Comments on: Fisker Karma: Right Car, Wrong Price

By: Nick U

Nick U — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 05:01:31 +0000

While I agree that the price of the Karma is steep. (Considering Leonardo DiCaprio is first in queue to get his)–I think this car is going to be incredibly popular with the “Hollywood Tree Huggers”. I make nowhere near as much as those folks, yet & still…I WANT A FISKER KARMA! It is a gorgeous car, enough room for 4 adults and sounds like a Light-Cycle from TRON. I paid $60,000. for my 8-Cyl fiber-glass bodied car right out of the plant. I didn’t think that was outrageous for a beautiful car with as much performance and features that I got it with. It may take me a few more years to be able to afford the cost of a “Eco-Chic” trim version of the Karma. But I plan to get one. (Hopefully, I’ll have the solar panels and wind turbine on my property to power it by that point!!!)

By: Lazy Man

Lazy Man — Sat, 21 May 2011 15:00:59 +0000

dfaj,

You seem to have missed the timing of the article. It was two years ago when there were no other options for an electric car with a gas back-up.

By: dfaj

dfaj — Fri, 20 May 2011 21:48:14 +0000

this is a dumb article. this car is not for average joes. this is a luxury car just like any other high end cars out there that consume purely on gas. this just so happens that it’s a hybrid.

if you had 90k and were planning to buy a car, would you buy one that can only run on gasoline or a hybrid?

saying karma has a wrong price is like wanting a high end bmw that runs on gasonine alone, for the price of a nissan leaf, you are hilarious.

By: Krystal

Krystal — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:25:14 +0000

My factory just got the contract for the new Fisker Electric car and thank god its going to retail for $35,000 instead of the $87,000 a little more reachable for the average household :) !!!

By: Lazy Man

Lazy Man — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:53:14 +0000

I should note that this article was written a couple of years ago, where there weren’t any lower priced cars with it’s combination of electric/gas.

By: Chris T.

Chris T. — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:49:18 +0000

As several people noted, the cars the Karma competes with are mostly high end Mercedes and BMW and other “status” vehicles and/or high end sports cars like some Porsches (in fact the Karma will likely compete head to head with the Panamera). They all cost in the $100k range.

The Karma won’t eliminate gasoline-engine maintenance since it still has one, but it will almost certainly reduce it a lot (although this will depend on the driver’s habits and range).

steve may be a bit put off by the Karma S (convertible) price though, which was originally projected to be about $20k higher. If that holds, it will run about $120k rather than the 80-90k range. (And don’t forget taxes, which are steep on $100k :-) )

It will take a few more years but more electrics (both pure and “extended range”) are definitely coming, and the prices for those will be more reasonable. You’re still not going to save money over buying a cheap Kia though!

By: stevie

stevie — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:30:52 +0000

When comparing electrics to gas cars, the emphasis seems to be on fuel savings alone. What about other maintenance? No more oil changes, anti freeze, tune-ups, exhaust work, or many other related expenses. Many repairs now cost upwards of a thousand dollars. Over the life of the car, electrics can be a real money saver in maintenance, since they have fewer parts to break.

By: Lazy Man

Lazy Man — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:46:28 +0000

When I wrote the article it was May of 2009 when electric cars with gas back-up didn’t exist (at least to my knowledge). I pointed out that it is in the Acura NSX price range, so if that’s the kind of sports car that you love, go for it. My point was, that for price-conscious readers that this website caters to, the Fisker Karma has a great concept (the combination of electric and gas, but not necessarily a hybrid), but isn’t very practical. People who read this site know that buying an $80,000 car doesn’t get them closer to financial freedom.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 02:49:41 +0000

Its not the wrong price, its the wrong writer. People who love great cars, and have money, will have no problem with the price. And they won’t compare it to a chevy, unless its a corvette…

By: steve

steve — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:16:37 +0000

I am planning on buying the convertible (S) version when it comes out. I was planning on spending b/w 80-90k on a vehicle. No other car in this price range even compares with looks and function/style. Most cars in this range get much less than 20mpg b/c they have big bossy engines. In the long run I would save plenty of money instead of buying, say, a preowned maserati granturismo.

