Fisker Automotive confirms Karma EPA certification, which means that the official rating of the vehicle is already known. It is 53 MPGe on combined cycle. Fisker Automotive’s Electric Vehicle with extended range (EVerTM) powertrain technology clearly represents the future for the automotive industry.
Fisker Karma is powered by two electric motors with combined power of 408PS (300 kW) and 1300Nm (959 lb-ft), which is enough to catapult the car to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and to bring it all the way up to 200 km/h (124 mph).
Another test showed that the Karma’s all-electric range is just 52 km (32 miles), which is less than the original claim of 80 km (50 miles). However, the overall range is more than 480km (300 miles). It is provided by a turbocharged 2.0-liter petrol engine generating electricity to recharge the batteries, when they are depleted.
“We are delighted to have EPA certification and fuel economy ratings that verify the Karma’s remarkable green credentials.” said Henrik Fisker, CEO and co-founder of Fisker Automotive.
“As with all electric vehicles, range varies greatly on the conditions of the road and how you drive the car. We firmly believe that most owners will get up to 50 miles of driving range on a single charge and will use our electric-only mode most of the time they drive the car, thereby running on zero emissions. Overall, we are very pleased with the results of EPA’s tests. The Karma is a groundbreaking product with a unique powertrain.”, he finished.
Source: Fisker
Volvo will actually hit the market with the new 2012 V60 Plug-in Hybrid. The vehicle will have carbon dioxide emissions below 50 g/km. The Plug-in Hybrid, which will be launched on the market in 2012, is the result of close cooperation between Volvo Car Corporation and Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall.
Toyota will exhibit the production version of the Prius Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) at this year’s IAA Frankfurt on 15th September.
Volvo will make first tests of the new V60 Plug-in Hybrid in Berlin. The vehicle combines advanced technology with luxury design. The first official road test drive with the unique Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid will take place at the 11th Michelin Challenge Bibendum in Berlin – 18-22 May 2011.
Audi А5 e-Tron Quattro Plug-in Hybrid Prototype has not only an incredibly long name, but it also features some very good qualities.The car is powered by a 2.0 liter TFSI engine developing 211PS (155 kW) and two electric motors, one on the front axle, which adds 45PS (33 kW) and one on the rear axle adding another 81PS (60 kW). The second electric motor delivers power only when acceleration requires it to or when sensors detect a loss of rear traction such as in a hard curve. There is also a 9.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.А5 e-Tron Quattro Plug-in Hybrid can go only on electricity up to 40 km (25 miles) with speeds up to 100 km/h (62 mph). The fuel consumption is staggering – 2.7 liters per 100 km and the acceleration is 5.9 seconds to 100 km/h. The top speed is 228 km/h (142 mph). Not bad for a hybrid car!Audi А5 e-Tron Quattro Plug-in Hybrid Prototype has a curb weight of 1 600kg, which is the same as standard 2.0 TFSI A5 Quattro. The engineers used a lot of carbon fiber and aluminum parts to achieve this result.Looks like, we all gonna drive plug-in hybrids in the near future, which will be faster and more agile than our current vehicles.
The UK airport taxi service company Checker Cars has taken delivery of the first of an order for 80 Toyota Prius cars. Just five units arrived at the company’s office in Essex, today. Checker Cars has 1000 drivers and is the official taxi operator not only at London Stansted but at Gatwick, Bristol, Cardiff and Southampton international airports. The company also services London Heathrow from an off-airport office.
Fisker has announced that Karma Plug-in Hybrid is in production. Actually, the customers in the US and Europe will be able to buy their vehicles in the next month. The price is $88 000, which is $21 000 cheaper than Tesla Roadster.
A lot of manufacturers offer hybrid cars and Volvo plans to introduce V60 Plug-in Hybrid to the Geneva Auto Show. The car is scheduled to hit the market in 2012, hopefully, before the end of the world.
Chevrolet Volt achieved an impressive result of 127 mpg, which is 1.85 liters per 100 km. Motor Trend blogger Jonny Lieberman tried to overestimate the result, which is actually 126.7mpg, but who cares, still it is superb.
Audi A1 e-Tron is on its way. The company teamed up with E.ON, Stadtwerke Munchen and the Technical University of Munich to begin tests of twenty A1 e-Tron cars.
Toyota and EDF Energy today launch a three-year leasing programme, which brings extra-low emissions plug-in hybrid vehicle technology to the streets of London.