If you're looking to buy a Fisker Karma in 2022, there are a few things you should take into consideration. When the car was new, it would get roughly 50 miles of electric range before the generator kicked in. A decade or so after the fact, that range may be significantly lower as the battery will have degraded over time.
Should I Buy A Fisker Karma
As with most older luxury cars, 2012 and 2013 Karmas have fallen in price rather precipitously. According to Edmunds, most Karmas tend to be priced between $30,000 and $40,000, making it a fairly attractive deal for a 400-plus horsepower luxury sedan if potential battery replacement down the line doesn't scare you. As with the purchase of any used car, especially one as packed with technology as the Karma, you should make sure the seller is reputable. If you are able, take it to a local mechanic or shop that specializes in EVs and hybrids to give the car a look before you buy it.
One of the reasons why the Fisker Karma wasn't successful may have been the price. The US government attempted to give Fisker money to build an affordable electric vehicle for the masses, but pulled a portion of the funding when the car didn't meet the specific milestones. We looked online, and we found 2012 Karmas for around $40,000. For that money you will be getting an EcoSport model with low mileage. Only about 1,800 Karmas were sold so they are quite rare. So, at less than 40% of the original price, should you buy one? Well, the car comes with a 260 hp 2.0-liter GM EcoTech motor. The engine is supplemented with two 161 electric motors for a total output of 403 horsepower.
The engine in the Fisker doesn't directly power the wheels. Instead, the engine powers a generator which powers the drive motors. The car can hit 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. In all-electric mode you can get 52 MPGe or 20 MPG in full gasoline mode. In electric mode, the Karma was about half as efficient as a Chevy Volt. Compared to the Tesla, the Fisker was slower, more expensive, and less efficient. It was also smaller. The Karma had an extremely tight cabin and was rated as a subcompact as a result. The Karma may be a bargain compared to when it was new, but we still think that you should avoid buying one at all costs.
Some famous celebrities like Justin Bieber, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ashton Kutcher purchased a Karma, but you shouldn't follow their mistake. The car actually looked pretty cool and despite being small, the hand-built interior was a nice place to sit. Perhaps the Chinese auto parts company that bought Fisker will be able to build a more reliable product, but unless you want a car that may catch catch fire, don't waste your money.
I will say that anyone who plans on purchasing a Karma should be prepared for a few quirks with the electronics, i.e. the touchscreen sometimes freezes up and other little quirks occur. Most resolve themselves when you restart the car, but it is something to note and I've had to do a hard reset here and there to clear a quirk.
Those who prefer a sporty drive should be pleased with the 2012 Fisker Karma, as its performance-tuned suspension, wide track, wide tires and relatively low height endow it with an athletic personality. The steering is quick and direct, and overall the Karma corners pretty well given its size. Its enormous 22-inch wheels aid handling as well, but they do contribute to a firm ride.
From a functionality standpoint, a large touchscreen dominates the dash. Dubbed the Fisker Command Center, the interface provides intuitive controls for the audio, navigation, climate control and Bluetooth systems. As a result, dash clutter is minimized. Unfortunately, should you live in a place where the sun shines, there's a good chance you'll rarely be able to use this screen during the day -- it washes out and reflects worse than any touchscreen we've ever come across.
It shouldn't have come as much of a surprise, as the exhaust exits for the Ecotec engine are positioned just behind the front wheels. "We are aware of this concern," says Koehler, "and we have on order an all-new muffler to help deal with this." Fisker adds, "We envision customers spending over 80 percent of the time on average in Stealth mode around town." If the sport noise remains, though, they'd better hope people stay in Stealth for 99 percent of the time. This is not a question of a poor extended-range engine choice, but of incorporating it better.
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The Fisker Karma is a new plug-in hybrid luxury sedan launched as a 2013 model. The Karma is the first, and perhaps the last, car from the company started by Henrik Fisker who made his name in automotive design. One look at the Karma, inside or out, shows how stylish a car can be when the designer is in charge, not an accountant. In retrospect, perhaps an accountant should have been in charge.
