Range-extended luxury car, the Fisker Karma has received its emission certification and fuel economy rating from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), clearing the way for the car maker’s dealers to begin selling the car to customers.
Proclaimed to be the first luxury sports sedan with a range-extended electric powertrain, the Karma enters a niche market, currently dominated by the likes of Tesla.
Receiving an economy rating of 52 mpg city/highway (equivalent to around 62.45mpg)-the Karma comes close to the Obama administration’s mandate of an industry average of 54.5mpg by 2025-not bad for a luxury vehicle.
Under the EPA’s newly formulated method for rating electric and dual-fuel type vehicles, the Karma was found to have an all-electric range of 32 miles. To put that figure in perspective, Fisker Automotive, which produces the Karma, says a Karma driver with a 40-mile commute who starts each day with a full battery charge will only need to visit the gas station about every 1,000 miles and would use just 9 gallons of gasoline per month.
Fisker’s own analysis suggests that many Karma drivers will actually experience a longer all‑electric range under most every day driving conditions. Research also reveals that more than half of American’s have a daily commute of less than 32 miles, a comfortable distance for the Karma to run in electric-only mode from a single charge.
“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 ground-breaking product with a unique powertrain.”
Using both its gasoline engine and electric motor, the Karma has a total system horsepower of 403, allowing the Karma to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds and achieve a top speed of 125 mph. Available to buy in the US and selected European markets, the 2012 Karma costs around $96,850.