By: nub

nub — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:16:13 +0000

First, for 87k your getting a luxury car – so off the bat it’s not going to be as economical as say, an “economy” car. Just like buying a $50k 335i that gets 25mpg is not going to be more economical than a 18k Toyota that gets 20mpg. You’re buying more than just MPG. Second, the car does not “operate like a normal hybrid” at all. It sports a fully 100% electric drivetrain. The gas motor simply recharges the battery after 50 miles to extend the range. On top of that it’s a plug-in so you can charge it at home. The Chevy Volt is the closest comparison, and it’s not on the road yet either. All I know is, for more than twice the price, it better be a LOT more luxurious!!

By: thoughtchallenge

thoughtchallenge — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:20:04 +0000

The Karma is made to compete with even more expensive sports cars. Early adapters of this technology will have to pay more, it’s always that way. High income, high profile individuals will gladly pay $40,000 for the Chevy Volt and $87K Fisker Karma. The supply of these cars is limited (only 500 Volts in 2011)so these companies won’t be losing any sleep over sales. These cars will be highly collectible as well. Theres plenty of actors and executives willing to make the investment. Also, note that $5 gas, savings could be well over $2,500 per year driven, $25,000 over 10 years.

By: Khing

Khing — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:20:08 +0000

Buying the karma will give you both luxury and also save you money, imagine driving a powerful sports car and also saving money on gas, gas only sports cars consumes alot of gas, I know because I drive a BMW335i, and this is not even top of the range, I spend a lot on gas and I hardly get around, I will buy a karma any day, the comfort, luxury and savings is worth the price

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:58:21 +0000

If you are buying this car to save money, you’re buying it for the wrong reason. This is a sports car that looks flashy and that would be the only reason to pay such a high price, not to save money on gas. Nice car!

By: James

James — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:19:12 +0000

I think it’s a great first step. The Karma has the “sexy” car enthusiasts want and builds on the green-ability we need as a nation. Yes it’s a little pricey now but is sure to come down and I anticipate fast. Keep in mind many foreign luxury cars are in that range already and there are tons of them on the road. (S class, 7 series etc) I know I intend to have solar panels generating electricity when I build my next house so this plays well into where I want to go as a consumer. I will be purchasing a Karma, maybe the convertible version when the initial buzz dies down a little and I can actually get one.

By: Slandy

Slandy — Tue, 19 May 2009 16:26:57 +0000

Calling the Karma an overpriced Volt is a lot like calling a Porsche 911 an overpriced Kia. They share powertrain types, but that’s where the similarity ends. The Karma is a high-end luxury sedan; the Volt is much more mainstream. Creature comforts, speed, snob appeal are all better with the Karma. For that, you pay more – just like any other vehicle. Don’t forget, this is new techology, and like other new technologies in the past, it will be more expensive at the beginning. VCRs were $1000+ in the 1970s when introduced. The Karma, Volt and others like them are a great beginning, but it will take some time for the technology to become more affordable.

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 18 May 2009 22:48:02 +0000

I was looking forward to the Volt but they are going to be a little too pricey to be practical.

I’m thinking a plug in hybrid will be the most practical first step towards electric. A few car makers are working on plug ins which will have a limited all electric range + full gas engine.

By: MLR

MLR — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:45:33 +0000

I think all of the electric cars coming out are great for the future in the automotive industry.

For the most part, they won’t be feasible for the everyday person for a while, though.

Still really cool :)

By: kosmo

kosmo — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:32:00 +0000

How about finding a way to stream electricity to the car while it’s cruising down the road, using MIT’s WItricity as a model :) You’d have to build in a way for the drivers to pay for their usage, of course.

By: Lazy Man

Lazy Man — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:19:41 +0000

Good call on the Volt, Tom. I don’t know why I thought it was just another hybrid. Still at $40,000, I don’t think I’d be looking too much into the Volt. Unless it’s 10 years down the line and I’m buying one that’s 7 years depreciated for a cheap price.

The 300 mile range of the Tesla Model S is great, but I can’t have something that would die on me without a source of refueling.

I’ve heard that replacing the battery can nullify the maintenance savings. I’m not sure if that’s reliable information or not.