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HOT NEW HYBRID CAR: The Fisker Karma (Tesla Killer?)
www.inhabitat.com ^ | 05-13-2008 | by Jorge Chapa

Posted on 05/15/2008 12:48:43 PM PDT by Red Badger

We love our green sports cars here at Inhabitat, and we have plenty of room on our favorites list for more than one. While we’ve been raving for the last two years about the Tesla Roadster, the Fisker Karma has been doing the one thing Tesla has yet to do: bring a hybrid sports car to market. Created by noted car designer Henrik Fisker, the ultra cool Karma is a sleek, power packed eco-luxury ride.

The Karma’s performance specs rev out at 0-60 mph in 6 seconds, and a top speed of 125 mph. At $80,000 USD, The car is a plug-in hybrid based on technology of Quantum Technologies. The Q DRIVE consists of a small gasoline engine which in turn charges the lithium battery packs in the car. According to Fisker, if charged properly, the hybrid would need to use no more than a fuel tank per year, quite a claim!

Now before you think that the Fisker is just a concept vehicle, Wired managed to get some pics of the Fisker Karma in action. Here’s hoping that soon we can have two really cool sports cars that show that being green can be done at maximum speed.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: auto; electriccar; hybrid; tesla
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To: CarrotAndStick

That looks like a pregnant Citroen DS19.


21 posted on 05/15/2008 1:26:56 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: CarrotAndStick

Looks vaguely familiar............

22 posted on 05/15/2008 1:26:57 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: Red Badger

see my post#21


23 posted on 05/15/2008 1:28:15 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: dangus
Hybrid wasn’t Tesla’s goal. What a stupid article.

Yep. Most manufacturers have hybrids, these people just built a hybrid sports car. Of course, the Tesla isn't original either. It's based on the Lotus Elise chassis, but Lotus already made an electric Elise back in '98. The main Tesla contributions are using lithium ion batteries and carbon fiber to save weight, and a more advanced motor.

24 posted on 05/15/2008 1:29:08 PM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Red Badger

50 miles then you need gas. No thanks.


25 posted on 05/15/2008 1:30:24 PM PDT by Hacklehead (Crush the liberals, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the hippies.)
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To: Army Air Corps

LOL!!!......When I was in the Marine Corps, back in the 70’s, someone on base had one of those type cars. We called it “The Mars Car”.......


26 posted on 05/15/2008 1:31:10 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: 2banana

Interestingly enough, I recently drove my 2008 Hummer for a 600 mile trip. The mileage? 15.3. And, no, i did not drive slowly or coast down hills.

The new engine coupled with a six speed auto tranny makes a nice difference.

My old Dodge Ram only got 13 mpg on the same trip.


27 posted on 05/15/2008 1:31:13 PM PDT by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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To: 2banana
At $80,000 USD, The car is a plug-in hybrid based on technology of Quantum Technologies.

You could buy a 10 mpg Hummer for $35,000 and have the interest on the remaining $45,000 pay for all the gas you could ever use for the rest of your life...

5 posted on Thursday, May 15, 2008 2:55:41 PM by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)

I did the math. At 3% interest, you could only drive 3,500 miles per year on the money you would earn by investing the $45,000.

28 posted on 05/15/2008 1:31:18 PM PDT by american_ranger (Never ever use DirecTV)
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To: Malsua

The interst on the 45K is still subsidising the cost of your fuel, making the hummer the better deal by far.


29 posted on 05/15/2008 1:31:42 PM PDT by ltc8k6
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To: Red Badger

Citroen made some funky cars. That said, their suspension system was rather novel.


30 posted on 05/15/2008 1:33:46 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: american_ranger

You can buy a $20K Chevy, and use the $60K you save to pay for your fuel entirely for a while, or to subsidise the cost of your fuel for the life of the car.


31 posted on 05/15/2008 1:34:34 PM PDT by ltc8k6
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To: Red Badger

The front-end looks like it’s wearing chrome lipstick. It’s gay....


32 posted on 05/15/2008 1:34:51 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Who would McQueeg rather have mad at him: You or the liberals?)
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To: Hacklehead

But you can go those 50 miles really fast!..............


33 posted on 05/15/2008 1:36:25 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: Red Badger

The Fisker looks like a Maserati front end, a Corvette middle, and a Dodge Charger back end grafted together.


34 posted on 05/15/2008 1:37:45 PM PDT by ltc8k6
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To: Red Badger
The FISKER?

John Ringo fans of the Dragons series books are laughing their butts off.

35 posted on 05/15/2008 1:38:59 PM PDT by Centurion2000 (Party ahead of principles; eventually you'll be selling out anything to anyone for the right price.)
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To: CarrotAndStick

Man - that’s one ugly vehicle!!

If it doesn’t have a booming V8, I won’t own it (motorcycles excepted!)

I like battery powered hand tools and TV remotes.


36 posted on 05/15/2008 1:40:40 PM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: ltc8k6

I thought it looked like the rear end of a Couger (Mustang twin)......


37 posted on 05/15/2008 1:44:36 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: ltc8k6

38 posted on 05/15/2008 1:45:57 PM PDT by Red Badger ( We don't have science, but we do have consensus.......)
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To: xsrdx

Is 640bhp enough?

http://www.worldcarfans.com/2060724.006/pml-builds-640hp-electric-mini

and an electric generator in case the battery starts getting low.

39 posted on 05/15/2008 1:46:54 PM PDT by BBell
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To: Red Badger

I don’t want nothing that I have to fall into and then climb out of. I want to be able to see past the car in front of me also.


40 posted on 05/15/2008 1:48:25 PM PDT by kempo (c)
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