There has been a lot of hubbub over GM’s much-trumpeted 230 miles per gallon figure on the range-extended Chevrolet Volt. The back and forth on whether or not that is a correct number (GM says the EPA cycle will result in that rating) has been intense. Now its Fisker’s turn to make a splash, announcing the MPG rating for the Karma.
In Fisker’s announced figures, they are using results from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) methedology for measuring plug-in hybrids. Speaking of which, Fisker still continues to call the Karma a plug-in hybrid when really it’s a range-extended electric vehicle. Anyways, the Karma will achieve 3.5L/100km (or 67.2 mpg U.S) and CO2 emissions of 83 grams per kilometer.
Fisker says that “941 million liters (248 million gallons) of gasoline could be saved and 2.3 million metric tons (2.5 million US tons) of CO2 offset from sales of 15,000 Karmas per year through 2016.” Good luck on selling 15,000 Karmas, but it’s good to dream right?
In addition, Fisker estimates emissions output as “75 percent less than competing vehicles,” which aren’t specified. 67.2 mpg is no doubt an impressive figure, but I am interested in seeing what it achieves on the EPA cycle – it should be a higher figure.
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