Flirting with this cute bank teller would normally be a delicate business. With direct access into my checking account and consequently a view into just how little money I actually have, I’d have little hope of impressing. But today I’ve got an ace up my sleeve. Normally when you drop the fact that you just drove a high-end exotic like a Ferrari and you come off as a braggart. Saying I just drove a $100K electric car? I’m suddenly a tech-savvy Green Peace supporting intellectual that loves to cuddle afterwards. Will I get the girl? Hit the jump to find out.
But that’s for afterwards, and right now I’m not done putting the 2012 Fisker Karma through its paces. With 403 hp and 959lbs of torque on tap, its paces are swift indeed. All that torque makes rocketing out of slow corners a sublime and guilty pleasure sure to be indulged far too often for the wishes of your local constabulary.
First, let’s take a step back and examine how this car got to us. Fisker (the person) started out by designing for BMW and Aston Martin. Fisker (the company) was then launched to rebody Mercedes in new coach-built skins and interiors. Finally, a clean-sheet company designed and produced car, the Karma was launched for Leonardo DiCaprio. Seriously.
The Prius is responsible for this car. Having to watch Leo arrive at the Oscars in a Prius put a bug in Henrik Fisker’s Danish bonnet (perhaps he’s a big Titanic fan). So offended was Fisker (the person) that Hollywood stars had only the Prius to choose from if they wanted an “eco” car that he drafted up the Karma and reinvented his company. When Fisker (the person) started passing his hat around for investment money, who should step up to help other than our favorite dream manipulator DiCaprio. I guess Leo hated the Prius just as much as Fisker (the person) did.
The Karma is the most ecologically thought-out car I’ve ever encountered. Fisker’s (the company) entire brand identity revolves around sustainability. Looking beyond the electric propulsion, all the wood accents in the interior have been produced from reclaimed or naturally fallen wood. This is only the start – the earth-friendly water-based paint uses recycled glass particles for its flake effect, the seating foam is fashioned from soy-based bio fiber, and the carpet backing is created from recycled post-consumer materials. The green list goes on and on. The interior’s leather comes from the world’s first “closed-loop” leather plant where a full 80% percent of the hides are used, including imperfections and scars. This actually gives the interior more character and leaves your passengers in no doubt that it is indeed real leather. Faux-leather and faux-suede are also available for you vegan drivers out there.
This car looks like nothing else on the road, and I’m smitten. The last time I saw hips like these they were on Sofia Vergara. It’s clear that Fisker (the person) planted the seeds for the way the Aston Martin Rapide’s rear doors meld seamlessly into the rear quarter panel during his time with the company. Done on the Karma, the results are magnificent. The Karma’s standard 22”(!) wheels nicely balance with the enormous width of this car. It’s a clean and muscular design, theoretically inspired by sand dunes and cheetahs – obviously.
The Karma basically equals the Chevy Volt multiplied by a trust fund. The drive train is a range-extended hybrid model, just like the Volt, and the generator is even run off of a Chevy engine. The 4-cylinder turbocharged Ecotec motor is mated to a generator that charges the batteries then moves the wheels via 2 electric motors connected to the rear wheels only. Unlike the Volt, the engine never moves the wheels themselves. Those two aft- mounted electric motors can scoot the Karma to 60mph in 6.3 seconds while in Sport (rather than Stealth) mode.
It’s a solid chassis, this one. Confident over ruts and imperfections, the wheels stay planted and the axles behave themselves. Then again, at 5,300 lbs, perhaps the Karma is just flattening out the pavement underneath it. On the road, the most prominent feeling this car gives to its driver isn’t one of sportiness or refinement but rather the overarching feeling that everyone on the road is looking at you. Everyone is watching and it is a wonderful feeling; and a very rare one in a $117,000 4-door sedan. The Quattroporte and the Panamera come nowhere close to the Karma’s uniqueness and road presence.
Comfortable seats, killer looks, and enough eco street cred to make Al Gore weep, the Fisker Karma is many things. One thing it is not is compromised. While thousands of people have traded in style/refinement/ comfort/space/dignity to own a Prius the Karma asks nothing of you. Driving it, you understand that this car shows a new way to construct automobiles. It’s deeply impressive how Fisker (the person) has been able to not only launch his own car, but also to reinvent how they can be made in the first place. It must be humbling for other automakers to witness. It’s an exciting achievement for Fisker (both the person and the company) and certainly impressive enough for its owners to pick up on bank tellers.
- Adam Kaslikowski
Special Thanks to Fisker Salt Lake City
I'm so glad the government subsidized a rich white guilt toy. I mean, if nobody speaks up for them, who will?!?
The government sponsors a fucking war 6,000 miles away that has nothing to do with its citizens with trillions of dollars. A couple million here and there to produce an electric car that's actually an aspirational product (as opposed to the Prius or Volt, which are simply appliances) is a good investment where we stand.
