Fisker Karma to use GM's 2.0-liter turbo'd four
Click above for more shots of the Fisker Karma
Those who were miffed at General Motors for eschewing its initial plans to launch the Chevy Volt with a small 1.0L turbocharged three cylinder engine are probably not going to like this piece of news, but Fisker Automotive has finally settled on an internal combustion engine to recharge the Karma's on-board lithium ion batteries. It's a big one, with a full 2.0-liters of displacement and direct injection, oh... and a turbocharger for good measure. While it is definitely debatable whether or not the Karma really needs 260 horses and an equal torque figure to spin its generator (which we'll leave up to you in the comments... don't let us down), it's not really as bad as it may seem.
The Ecotec line of engines from GM are solid pieces of machinery, and the more power that the engine and generator are sending to the battery pack, the quicker the whole shebang will be recharged. It's an aluminum engine too, so the weight isn't as bad as it could have been, and it's fairly fuel efficient with its direct injection as well. So, while we'd love to see the Karma get an exotic, lightweight powerplant, the 2.0L DI Ecotec and its 260 horsepower is, in all actuality, a pretty efficient package when one considers its hefty power-to-weight ratio. Discuss.
Gallery: Fisker Karma Official Pics
[Source: Fisker Automotive]
PRESS RELEASE:
Fisker Automotive Announces Intent to Source General Motors Components
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisker Automotive, Inc., a green American premium car company, today announced that General Motors has been selected to supply, through its on-highway integrator Powertrain Integration LLC, the gasoline engine that will be used in the Fisker Karma, Fisker Automotive's new Extended Range Hybrid Electric Vehicle. GM's Powertrain organization will supply the gasoline engine that generates electricity when the driver has exceeded the 50 mile electric-only range. The 2.0 direct injection, turbo-charged 4-cylinder Ecotec gasoline engine will deliver 260 horsepower. Fisker Automotive is also considering the purchase of several additional GM vehicle components to enhance the Karma.
"Given General Motors global leadership in the parts and accessories space, the fact that it is already engineering parts for extended range electric vehicles, and its commitment to helping the environment, it was clear that this was the right partner for us," said Fisker Automotive, Inc. CEO Henrik Fisker. "We are confident that this is the beginning of an important partnership between GM and Fisker Automotive in developing the most desirable fuel efficient vehicles of the future."
"GM is proud that Fisker Automotive has selected one of the world's best powertrains for installation into the new Karma," said Tom Stephens, Executive Vice President of GM Powertrain and Global Quality. "The advanced design of this engine offers a superior performance-to-weight ratio that makes it the right choice for the Fisker Hybrid Electric Vehicle. As a leader in the automotive industry in the development of fuel efficient and energy diverse powertrains, GM sees significant opportunity in working with Fisker Automotive, a visionary company developing products that embody both exciting vehicle design as well as technology friendly to our environment."
Initial domestic deliveries of Fisker Automotive's first car, the Karma, will commence in the 4th quarter of 2009 in North America with planned delivery to Europe in 2010. Fisker Automotive's annual production is projected to reach 15,000 cars, with more than half of sales expected to be overseas.
Fisker Automotive, Inc.
Fisker Automotive is a privately owned car company with Henrik Fisker as the CEO. Fisker Coachbuild, LLC will be the exclusive design house for Fisker Automotive through the entire range of product development. The company has backing from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Palo Alto Investors and an affiliate of Qatar Investment Authority.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
paulwesterberg 4:01PM (11/21/2008)
sounds a bit overpowered for a range extender in an electric vehicle. I doubt they will be able to match the tesla's 4sec 0-60 time.
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GoodCheer 4:38PM (11/21/2008)
I agree. For real driving on the street, the generator will vastly exceed average energy consumption, so will fill the battery and then shut off, which I suppose is fine... but it does mean that they could have gotten away with a smaller package.
I suppose there are three parameter to consider: fuel efficiency, size, and weight. If the turbo-ed 2l DI is much more efficient than anything available in a smaller size, then it is conceivable that the added size (and weight?) could be worth it.
