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Why is the DOE involved with a car company in the first place?
Good question. Why is any government agency involved with this, they aren't venture capitalists, that's for sure. I wish these government types would understand why private capital is taking a pass on "investing" on companies like Fisker. It's business model is faulty. If no one with private money is willing to take a chance with a company like Fisker the government shouldn't either. The goal of every company is to make a profit. If it isn't trying to do that, it will fail at some point.
If this guy wanted to create a new car company (something I would respect immensely, you would have to be a little crazy to try in this day and age of a poor business climate and sheer over regulation in that business) he needed to use proven technology to get his company off the ground. Not the pie in the sky stuff. Yes, it would have meant that he would have to build gas powered cars instead of these electrics at the beginning. He probably would have gotten a car on the road far quicker. You don't have to reinvent the wheel every time.
Had he done that, he would have had money for those electric cars, maybe a good reputation as a high end auto builder. The thing is, he needed something to sell, something they didn't have for a long time because he was developing new tech. Tech that is unfortunately far too expensive for the general market. At best, he could build up a small car builder, maybe sized like Ferrari, not very big but a good company building high end cars. A big car builder, not going to happen.
But it didn't happen that way, Fisker will fail at some point. Right after there is no more taxpayer money.
reading in the latest C&D with the test of the Fisker Karma, I can see why. $120k buys you a cramped 4 seat hybrid that weighs 5300 lbs, goes 0-60 in 6.1 and gets 24 mpg. Fisker SHOULD be circling the toilet making a car like that
reading in the latest C&D with the test of the Fisker Karma, I can see why. $120k buys you a cramped 4 seat hybrid that weighs 5300 lbs, goes 0-60 in 6.1 and gets 24 mpg. Fisker SHOULD be circling the toilet making a car like that
I would rather be in an old beat up civic getting 35-40mpg than that turd they sell called a car.
There was a Fisker Karma at the annual Naples, FL car show last weekend. Oddly, there was no one around the car that rep'd a dlr, or had info on the car. Many of the crowd had no idea what it was, other than a decent looking largish '4 door sporty car'.
If it survives for even some real production, (mfg'd in Finland by a contract manufacturer), it is a rare bird for those that feel the need to spend $100Gs+ for a hybrid type car. Rated as a subcompact due to very small interior.
Some pics from last Saturday:
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