I completely agree with the war rhetoric.
I would like to see an affordable non-appliance electric car that isn't >$100K. (Maybe a US made Electric Toyota GT86 equivalent) $500M isn't exactly chump change, but it is dwarfed by the Govt's Chevy Volt program………$3B USD.
we're certain that in the near future, there will be a car in between the Karma and the Volt in terms of something you'd want to drive and be able to pay for. In fairness, the Karma does start at $85,000, so it is possible (though not likely) to get one for under $100k. But we'd be excited to see a $50,000 car from Fisker, as long as it looks this good.
Actually the Karma starts at 100k now (was just under but then they raised the price 6k in December or so). The government loan is not for the Karma though, it’s for the “project Nina” vehicle that is supposed to be unveiled next year and go for roughly $50k.
Tesla Model S?
Haha, The Smoking Tire says S-L-A-P!
I don't think you really said anything in this review. The bank teller thing was dropped immediately and you provided no insight about what the driving experience and small details of the car were like. This sounds like a preview, not like you actually drove the car. The whole Fisker (person) / Fisker (company) thing is just plain annoying.
How did the car drive? What small details did you notice? What, if any, quirks marred the experience? What options were equipped on your test vehicle? How did driving dynamics differ in terms of stealth / sport mode? What does the Karma sound like?
I'm not trying to hate or anything, this just seems like a half-hearted review. I'd like to see you guys hold yourselves to a higher standard.
This was a submission from Adam K, and while I do enjoy his writing, your criticism seems fair. I have been offered a chance to drive the Karma myself by the Fisker people (whose corporate offices are just 40 miles from TST Headquarters), and will be offering a "Take 2" review soon where I will attempt to adress some of your questions.
Thanks for the response – I look forward to your second take. Love the podcast by they way!
I have one of these on order. The car drives extremely well, although it’s also very heavy and the weight is noticeable when turning and in the fact that the acceleration is not what you’d expect from 400 horses.
The major flaw the car has is in the software, which is quite flaky at the moment. It will probably take a couple of months to get most of the bugs out. In particular the current release still has a bug that reportedly can leave you stranded if you plug an iPod in, for instance. (Unplug iPod, turn car off, wait for full reboot cycle, and you should be OK again. Still, that’s not an acceptable answer in a $100k vehicle….)
The other (more minor to me) flaw is that there’s so little trunk space that you have to use the back seats to hold luggage on longer trips. Overnight bags will fit, but a week’s luggage, camera equipment, etc., will need more space.
Thanks for the feedback Dave, always good to hear an opinion on the internet that isn't screaming or invoking nazis in some way. I'm doing a longer-form piece of the Karma that is more of a traditional review for my local newspaper. Unfortunately, you won't get to see that. What you will get to see is Matt's more in depth impressions coming here soon. Until then, consider this more of a "first-drive" article. Thanks again for your (valid) critique.
Thanks for your response Adam – I may have been reading critically because I'm more than a little jealous you got drive the car. Best of luck with the print review!
I saw a black one parked in Dallas yesterday (anybody who lives in Dallas knows the highland park car culture…it doesn't take very long for the newest supercar/exotic/rolls to show up). I have to say it is pretty incredible looking in person, better than the pictures show in fact. I am also a big fan of the 4-door layout. It had a baby seat in the back, too, which I found pretty funny for some reason. Unfortunately I didn't wait around long enough for the owner to come back.
As of yesterday they just announced they are laying off a lot of employees. They will be out of business by the end of year and our tax dollars will be gone.
Fiisker laid off 26 workers which accounts for a little less than 3.5% of their total workforce. Also, the lay offs were at the Detroit plant which is scheduled to produce the Nina so this should not affect production of the karma making your prediction that this will bankrupt the company extremely unlikely. Furthermore, Fisker was swiftly able to raise 260 million from the private sector AFTER the announcement that the government is halting it's credit line(of which Fisker has only used 193 of the 529MM available). This tells me that the market is not vastly concerned about Fisker's creditworthiness, another indicator if low bankruptcy risk. In addition, the government may actually double down on Fisker in the form of a grant(as opposed to a loan)as evidenced by the agreement to provide additional funding provided that Fiaker renovate the Detroit plant and hire 2495 workers in the next five years. Based on this information we can see that Fisker is actually not in such bad shape financially and that all cutting off the credit line did was put people out work, although that to is likely to be temporary as well.
You can't win if you don't try. To make progress in any industry there is failure, but the attempt to break through the stagnant bubble by one inspires the same from many. Fisker may fail (I hope not) but the race for fuel efficiency is on and there's no stopping it. Tesla is an example an EV doing the same. Rather than worry about the positive investment in our future, I look at the big 3 and how they've quickly changed to creating hybrid and diesel cars. The luxury market has seen the fanfare that came with the Fisker, and will surely mirror it soon.