The Fisker Karma has taken one more step towards hitting the showrooms with news that the Electric Vehicle with extended range (EVer) has received emission certification and fuel economy ratings from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The certificates are required by the US Government from any manufacturer that sells cars in the States.

As part of the tests the EPA found that, when running in electric mode, the Fisker Karma (described as a luxury sports sedan blending supercar performance with the CO₂ output of a compact hybrid) achieves the energy equivalent of 52mpg on a combined city/highway run. The Karma's all-electric range was also found to be 32 miles, which Fisker says means that a Karma driver with a 40-mile commute who starts each day with a full battery charge will only need to visit the petrol station about every 1,000 miles. Fisker's own analysis suggests that many Karma drivers will actually experience a longer all electric range under most every day driving conditions.

"We are delighted to have EPA certification and fuel economy ratings that verify the Karma's remarkable green credentials." said Henrik Fisker, CEO and co-founder of Fisker Automotive. "We firmly believe that most owners will get up to 50 miles of driving range on a single charge and will use our electric-only mode most of the time they drive the car, thereby running on zero emissions. Overall, we are very pleased with the results of EPA's tests. The Karma is a ground-breaking product with a unique powertrain."

Please note that we believe that the 52mpg figure is US mpg, which equates to 62.4mpg in UK units.

Paul Healy - 19 Oct 2011