Merged: Update from Fisker

RE: Update from Fisker

NICE!!!

ANAHEIM, Calif., Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fisker Automotive announced today the signing of an agreement with BMW that will cover the supply of engines and other components for future Fisker models.

BMW will supply a four-cylinder turbocharged engine for the next generation of Fisker cars, code-named 'Project Nina', which are scheduled to go into production in the re-commissioned former GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware at the end of 2012 and be on sale globally in 2013.

The agreement calls for up to 100,000 engine units per year at peak volume.

The first 'Project Nina' derivative will be a mid-size premium sedan utilizing Fisker's EVer™ (electric vehicle with extended range) technology to deliver on Fisker's corporate vision of Uncompromised Responsible Luxury.

Fisker 's CEO and Executive Design Director, Henrik Fisker, comments; "The BMW engine was an obvious choice for us, as BMW is known for producing the best and most fuel efficient gasoline engines in the world. We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with BMW."

Fisker's Chief Operating Officer, Bernhard Koehler, adds; "This is an important agreement for Fisker. We are focused on building environmentally responsible cars that deliver Pure Driving Passion to our discerning customers. Who better to be a part of this exciting 'recipe' than BMW – the makers of the Ultimate Driving Machine?"

California-based Fisker Automotive recently established a European office in Munich, Germany and has publicly stated that both the Fisker Karma Sedan and 'Project Nina' lines are global vehicles with sales likely to be split equally in the US and Europe (40% each), with Asia (20%) providing the remainder.

ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

Fisker Automotive is an American car company, founded in 2007, committed to producing electric vehicles with extended range (EVer) that deliver Uncompromised Responsible Luxury™. The Fisker Karma Sedan is the world's first premium electric plug-in hybrid representing the company's firm belief that environmentally conscious cars need not sacrifice passion, style, or performance. Fisker Automotive is a global company that is redefining luxury for the modern sports car buyer. For more information on the brand and the Fisker Karma sedan, please go to http://fiskerautomotive.com .

Roger OrmisherDirector, Global CommunicationsMobile: +1 949.677.0682 [email protected]

Will PowellManager, Global CommunicationsMobile: +1 714.504.0192 [email protected]

Kelsey JohnsonPR SpecialistMobile: +1 714.504-0185 [email protected]

SOURCE Fisker Automotive

Website: http://fiskerautomotive.com
-0- Sep/01/2011 07:00 GMT

RE: Update from Fisker

Fisker Automotive announced today the signing of an agreement with BMW that will cover the supply of engines and other components for future Fisker models.

BMW will supply a four-cylinder turbocharged engine for the next generation of Fisker cars, code-named ‘Project Nina’, which are scheduled to go into production in the re-commissioned former GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware at the end of 2012 and be on sale globally in 2013.

The agreement calls for up to 100,000 engine units per year at peak volume.

The first ‘Project Nina’ derivative will be a mid-size premium sedan utilizing Fisker’s EVer™ (electric vehicle with extended range) technology to deliver on Fisker’s corporate vision of Uncompromised Responsible Luxury.

Fisker ‘s CEO and Executive Design Director, Henrik Fisker, comments; “The BMW engine was an obvious choice for us, as BMW is known for producing the best and most fuel efficient gasoline engines in the world. We are very pleased to have signed this agreement with BMW."

Fisker’s Chief Operating Officer, Bernhard Koehler, adds; “This is an important agreement for Fisker. We are focused on building environmentally responsible cars that deliver Pure Driving Passion to our discerning customers. Who better to be a part of this exciting ‘recipe’ than BMW – the makers of the Ultimate Driving Machine?”
California-based Fisker Automotive recently established a European office in Munich, Germany and has publicly stated that both the Fisker Karma Sedan and ‘Project Nina’ lines are global vehicles with sales likely to be split equally in the US and Europe (40% each), with Asia (20%) providing the remainder.

ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
Fisker Automotive is an American car company, founded in 2007, committed to producing electric vehicles with extended range (EVer) that deliver Uncompromised Responsible Luxury™. The Fisker Karma Sedan is the world’s first premium electric plug-in hybrid representing the company’s firm belief that environmentally conscious cars need not sacrifice passion, style, or performance. Fisker Automotive is a global company that is redefining luxury for the modern sports car buyer. For more information on the brand and the Fisker Karma sedan, please go to http://fiskerautomotive.com.

RE: Update from Fisker

DHarris said:

Many of you have been incredible enthusiasts in your passion and support of Fisker Automotive. I want to bring a couple of things to everyone’s attention. First we will be migrating our web site to a new look and feel tonight. This website is truly an early beta and I would like all of your feedback. You can e-mail me directly at [email protected] or if you feel really passionate call me at 714-485-1283 . If you are in North America you should be able to see the new website shortly at www.fiskerautomotive.com. We are working on the globalization elements and will be updating our website with additional languages in the months to come. Likewise we will be updating our mobile platforms and building out an owner’s portal.

One last note to give this community a heads up I will be logging onto the forums tonight shortly after midnight (PST) to share some exciting information so stay tuned.

David Harris Fisker Automotive

Click to expand...

David,

The new website is much better than the old one. Congrats on a great start. The addition of the state incentives is very helpful, including the resource locations on where to apply for the credits. The biggest area of improvement in my eyes still lies in providing accurate photos of each color configuration in a high def photo, not some artist touched up configurator. The challenge with the configurator is that the colors are totally skewed. Without seeing all the color choices in real photos in one spot, it's more difficult to make a final color selection. On the configurator for example, the shadow and earth colors look nearly identical, but I don't think they do in sunlight in a real photo. Can Fisker at least post one photo, side shot, of each color of an actual car???? The ones you can find on Flickr that folks have taken at past auto shows have no identifiers as to what colors they are. If not on the official website, can you at least post here on the Fisker Buzz site a picture (again side view preferred so we can see the beautiful lines) of each color shot in sunlight on the street not photoshopped into a sand dune? My test drive is Tuesday in Winston Salem, NC. I am eager to see the Karma live. It's been 18 months or so since I sat in the one on the first road show. Hopefully it won't be 18 months before I sit in my own Karma! Thanks again for your help.

RE: Update from Fisker

Hokiebird said:

... The biggest area of improvement in my eyes still lies in providing accurate photos of each color configuration in a high def photo ... . Can Fisker at least post one photo, side shot, of each color of an actual car????

Click to expand...

I can't speak for Fisker but I know something about posting photos on web sites...

First: there are a number of pretty hefty "issues" with color in general on the web. First, most consumer displays are not properly calibrated. Video monitors start out wrong and age and become wrong-er. LCD monitors are hard to calibrate. Even LED monitors fade, and "sRGB" (the default for PC monitors) was never a very good standard to begin with.

Some of these color balance issues are correctable with the newest web standards (which include "ICC profiles" in the images), provided the browser cooperates. But one is still at the mercy of the display's calibration (or lack thereof).

Second, cameras (when properly adjusted) capture what is actually in the scene, without doing the compensation that human vision does. This is why photos of snow in shade look blue, for instance: the shaded snow is blue. But when you are there in person and look at it, it looks white, because your eye and brain compensate for the surrounding (sky) blue that you can also see. The photo snips out the surroundings and the visual system compensation goes away.

In short, the colors actually change under different lighting conditions. (This is true for sun, shade, and interior lighting. It's also why you really need to experiment with materials when remodeling your house, as I am discovering lately. )

Finally, getting a photo to be "accurate" and getting it to "look good" are two entirely different processes. When doing photos for printing (with four or even more colors, i.e., CMYK printing or the more elaborate versions in advertising), one uses a rather long and qualified process. You really can't do this with web images.

All that said, photos are way better than no photos...

