Instant Karma
April 1, 2008
Henrik Fisker wants to save the planet, one car at a time. "We want to show the world—and maybe politicians, as well—that there’s a bright future for exciting cars that make a difference," says Fisker, CEO of newly formed Fisker Automotive.
The immediate change Fisker hopes to effect is the general public’s perception of the green car movement. The Danish-born automotive designer, whose talented hand created BMW’s Z8 roadster and Aston Martin’s DB9—not to mention his own lusciously rebodied versions of the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG and the BMW 6-series coupe—laments that in the automotive world, prestige is too often synonymous with conspicuous consumption and antonymous with conservancy. For instance, the car that for many is synonymous with the term "hybrid"—Toyota’s ubiquitous Prius—certainly scores in the eco-friendliness department, but falls short in the design and performance categories. On the other end of the spectrum, the battery-powered Tesla Roadster offers style and speed, but falls short on practicality.
And so, working with California-based propulsion-systems pioneer Quantum Technologies, Fisker set out to demonstrate that automotive luxury and environmental consciousness need not be mutually exclusive ideals. The fruit of their labor is the Fisker Karma, a low-slung sedan with seating for four, space in the trunk for two sets of golf clubs, and a cutting-edge gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain—enclosed in what is arguably the most breathtaking shape of Fisker’s career. "The Karma is designed for true enthusiasts, for people who care about the environment but still want to have a beautiful, fast car," Fisker says.
The essential philosophy of the Karma’s "Q Drive" powertrain is contrary to any gasoline-electric system in use today. Hybrid drive systems from Toyota and Honda, for example, rely on an internal combustion engine as the vehicle’s primary motivator, and employ electric motors—either apart from the engine or sandwiched between it and a conventional automatic or continuously variable transmission—to augment the gasoline engine’s output (or, in rare instances, to relieve the engine entirely at low speeds for short distances). Conversely, the Karma moves exclusively under electric power. Originally designed as part of a top-secret advanced program for the Army’s Delta Force, Q Drive consists of a beefy DC motor between the rear wheels that draws voltage from a bank of laptop-style lithium-ion batteries beneath the passenger compartment, a position that benefits both safety and weight distribution. Small ports on the hood allow the owner to plug in to a standard household outlet. On a full charge, the car is expected to travel up to 50 miles—more than sufficient for the average daily commute. "We don’t want the Karma to be just a niche vehicle," says Fisker.
"This is the type of vehicle we foresee people using every day. We want it to be a genuine alternative to a traditional sports sedan."
"I can drive the Karma to work in battery-electric mode and pay one-third to one-quarter the cost of gasoline to run it," adds Alan Niedzwiecki, Quantum’s president and CEO. "Plus, it’s zero emissions. That’s enormous."
The Q Drive system’s secondary power source resides beneath the Karma’s long hood: a highly efficient, small-displacement turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine, the sole function of which is to engage a generator and maintain the batteries’ charge, thereby extending the car’s range to approximately 600 miles. The engine has no connection to the wheels and revs only in response to the electric-drive hardware’s demand for juice. This system affords the driver two modes of operation: a "Stealth Drive" setting which optimizes efficiency, and a "Sport Drive" position, which places the emphasis on maximum performance. Rest assured, the Karma has brawn to complement its beauty. The car will hum to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds (matching the V-8-powered BMW 750i and bettering such premium rivals as the Jaguar XJ8 and the Audi A8), and press on to a top speed of 125 mph.
The Karma is Henrik Fisker’s first four-door automobile. Named after the Sanskrit word for actions, deeds, or performance, the Karma’s sensuous curvature echoes those of the designer’s endlessly lauded two-door creations. There’s a hint of Z8 in the nose, shades of DB9 in the long flanks, and the unmistakable influence of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage in the tail.
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