Tesla and Fisker are like the Pepsi and Coke of the electric-car industry – well almost. Both offer outstanding products that push the limits of ‘green’ cars to a whole new level. Both company’s have arrived on the electric-car/hybrids scene with one product each and while Tesla’s Model S Sedan is still 2 years out (maybe more than that) Fisker’s Karma hybrid four-seater will hit markets in late 2009. So we were wondering which car you would go for if you had a budget of $110,000.
Now let’s get one thing straight before we continue. The Tesla Roadster is a full-electric vehicle running without an engine. The Fisker Karma hybrid sedan, on the other hand, is what we in the auto industry like to call a ‘EREV’ – an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle that provides a certain distance of zero-emissions driving on battery power alone. After the battery is depleted, an on-board engine acts as a generator providing extended range capabilities. One other thing we’d like to point out is that the Tesla Roadster is a fun-to-drive sports car while the Fisker Karma is a four-door luxury sports car.
Tesla Roadster – $109,000: Power for Tesla comes from a 375 volt AC induction air-cooled electric motor that pumps out 248-hp with a maximum torque of 276 lb-ft. The two-seater will go from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph. Tesla says that you can get about 220 miles between charges. A full charge is reached in about 3.5 hours when using Tesla’s High Power Connector.
Fisker Karma – $87,900: The Fisker Karma hybrid luxury sedan is powered by a 201-hp electric motor that is mated to a lithium-ion battery pack provided by Q-DRIVE. That allows the Karma sedan to travel a total of 50 miles on battery power alone. After the batter runs out, a 260-hp turbocharged 2.0L Ecotec direct-injection engine kicks in to provide additional mileage. Fisker says that the Karma can travel a total of 300 miles on full battery power and a full tank of gas. 0 to 60 mph comes in 5.8 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph.
So let us know which will be your ticket to environmental-friendly driving. Want to justify your selection? Drop a comment in the comments section
Click through for high-res image galleries of both cars.
2010 Fisker Karma:
Tesla Roadster:
