Ultimate Irony: Fisker to Buy Old GM Plant
Hybrid automaker Fisker announced Tuesday they’ll be buying an old GM plant Wilmington, Delaware for $18 million to build what they call, “… an affordable, family-oriented plug-in hybrid sedan costing about $39,900 after federal tax credits.”
This will be the second vehicle in Fisker’s portfolio, following its hybrid sports car the Karma. The Karma, introduced in 2007 with units being delivered early next year, is said to have a top speed of 125 mph and up to a 300 mile range on a single charge. Not only that, but it does 0-60 in 5.8 seconds. Not too shabby for a hybrid.
However I wouldn’t expect the “family friendly” version to post those sort of numbers. According to earth2tech.com Fisker has yet to begin design on their “Project Nina” slated for the new plant, but engineering is in the works. The company hopes to be producing 75,000 to 100,000 vehicles per year by 2014 with only half believed to remain in the U.S.
Even Vice President Joe Biden was on hand this morning to help make the announcement, saying, “…we’re on our way to helping America’s auto industry reclaim its top position in the global market.”
We can’t help but wonder if the Karma will be coming stateside anytime soon as well. Currently manufactured in Finland alongside the Porsche Boxster and Cayman, a production facility in the U.S. would firmly plant the automaker as an all-American company. Fisker is based out of southern California and they have plans for a research and design center in Pontiac Michigan according to a Wired: Autopia article.
Will Fisker automotive be able to succeed in a plant that formerly produced the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice roadsters? Only time will tell, but it’s a sad day for a car guy when two great sports cars are replaced by a family-oriented plug-in sedan. So Fisker, bring the Karma over. America needs a good-looking exotic hybrid.
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