Fisker EMotion: Making electric cars cool again?

If you don’t succeed at first, try again. That is exactly what automotive designer Henrik Fisker is doing. Back in 2008, Fisker Automotive made the Karma sedan. It was a great hit with the Hollywood crowd in particular. But that car had problems which remains partly unresolved, and the company went bust in 2013. Fast forward to now, and Fisker is back. The company is now called Fisker Inc., and the plan remains the same—make electric cars cool.

The new car that the company is working on is called the EMotion—is it because it evokes some emotions, or perhaps because it is the blend of electricity plus motion? The car is expected to be available in showrooms sometime in mid-2017, and promises a range of as much as 400 miles (643km approx.) on a single charge. The EMotion will also have a top speed of 161mph (259km/h approx.)

The batteries of the EMotion are made using graphene, with focus on longer range, better life of the battery pack and also faster charging speeds. These batteries are by Fisker Nanotech, which is the battery division of Fisker Inc., and the company says they have worked with a group of California-based scientists and innovators as well.

Fisker is following the ‘Right Material in the Right Place for the Right Reason’ motto with the EMotion. It will have a composite frame made of carbon fibre and aluminum, and will tick off the requirements of strength, specific stiffness, thermal expansion, and corrosion resistance. The design does pick cues from the Karma, and has a very aggressive stance when looked at from the side.

For achieving the mission of extended battery range and the high top speed, the EMotion is being designed for the slickest aerodynamic performance. Fisker Inc. is also redesigning the cabin, so that it has interior space that is comparable to a typical luxury sedan, and is perhaps a veiled reference to its potential superiority over the Tesla Model S. Fisker Inc. will also offer infotainment options for all passengers.

Incidentally, the EMotion will have all the hardware required to upgrade it to a complete self-driving vehicle. All it will require is new software to enable those features. The company says details for this will be revealed soon.

At this time, there are no details on the pricing. But the fact that the Tesla Model S is priced upwards of $53,000 (Rs.35,35,238 approx.), Fisker Inc. would probably also be looking at similar pricing for the EMotion.

The first deliveries will start in the middle of next year, starting with the US.