[Edit to add: having been to the web site, yeah, the colors on the configuration screens are terrible. My laptop LCD monitor has not been calibrated in months but it does not drift very much very fast, and having seen some of the things in person and in photos, I can say that the configuration samples are seriously way off.]

RE: Update from Fisker

Just a heads up to the Fisker Buzz Community.

We will be posting an important press release @ 8am(pst) today discussing the A123 Systems press release this morning regarding A123's recenty discovery that some battery modules and packs produced with prismatic cells made in their Livonia, Mich. manufacturing facility may contain a defect which can result in premature failure of the battery module or pack, including a decrease in performance and reduced battery life.

I will post it up here asap. You can also see our Media website http://media.fiskerautomotive.com/global/en-us/Home/Welcome.aspx for details shortly after 8am (pst).

A123's press release can be found here:

http://www.a123systems.com/media-room-service-campaign.htm

Thank you,

David Harris
Fisker Automotive[hr]
Here is the Update:

Fisker Automotive has announced a significant upgrade to the VIP Customer Care Coverage included with the purchase of all 2012 Model Year Karma vehicles. This new initiative will apply both to existing and future 2012 Model Year Karma customers.

Fisker decided to make this enhancement in response to the fact that its high-voltage battery supplier, A123 Systems, discovered a latent manufacturing defect in some prismatic cells made in its Livonia, Michigan facility that could result in battery underperformance and decreased durability. As a result, A123 is replacing all impacted battery modules and packs for the Fisker Karma.

Fisker decided to make this enhancement in response to the fact that its high-voltage battery supplier, A123 Systems, discovered a latent manufacturing defect in some prismatic cells made in its Livonia, Michigan facility that could result in battery underperformance and decreased durability. As a result, A123 is replacing all impacted battery modules and packs for the Fisker Karma.

Read A123 Systems’ at http://www.a123systems.com

The enhanced customer care package includes: A complete battery replacement at no cost for all affected 2012 MY Fisker Karma owners

All North American customers will receive a full vehicle warranty extension from 50 months/50,000 miles to 60 months/60,000 miles.

In Europe, coverage also will be extended from 48 months/100,000km to 60 months/100,000 km.

Fisker CEO Tom LaSorda said, “The entire Fisker Team is committed to the complete satisfaction of our customers and their experience with our vehicles. As a new technology start-up Company, we have stepped up to many challenges in our short history as we have launched one of the most advanced electric vehicles with extended range in the world.”

Fisker has been working closely with A123 Systems regarding a high-voltage battery power loss experienced in one of our customer’s vehicles, belonging to Consumer Reports.

The problem was traced to the A123 battery pack by Fisker’s Quality SWAT Team. The top management from both companies immediately established teams to work together to find the actual root cause. Fisker Automotive’s CEO, Tom La Sorda visited the A123 facility to support this initiative.

“We especially want to thank our valued customers for their ongoing support and continued confidence in us,” said LaSorda. These “early adopters” have the vision to embrace this new technology and become brand advocates as we launch the Fisker Karma in the many markets around the world. To them, we say a special “Thank You” and know they will appreciate these added customer care benefits,” he added

Fisker will work with our distributors, retailers and customers to communicate the details and status of this voluntary battery exchange program.

In addition, Fisker’s Quality SWAT Team also has been working aggressively on the next generation vehicle software upgrade to improve the vehicle experience to customers, with a release planned in the next few days.

“We have delivered over 630 vehicles to customers in North America and Europe since sales began at the end of last year. Our customers continue to report the excitement they feel when they drive their Karma. The design is so unique that the car draws attention like no other; the electric powertrain is so quiet and the handling is exhilarating. We look forward to satisfying many more customers in the months and years ahead,” adds LaSorda.


The entire press release can be found here:

http://media.fiskerautomotive.com/global/en-us/Media/PressRelease.aspx?mediaid=835&title=fisker-automotive-reinforces-commitment-to-quality-with-enhanced-customer-care


Best regards,

David Harris
Fisker Automotive