Hasta La Gadget!

Fisker Automotive can’t seem to catch break — because its Karma hybrid EV sedan has yet again become too hot. Similar to an incident last spring that left a model burnt to near smithereens and damaged its owner’s house, the Karma above caught fire in a Woodside, CA parking lot while powered off. Jalopnik was the first to get word of the incident, noting that the damage remained reserved to the front left of the vehicle, near where an exhaust is located. As the story goes, the owner found the vehicle emitting smoke after returning from a grocery run, prompting a call to Fisker and then the local fire department, which arrived as it was already engulfed in flames. In a statement to Wired’s Autopia, Fisker has been vehement to note that the damage appears to be far from where the car’s battery and sensitive electrical components are located, and that it wasn’t plugged in for a charge — furthermore, it’s already had correspondence with the owner and is actively investigating the matter with plans to issue an update when there are findings to share.

All that said, it remains to be seen whether the Karma’s battery system, supplied by A123 Systems (and the focus of previous recalls), had any role in igniting the car. Thankfully there were no reports of injuries from the incident, but as you can tell from the photo, the car was essentially totaled. You’ll find a video of the Karma in flames being quelled by firefighters after the break, along with the official statement by Fisker given to Autopia.

Continue reading Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire

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Fisker Karma owner returns from grocery run to find hybrid EV on fire originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Aug 2012 05:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Believe it or not, EV battery life is still something of a Pandora’s Box, even for automakers: they can tell you the battery pack’s current and voltage, but not how it’s really performing under pressure. Ford, GE and the University of Michigan are uniting to unlock that mystery through a new ARPA-E project. In its role, GE is developing a minuscule sensor array that will track the nuances of battery cells that existing technology misses; it will promptly hand the baton to researchers at the University of Michigan, who plan to both prove that GE’s data is on the mark as well as develop tricks for predicting behavior. Ford handles the last mile, almost literally: it’s planning to fit the GE sensor technology to one of its cars and test in a more realistic environment. Before you fantasize about knowing the lifespan of your Focus Electric’s battery down to the minute, however, the new alliance is stressing that it’s only just getting started — there’s another three years and $3.1 million to go before the project wraps up. If all goes according to plan, though, we’ll have electric cars and plug-in hybrids that can not only tell when they’ve seen better days but can eke out extra miles through smarter battery designs.

Continue reading Ford, GE and University of Michigan team up on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road

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Ford, GE and University of Michigan team up on sensor to track EV battery life, keep us on the road originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Aug 2012 12:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz has already committed to bringing the SLS AMG E-Cell gullwing to dealers in 2013, but we’d advise holding back on taking out a second mortgage to pay for it until you’re done reading. The Netherlands’ De Telegraaf hears from an unnamed spokesperson that there’s enough interest to make a roadster version of the EV supercar. What action the automaker takes depends on sales of the hardtop: if it’s clear more people want an open-air experience, that’s what will happen. The electric motor layout is easily transferred to a roadster, the representative says. If that E-Cell variant becomes a reality, Audi might want to hurry up and build a production-grade e-tron Spyder before Mercedes claims all of the (very niche) German electric roadster market for itself.

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Mercedes-Benz said to be exploring SLS AMG E-Cell in roadster guise originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Technology companies have been lining up to milk the London Olympics spotlight for all it’s worth. BMW isn’t shy about taking its turn, but it’s not looking to cash in — directly, we mean. The automaker is instead using its just-opened i Store to showcase everything electric and hybrid for downtown visitors who aren’t busy watching the cycling. Its centerpieces are unquestionably the i3 and i8, which won’t even go on sale until many months after the summer games’ closing ceremonies; the i3 on the floor is closer to the street model, though, and will tease EV drivers with BMW’s option packs. Should that make your bank account cringe far too soon, the i Pedelec scooter and the i Wallbox charger will be hanging around as well. If you didn’t book a ticket to Heathrow in time, don’t panic: the i line is going on a world tour this year that starts in Rome, swings past the US and Japan, and comes full circle to London in 2013.

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BMW opens i Store in sync with London Olympics, shows tourists their electric destiny originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 01:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There’s no question America’s favorite Motor Company faces a hefty amount of competition in the eco-friendly cars department, but the outfit is hoping to lure some green humans away from its adversaries with the upcoming C-Max Energi series. Interestingly enough, but not surprisingly, Ford’s touting the 2013 Energi’s cheaper price tag — when compared to something like a Toyota Prius V — as one of the ride’s features, though it’s also hoping its combined 550-mile range (PHEV-20) and expected 95 MPGe are good enough reasons for you to spend a cool 26k ($25,995, to be exact) on this plug-in hybrid. Ford says dealers are now taking your orders, and that the C-Max Energi will be ready to hit the streets in a few more months.

Continue reading Ford’s 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, will cost you $26k when it arrives this fall

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Ford’s 2013 C-Max Energi rolls out 95 MPGe, will cost you $26k when it arrives this fall originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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