Tag Archives: FiskerKarma

Fisker lands former GM exec and Chevy Volt guru Tony Posawatz as CEO

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New Fisker CEO Tony Posawatz

Fisker hasn't had what you'd call the best year so far, but it may have found the ticket to turning its hybrid vehicle business around. Meet Tony Posawatz, Fisker's new CEO -- and, until just weeks ago, GM's Vehicle Line Director. Despite being the second new chief executive at Fisker since Tom LaSorda arrived in February, Posawatz needs little explanation for his sudden rise to power. He's an original member of the Chevy Volt leadership structure and could very well know a thing or two about developing a hybrid car from start to finish. His influence might only be keenly felt when the Atlantic wheels its way towards driveways in 2014, but there's no doubt he's onboard to right the good ship Karma and improve Fisker's reputation in the short term. We wouldn't want to be in GM's shoes as it watches one of its EV-friendly veterans so publicly jump ship, however.

Continue reading Fisker lands former GM exec and Chevy Volt guru Tony Posawatz as CEO

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Fisker lands former GM exec and Chevy Volt guru Tony Posawatz as CEO originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fisker issues second statement about self-combusting Karma

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Fisker issues second statement about selfcombusting Karma

Fisker's inability to catch a break is matched only by its vehicles' worrying reliability record. The company has issued another statement after a parked, thankfully empty Karma EV opted for some self-immolation in a Californian parking lot last Friday. It currently doesn't believe the cause was its (previously recalled) Lithium-ion battery, exhaust routing or electrical components, having learned that the ignition zone was outside the engine compartment, in front of the driver's side front tire. We've got the full text after the break, meanwhile we're considering doing a lot more walking.

Continue reading Fisker issues second statement about self-combusting Karma

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Fisker issues second statement about self-combusting Karma originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire

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Fisker's Karma EV catches for the second time

Fisker Automotive can't seem to catch break -- because its Karma hybrid EV sedan has yet again become too hot. Similar to an incident last spring that left a model burnt to near smithereens and damaged its owner's house, the Karma above caught fire in a Woodside, CA parking lot while powered off. Jalopnik was the first to get word of the incident, noting that the damage remained reserved to the front left of the vehicle, near where an exhaust is located. As the story goes, the owner found the vehicle emitting smoke after returning from a grocery run, prompting a call to Fisker and then the local fire department, which arrived as it was already engulfed in flames. In a statement to Wired's Autopia, Fisker has been vehement to note that the damage appears to be far from where the car's battery and sensitive electrical components are located, and that it wasn't plugged in for a charge -- furthermore, it's already had correspondence with the owner and is actively investigating the matter with plans to issue an update when there are findings to share.

All that said, it remains to be seen whether the Karma's battery system, supplied by A123 Systems (and the focus of previous recalls), had any role in igniting the car. Thankfully there were no reports of injuries from the incident, but as you can tell from the photo, the car was essentially totaled. You'll find a video of the Karma in flames being quelled by firefighters after the break, along with the official statement by Fisker given to Autopia.

Continue reading Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire

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Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 05:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fisker leak shows Atlantic production delayed to mid-2014, 0-60 in 6.5 seconds

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Our hopes of taking the Fisker Atlantic for a spin next year just got dampened considerably: a big document leak has revealed that the more reasonably-priced alternative to the Karma won't be rolling off the production lines en masse until mid-2014, a year later than we'd expected. Thanks in part to a factory overhaul, the only Atlantics rolling on their hybrid-powered wheels in mid-2013 will be prototypes. On the upside, we've learned more about the car itself, including a fairly brisk 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds courtesy of a 300HP-equivalent motor. Green drivers who thought that the promised lower price would put it into entry-level luxury will nonetheless get a reality check with that $50,000 to $60,000 target, even if it's still a big savings over the six-digit Karma. There's still a huge amount of leeway for things to change, but with our compatriots at Autoblog having confirmed that the documents were real and "highly confidential," they may be a sign that the Tesla Model S will have free rein in the green luxury sedan world for a good year or more.

Fisker leak shows Atlantic production delayed to mid-2014, 0-60 in 6.5 seconds originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 09:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fisker rep defends Karma hybrid sedan in garage fire aftermath

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Fisker rep defends its hybrid sedan in garage fire aftermath

Last week, a newly purchased Fisker Karma went up in flames, damaging its owner's home and earning the company behind that hybrid sedan plenty of bad press. The auto maker hasn't submitted an official explanation for the fire, though the former chief engineer for the late General Motors EV1 electric car places the blame on the hybrid's tight engine bay packing. Fisker clearly isn't having any of that -- according to the company's director of powertrain:

Our technologies and engine design have been fully tested and certified at the highest level. It is irresponsible and ill-informed for technology pundits to suggest otherwise in order to secure media attention for unfounded claims.

No defensiveness there, then.

Fisker rep defends Karma hybrid sedan in garage fire aftermath originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fisker Karma reportedly sets house on fire, doesn’t restore cosmic balance

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Fisker's Karma woes aren't relenting anytime soon, as one new owner just found out the hard way. A driver in Sugar Land, Texas parked his recently obtained hybrid sedan in his garage last week, only to have the car self-immolate minutes later and damage his new home. Despite the slight risk of lithium-ion batteries catching fire, the luxury car's power pack (unplugged at the time) appears to have been left in one piece -- suggesting that something more complicated is at fault. For their part, neither Fisker nor insurance investigators are ready to offer a definite explanation as to what set the car on fire, although an electrical panel in the garage is a possible lead. Hybrids and pure EVs typically aren't at significant risk of igniting, so we might not ask for a refund... but we would recommend keeping an eye (and a nose) on any potential fire hazards around your eco-friendly auto.

Fisker Karma reportedly sets house on fire, doesn't restore cosmic balance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 23:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inhabitat’s Week in Green: solar-powered plane, chrome Fisker Karma and the ‘blackest’ solar cells ever

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Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

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With the days getting longer and the spring sun creeping into the evening hours this week, we saw a host of impressive solar energy projects that put those rays to work. Kyocera revealed their plan for Japan's largest solar farm and French company Areva announced they will be building the largest solar installation in Asia. On the other side of the globe, New York City was proud to say that it recently tripled its solar power production and a new study showed that the United States pulled ahead of China in the clean energy race this year. We also saw designs for a new solar satellite that could harvest the sun's rays 24/7 and we ogled photos of the Image massive array of PV panels topping the zHome complex in Washington. A team at Natcore blew away the scientific community by creating the "blackest" solar cell ever designed and Panasonic gave us a sneak peek at its shimmering, solar-powered "Photosynthesis" Ecosystem installation, which will light up the night at the Milan Furniture Fair next week.

In green transportation news, Justin Bieber's blindingly shiny chrome Fisker Karma had people talking (and putting on their sunglasses), while the former head of R&D at GM predicted that we'll see driverless cars by 2020. Honda announced that it is teaming up with Zipcar to provide EVs and hybrids to Zipsters and Ferrari confirmed that its future V12 models will have a new hybrid system. Finally, SolarWorld sent us news about their new Elektra solar-powered plane, which can fly twice as far as its predecessor.

Smart design continued to make the world a little better with innovations like this vibrating glove that lets blind people text and Montessori's Intro to Letters app, which teaches kids the alphabet. We also got back into nature (literally) with these see-through bubble tents surrounded by trees, and we reflected upon the mysterious human-shaped mirror sculptures that popped up in a Scottish forest.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar-powered plane, chrome Fisker Karma and the 'blackest' solar cells ever originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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