeit not a very funny joke.
daleam 9:46PM (9/08/2009)
Jimbo - So too are Cobalt Coupes and Corvettes both cars as well as both Chevrolets. Would you suggest that they are both essentially the same? Of course they are, if you're talking about them both being cars with four wheels and two doors with GM engines. But we're talking cars here and focusing on the contrasts between them, not the similarities. A lion and a housecat are both cats yes, but I bet you would rather be in a cage with one of them instead of the other. I stand by what I said. The are for different target markets and designed to do different things regardless of what they share. And if they are the same as you say, then the Fisker is obviously way, way overpriced and will fail miserably.
Jimbo 11:28PM (9/08/2009)
daleam: You completely missed the point. Yes, the Volt and Karma are aimed at different customers and may be priced $40-50k apart, but that doesn't mean that the underlying technology cannot be compared to each other, especially when that underlying technology is nearly identical. Within the scope of the technology, the comparison is valid.
Sure, if you want to make ludicrous comparisons, Cobalt and Corvette are essentially the same in that they are both 2-door Chevrolets. A cat is essentially the same as a lion in that they are both felines. And a Ferrari is essentially the same as a UPS truck in that they are both automobiles. But I wasn't making a ludicrous comparison. I was making a very specific comparison based on the very unique technology they have in common. Neither the Volt nor the Karma have any competitors with similar technology. From that point of view, the only real comparison that makes sense is to compare them to each other.
daleam 11:38PM (9/08/2009)
Yes jimbo, you can compare the underlying technology but the cars are still different. A Cadillac STS has the Northstar V8. Likewise, the Buick Lucerne Super also has essentially the same engine. But again, they are quite different cars aimed at different target markets with different expectations and different price ranges. They are different just as the Volt and the Karma are different regardless of how much they share. And there is nothing ludicrous about that comparison.
TonyInMI 11:39PM (9/08/2009)
The Karma will prevail - the Volt will fail.
daleam 11:50PM (9/08/2009)
Tony - I don't expect either to be a success unless the Volt comes down in price about $10,000. And history demonstrates that new car companies rarely make it, so don't count on your prediction coming true.
zamafir 2:42PM (9/08/2009)
Good looking (for a fisker that's saying a lot - Fisker, not the cars he's penned for others), great fuel economy, ok interior. Looks good, build it already.
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Mike 3:04PM (9/08/2009)
It's Snidely Whiplash: The Car
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yacoub 3:07PM (9/08/2009)
I've been wanting to say this for some time now and am finally getting around to it:
I really dislike how your new picture gallery technology does not bring me to the image I click on the homepage, but instead brings me to the beginning of the gallery. This adds additional clicks and takes more time than the old, straightforward gallery system your blogsites used to use.
Just sayin'.
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Vlad 3:24PM (9/08/2009)
+1
Jimbo 3:35PM (9/08/2009)
I was thinking it was just me or something with my computer. Glad to know I'm not the only one that's been experiencing that problem (ok, glad probably isn't the right word...). And it appears to be intermittent...sometimes it actually does take me to the photo I click on, but most of the time it doesn't.
The other issue I've had with the new gallery is that I have to hit the back button at least twice to go back one image in the gallery. Yes, I can click the "Previous Image" and be taken back one image without issue, but why would I want to do that when I can just hit the "backspace" key or the back buttons on my mouse or web browser? It seems like a step backward.
Green Destiny 3:39PM (9/08/2009)
+2
brad 3:51PM (9/08/2009)
+3
I'm even finding myself avoiding the galleries now because of not only your point, but the system is lethargic. I'm all for progress but the 'user-friendliness' of the previous application is missed...
Don't get me wrong, I still peruse the galleries for the details but I'm not a fan.
Jimbo 4:03PM (9/08/2009)
It's like Autoblog went with the iDrive approach to redesigning the gallery...take something simple and intuitive and make it illogical and complicated for no reason.