Three years after it was concieved, Fisker Automotive’s first car hit production yesterday. The Fisker Karma is being produced under contract by Valmet Automotive – the company that also build Porsche AG – at the Valmet plant in Uusikaupunki, Finland.
The Karma is powered by Fisker’s Q-DRIVE system, which constitutes two 201 HP electric motors powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. This innovative petrol engine/electric motor combination lets the car travel up to 50 miles without gasoline. Once the 50 mile range is crossed, a generator attached to a 260 HP turbocharged 2.0 liter Ecotec direct injection gasoline engine powers the vehicle for an additional 300 miles. The car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, recording a top speed of 125 mph.
Though the Karma’s price originally stood at $87,900, Fisker has announced that the figure will hit $95,000 before federal incentives. Currently, Fisker Automotive is the second company in the world, after General Motors rolled out the Chevrolet Volt, to produce an electric car that also combines the capability to extend its mileage.
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