On the track, I can imagine that much power being needed, but then I don't really see these as track cars... though maybe others do.
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gorr 5:16PM (11/21/2008)
I told you, batteries alone don't work good. If this is a sport car then 260 h.p of electrical generation is good and can translate depending of the weight of the battery to 400-600 h.p at the wheels. It's a costly avenue for now but this is a luxury sport car. And this architecture will save a lot of gas some 20% to 100 % saving, let's say approx 30 to 60 m.p.g maybe more if you drive slow and just match the traffic on the road. You will never get struck somewhere with 3 hours recharge while you sit and wait inside the car while taurus and yaris on the roads get to vegas faster then you.
This is a complex car architecture but if it's well done can be very good and efficient. The battery needed can be 20 times smaller then originally predicted. It need a complex programmation to tune all that but someone not listening to afs-trinity, american goverment, chatters, tesla, porsche, mercedes, e.p.a, neil young, x-prize can do a good job.
I might go see that car when they gonna offer it in a showroom or in internet to test drive it. Price is negociable and im not stupid for the warranty, just one month is ok and i need to know where the replacements parts are available.
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jake 6:03PM (11/21/2008)
They will need the bigger engine if they want to have 0-60 in 5 seconds in "charge sustaining mode" (Volt terminology, don't know any details on how the Karma will work) and let their customers do some decent performance runs. After all, they are advertising it as a sports sedan. Of course for normal driving it'll probably be overkill depending on the weight of the car.
I think it's a good choice, the ecotec is reliable and it does give good power for its weight.
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John D 8:26PM (11/21/2008)
I think it's a good choice. The turbo 4 is efficient, and will charge the batteries nice and quickly. A less powerful engine would just have to be on longer to recharge
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stevejust 9:03PM (11/21/2008)
I have a deposit on the Fisker. If they'd have asked me what I'd prefer, I'd have said a 1.8 TDI engine for range extension. It sounds like they're using this particular engine for more than range extension, i.e., for extra horses.
So the whole thing makes me kind of say, "meh," at the end of the day. As in, "what's that you say, I'm going to be driving a very expensive Aveo? Meh."
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eliot 1:20AM (11/22/2008)
Yeah I thought a diesel would be a perfect for a car like the Volt and any other like it, since the engine is only kicks on when the batteries reach X percent of remaining capacity, recharge them to Y percent (100%?) capacity and then shut off until it reaches X again.
Chris M 1:09AM (11/22/2008)
Sigh. Once again, the "Range Extender" is primarily to provide electric power to the drive motor when the batteries get low, and an occasional partial recharge when there is surplus power available.
It is not there to fully recharge the batteries - That job is reserved for the wall outlet!
That size of engine is larger than it should be for maximum "Hybrid mode" fuel economy, but it is a good size for performance.
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Miles Finucci 9:28AM (11/22/2008)
SHE-E-E-E-SH!! Why not just a parallel hydrid with a take-off jackshaft to a generator to recharge the batteries? A 260-hp range extender?
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EV-1 5:58AM (11/28/2008)
Yaawn...
Bored even before they've started making it.
Time will prove this overcomplicated constructionas a parenthesis.
Well, why stop at 260 hp ? Make it an even 400 !
Four cyl.? Make it a V8 !
Why not add another set of wheels ? Make it an Eight-wheeler !
Like the Eliica !
http://www.eliica.com/
Oh well, oh well. Guess there will be odd entrys, just like at the beginning of automobiles.
And then there will be the inevitable cleansing of time -
isn't there a way to fast>forward> to a time of
smarter, simpler, smaller, lighter, and less complicated electric powered vehicles ? Generally more affordable ?
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Chevypower 7:59PM (7/08/2009)
Should consider that these engineers probably have done what they have done for a reason. They don't seem like idiots. A diesel-elec might marginally improve mileage, but if a diesel engine runs with little variation in rpm for too long (as in a generator), it can suffer from "glazing." Would the increased costs in production and maintenance be outweighed by any decrease in fuel consumption? I think they have a well balanced product.
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