Will Fisker Motors Be Another Solyndra?

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American Thinker:

There's been considerable coverage of the Department of Energy's $534-million loan guarantee to bankrupt Solyndra. But lurking unnoticed is a similar $529-million DOE grant to Fisker Automotive to build the high-end hybrid Karma and eventually mid-priced sedans. With Hyundai, Toyota, Porsche, and GM building hybrids, why is the government funding an automotive startup?

Fisker's people believe that they can build a car with more consumer appeal. Are they right? The market will let them know, just like it has for Chevy's Volt.

There are two considerations involved. First is the Karma itself, and second is the government loan in light of the Solyndra revelations.
Details are emerging as Fisker starts its Karma marketing roll-out. In the October 2011 Vanity Fair (VF) print edition, on page 206 and 210 are four-color, full-bleed spreads, plus four more one-page ads ending at 221. That's not surprising, since well-heeled progressive VF readers are Fisker's target buyers. The meager ad copy, which doesn't exude much driving passion, announces that the Karma represents "Responsible Luxury." It is "the first true electric luxury vehicle with extended range." And its performance has "low impact on the environment."


The ads explain that the car's EVer hybrid system delivers a "300 mile/483 km extended range" and "100 MPG/160km." This is by virtue of a turbocharged GM ECOTEC four-cylinder engine driving an electrical generator which creates the power for extended range.
Fisker also claims a "50 Miles All Electric" range, adding that "Most people travel less than 35 miles/56 km per day." The question unanswered is under what driving conditions was battery range determined. Do they mean covering 50 miles in one hour, or two? While battery-only operation sounds very green, how ecological is it when the recharging current is generated by an icky coal-fired plant?
As for being an American job-generator, the Karma is currently being built in Finland, and according to Car and Driver, the electric motors utilized are a product of China.