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Dealers
Score for GM Engineering: Fisker to Source Engine from the General
By 
Colin Mathews November 21st, 2008
So Fisker's stealthy, all-electric Karma will be blessed with GM Powertrain's muscular 2.0-liter direct-injection, turbocharged four-cylinder belting out 260 horsepower when it goes on sale before the end of '09. Say what!? Definitely the mechanical surprise of the day--does it really take 260 horsepower to run the generator that simply recharges the Karma's battery pack?
The stout little four does duty under the hoods of the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Red Line, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, and Chevrolet HHR SS. GM actually didn't restrain its powertrain engineers from fitting the engine with the latest and greatest tech, and as such the engine is smooth, torquey, efficient, and fast. It has literally transformed the Cobalt, Solstice, and Sky into brazen little barnstormers, and is great proof of the technology and promise lurking under the surface of a struggling GM.
But we're left scratching our heads at the wisdom of a hi-po engine being used as a generator. Perhaps the Karma has a super-high-capacity generator that will recharge the sports sedan's battery pack in record time, requiring a good deal of horsepower to turn. Or are they neglecting to tell us that the Karma will actually be an E-REV vehicle like the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, going 40 or so miles on electric only, and then turning into a gas burner (and a quick one in this case) with a traditional powertrain?
Regardless, this is an interesting development and we're curious to see how it plays out. It's also a nice vote of confidence in GM and its promising powertrain technology.--Colin Mathews
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Make sure you check out our partner sites dedicated to focused news, reviews and more for Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, and the Toyota Prius.
The stout little four does duty under the hoods of the Pontiac Solstice GXP, Saturn Sky Red Line, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, and Chevrolet HHR SS. GM actually didn't restrain its powertrain engineers from fitting the engine with the latest and greatest tech, and as such the engine is smooth, torquey, efficient, and fast. It has literally transformed the Cobalt, Solstice, and Sky into brazen little barnstormers, and is great proof of the technology and promise lurking under the surface of a struggling GM.
But we're left scratching our heads at the wisdom of a hi-po engine being used as a generator. Perhaps the Karma has a super-high-capacity generator that will recharge the sports sedan's battery pack in record time, requiring a good deal of horsepower to turn. Or are they neglecting to tell us that the Karma will actually be an E-REV vehicle like the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, going 40 or so miles on electric only, and then turning into a gas burner (and a quick one in this case) with a traditional powertrain?
Regardless, this is an interesting development and we're curious to see how it plays out. It's also a nice vote of confidence in GM and its promising powertrain technology.--Colin Mathews
---
Make sure you check out our partner sites dedicated to focused news, reviews and more for Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, and the Toyota Prius.
Rex Roy
Responses (3 total)
By R2dad | Posted: Nov 21st 2008, 09:59:47 PM
Fisker's attempt to secure some of that bailout dough. Wouldn't be surprised if it's canceled if a bailout doesn't materialize in january.
By John V | Posted: Nov 22nd 2008, 05:48:18 PM
"...are they neglecting to tell us that the Karma will actually be an E-REV vehicle like the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, going 40 or so miles on electric only, and then turning into a gas burner (and a quick one in this case) with a traditional powertrain?"
Ummmm, Colin, the Fisker has always been an E-REV. But neither the Volt nor the Fisker (as far as we know) has a "traditional powertrain" once it goes out of electric mode.
A traditional powertrain uses engine torque to turn the wheels via a mechanical drivetrain. The E-REV, otoh, uses that same engine torque *solely* to turn a generator -- which provides electric current to the battery -- which powers the electric motor that turns the wheels.
Hardly conventional.
By colin | Posted: Nov 24th 2008, 02:06:17 PM
John V - I obviously had a skewed notion of just how an E-REV gets power to the ground. Thanks for the refresher, I stand corrected. But help me understand why the Karma needs 260 turbocharged horses to turn its generator - do you think it'll be an extremely high-output generator that requires lots of power/torque to turn? My thoughts are that a smaller, less powerful gas engine would be a far more efficient way to re-charge the Karma's battery pack. That said, GM's 2.0-liter turbo from the Solstice GXP is quite efficient, nearing 30 mpg on the highway.
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