The launch of Fisker’s first product, the Karma, has not gone as smoothly as the automaker would have liked to. Delays in production and recalls over a battery-related fire risk wasn’t exactly the publicity company founder Henrik Fisker was expecting for the luxury hybrid saloon.
On Tuesday, though, the upstart manufacturer announced that the Karma already surpasses the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards that were finalized on August 28 by the NHTSA and EPA and will come into effect in 2025.
The two agencies set an average fuel-economy target for each manufacturer’s fleet based on the footprint of every model in its range. The standard set for a vehicle of Karma’s size is 45.6 mpg.
“It’s a testament to the disruptive power of technology that a premium luxury sedan like the 2012 Fisker Karma beats its fuel economy target for 2025 – today”, said Fisker CEO Tony Posawatz. “We applaud NHTSA and the Environmental Protection Agency for their efforts to increase fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With the Karma, we have brought to market the technology that these regulations are designed to encourage, and we’re pointing the way for the rest of the industry.”
According to the NHTSA methodology, which differs from the EPA label as it assumes the Karma will drive half its miles on gasoline and half on electricity and takes into account the energy consumption of both, the sedan gets an equivalent fuel economy of 47.3 MPG.
Fisker also reports that it has asked current Karma owners to report on their real-world fuel consumption. According to its findings, more than 30 owners of the hybrid saloon reported an average of 150 mpg. Some claimed “well over” 200 mpg and one owner reported achieving 57 mpg over the last 5,500 miles, which included trips more than 300 miles long.
“This is just a small sample of Karma owners, but they demonstrate what we’ve said all along – the Karma’s fuel economy performance depends on how you use it”, said Henrik Fisker. “We’re thrilled to see from these early reports that Karma customers are relying predominantly on the electric range – plugging in at home and maximizing their zero emission driving – but not compromising on their driving habits.”
By Andrew Tsaousis
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