Wanxiang is dropping the name “Fisker” and going with the new “Elux” brand name. The Elux Karma could be in production by mid-2016, though a production facility has yet to be finalized (read: mid-2017?).
Following the story of the Fisker Karma, we find ups and downs that could constitute one of the biggest disappointments in automotive history.
It’s been a few months since we’ve heard anything about Fisker Automotive, since its holdings were sold to Chinese auto parts giant Wanxiang Group. While Fisker Automotive seemed to have a good beginning, cars designed by renowned Danish design Henrik Fisker and a winning extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain, similar in idea to the Chevy Volt EREV, but far more expensive. Supply-side failures and a series of unfortunate events doomed the company to failure, and models beyond the Fisker Karma, such as the Fisker Atlantic and Fisker Surf, never made it out of prototype stage.
Wanxiang bought the remnants of Fisker Automotive in hopes of reinventing the brand, after a spectacular failure to produce a single car since 2012. Apparently, “ASAP” means “whenever we get around to it” (WWGATI?), because it was last March that we heard anything about it. Reuters, on the other hand, says that Wanxiang could resurrect the Fisker Karma by mid-2016, admittedly a far cry from “ASAP,” and not official, by any means.
Before the Fisker Karma comes back, however, there are going to be a couple of changes. Beside the name change, there will be the price, ajor updates to the car’s technology package and sourcing new battery packs. The Elux Karma will start around $135,000, some 20% higher than the now-defunct Fisker Karma.
Will it happen? Will the Elux Karma rise “again?” I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
