The Fisker Atlantic has until now gone by the codename "Project Nina."
There are no secrets in the auto industry. Not many, anyway, as the U.S. auto show season continues to grind on. The latest maker to find its plans in disarray is Fisker Automotive. It had planned to introduce an all-new “affordable” plug-in hybrid in New York, later this week, but photos have leaked out a bit earlier than the California-based start-up had anticipated.
The second program from Fisker, which took its name from company founder and Danish designer Henrik Fisker, it had been going by the code-name “Project Nina.” But according to images that have somehow landed on a Czech website, the new, coupe-like model will be designated the Fisker Atlantic — at least that’s what’s on the shot of the rear license plate.
Fisker had planned to unveil the new model during a small gathering prior to this week’s NY Auto Show – though the Atlantic was not going to be displayed on the show floor itself. It appears we’ll still have to wait until Tuesday night for specifics, though some details have been showing up already.
What’s absolutely certain is that the new model will use a plug-in hybrid platform, just like the Fisker Karma. But unlike the GM-derived four-cylinder gas engine in the current, $102,000 sports car, the Atlantic is expected to use a small engine derived from BMW.
The license plate suggests Project Nina will morph into the Fisker Atlantic.
Significantly lighter than the 5,300 Karma, the Atlantic will also need less power than the 400 horsepower delivered by the more expensive car’s twin electric motors. But both will technically fall into the extended-range electric vehicle category, meaning their wheels can only be turned by electric propulsion. The BMW engine, as with Karma’s GM I-4, only will serve to generate electricity.
The motors, in turn, can draw power from the batteries alone or from both the batteries and the electric motor.
The Atlantic is expected to have less than the Karma’s 20 kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion batteries. Range has been a matter of debate, the EPA officially listing the first Fisker model at just 32 miles per charge, though European regulators coughed up a number closer to Fisker’s own 51-mile estimate.
The new model will be produced, starting about a year from now, at Fisker’s new plant – an old GM assembly plant it acquired, in part, with the assistance of a DoE loan.
That loan is now in jeopardy as a result of delays and other problems with the launch of the Fisker Karma. The California start-up is now struggling to line up alternative funding in case it cannot reach a compromise to continue drawing from the remainder of DoE loan.
Delays with the Karma have raised a number of questions about the firm’s viability. Its outlook has also been complicated by the announcement, late last month, that Fisker will have to recall some of the Karma models due to problems with its battery pack. Supplier A123 has acknowledged that the issue centers around a manufacturing defect at a suburban Detroit plant. A123 plans to recall a significant number of vehicles it has provided for five battery car programs. The supplier has declined to identify any other vehicle or manufacturer involved in the recall campaign other than the Fisker Karma.
(Fisker recalling Karma plug-in due to defective batteries. Click Herefor more.)
The various setbacks recently led CEO Henrik Fisker to step aside, handing day-to-day operations to new Chief Executive Officer Tom LaSorda, former CEO of Chrysler. The Danish designer — whose work includes the well-reviewed Aston Martin DB9 — stays on as Fisker Automotive chairman.
Despite the photo leak, Fisker still plans to stage a formal preview of the Atlantic on Tuesday evening.
(Former Chrysler CEO LaSorda takes the helm at Fisker Automotive. Click Herefor more.)