Things have not gone well for Fisker. After accepting a loan of $192 million ordered by the Obama administration to support clean air technologies, Fisker now appears headed for bankruptcy. Henrik Fisker has left the company, the company has laid off 75 percent of its workforce, and the U.S. Energy Department has seized the company's emergency funds. All of this follows a series of recalls and service actions to fix teething problems on the Karma. We asked the company whether shoppers should be concerned about buying a Karma and where they might get one serviced. Fisker did not respond except to provide an April 5 statement saying it was considering strategic alternatives. We recommend taking a good look at your dealer before proceeding with a Karma purchase. A lot of dealers, particularly in the premium segments, are more interested in repeat customers than any one sale, and a solid multi-franchise dealer will likely support his or her customers with service and trade-in no matter what happens to the manufacturer.
The trunklid is conventional, the space beneath it more sports car than luxury sedan. It should fit one set of golf clubs or a couple of mid-size soft-sides. The 110-volt battery charger cable is under the floor with the tire repair kit.
Those power figures are well below those of the Hellcat Charger, but we have to keep in mind that as an electric vehicle, the Fisker Karma was designed with supreme aerodynamics for the best battery range possible. One problem for the Karma was weight, tipping the scales at 5,300lbs. However, when you replace the heavy electric drivetrain components with a traditional engine and transmission combination, over a thousand pounds is shaved from the VL Destino, making for a 4,200lb sedan with 638hp. The Hellcat Charger weighs around 4,500lbs and has 707hp so while the Dodge would still have an advantage in power, the Destino should weigh at least a couple hundred pounds less than the Charger.
The charging cable must of course draw power from somewhere. This is possible with special charging stations for home usage. These should be installed in a convenient location to charge your Fisker Karma. Simply plug your charging cable into the car and the other end into the charging pole and the electric motors will be fully charged. Per hour you charge the Fisker Karma, you increase the range by 20.35 kilometers. Of course until the batteries are fully charged.
At that point, Richardson launched fixthekarma.com, a service business that is now thriving. Richardson, answering a call from the Register while working underneath a Karma in Chicago, said he has about 100 customers and charges $120 per hour for inspections.
I wonder if you removed one of the rear motors, and make the other drive both wheels, then allow the engine to power the front wheels as a power split hybrid you might get lightly less performance but RE fuel economy should be much better. Might be a better plan for a sedan type car than the sports car that the Karma is. It would also be more likely to be driven over the all electric range more often
Yeah it would be nice to see the Fisker get higher CS mileage - but people who buy these cars don't really need to worry about gas cost. They care about new technology and green automobiles. We should be grateful to have ANY buyers of these first generation PH/EVs. I agree with Henrik, a Fisker owner will help lead the rest of the industry down the electrification path.
If a dealer refuses to repair your vehicle as described in the recall letter, you should notify the manufacturer immediately. You can also file a complaint with NHTSA. Provide as many details as possible, including the name of the dealership and any personnel involved.
If you drive certain 2001-2003 Honda or Acura vehicles, you should contact Honda at 844-758-9245 or a dealer IMMEDIATELY to schedule the FREE REPAIR and ONLY drive the vehicle to the dealership for this repair before driving anywhere else.
Electric vehicles are transforming the auto sector, and several new EV start-ups should help accelerate the ongoing transformation. They may not all succeed in the long term, though. As the space continues to evolve, finding potential winners is not an easy task.
The second thing to like about Fisker is its asset-light approach. Rather than setting up its own manufacturing plant, the company has contracted manufacturing to leading auto parts supplier Magna International (MGA 2.98%), which has decades of experience in this segment. This should greatly help in the timely launch of Fisker's vehicles. The company plans to start commercial deliveries of its first SUVs -- the Fisker Ocean line -- in November 2022. Magna has a 6% equity stake in Fisker.
Mr. FISKER: There's room for every segment. It's just like the restaurant business. There's always going to be room for somebody who wants to go in and have a fillet steak, and there's going to be a room for somebody who just wants a burger. And because the economy is bad, it doesn't mean we all have to eat burgers. And I think there's still room enough - you see people are still buying Mercedes and Lexus's, and why shouldn't we go in and take some of that market?
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