Here’s a sneak peek of Fisker’s all-new, ultra-luxury electrical car
Legendary car designer Henrik Fisker released some fresh pics today of the forthcoming EMotion, an ultra-luxury electrical vehicle with a range of four hundred miles and a top speed of one hundred sixty one mph. The pictures more or less track with the rendering Fisker released last year: sleek, aerodynamic lines; a low-slung spandex hood; and a tapered back end. But the designer’s company also exposed some fresh details about the car that could help revitalize Fisker’s reputation in the EV market.
The EMotion is Fisker’s 2nd attempt to capture lightning in the bottle. Back in 2011, he launched the Fisker Karma, an ultra-luxury, plug-in hybrid vehicle that was supposed to be followed by an all-electric sedan in the years to come.
Unluckily, Fisker never got the chance to release his own Model Trio; after selling some 1,800 units of the Fisker Karma in North America and Europe, Fisker was coerced to end production as a result of the bankruptcy of his battery supplier. The vehicle’s manufacturer, Fisker Automotive, was later sold to Chinese auto-parts conglomerate Wanxiang. Last year, Fisker exposed his fresh venture, Fisker Inc., and promised his very first vehicle would be released in 2017.
With the release of these fresh photos, Fisker Inc. still seems to be following the Tesla playbook to a T. The company says it will open up preorders at the end of June, at which point the vehicle will be sold directly through its website and forthcoming “experience centers.”
The promised range on the vehicle — four hundred miles — is pretty epic, considering it’s over one hundred miles more than a top-of-the-range Tesla. Fisker says it’s able to achieve this thanks to the vehicle’s “advanced high-energy density, patent-pending battery pack and cooling system.” The vehicle will be charged through Fisker’s proprietary “UltraCharger” system, that the company claims will provide over one hundred miles of range in just nine minutes of charging. By comparison, Tesla’s SuperChargers can replenish half the battery of a Model X in about twenty minutes.
And, of course, the Fisker EMotion will come with fully autonomous capabilities, the company says. “The front end’s bright aluminum centerpiece houses a LIDAR system behind a tinted screen. Side mirrors conceal two cameras, which enable panoramic, 360-degree views to the driver.” Other details, such as whether the vehicle’s autonomous features are best used on highways only or in urban environments as well, are still unknown.
Fisker did announce a deal with the Hybrid Shop, a Santa Monica-based EV maintenance and repair company, to provide “a one-of-a-kind, white glove concierge service” for EMotion owners.
To be sure, Fisker’s promises don’t amount to much until we see the car in act. Fisker’s previous failure to capture the electrical vehicle market may turn some consumers off. And with Tesla about to release the Model Three, and dozens of automakers racing to go after Elon Musk’s company into the mass-market space, it’s unclear how significant another insanely expensive, ultra-luxury electrified car still is today.