In January, the county of Marin installed three new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which are now available to the public as part of a nationwide program financed by the Department of Energy. Sonoma County is likewise expanding its network of charging stations and expects a total of more than 40 within its borders before the end of the year. And in Napa, private enterprises, such as Jarvis and Hall wineries and the Meritage Spa and Resort are offering valley residents and visitors a way to stay plugged in and get around.
Why? Because, according to Dale W. Miller, president of the Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association, “Consumer demand [for EVs] is high. Nearly every automaker is producing or has announced plans to produce electric cars. And the current state of technology lets automakers produce EVs of various models that meet the needs of nearly all consumers.”
Automakers are increasing EV production and opening additional factories closer to consumers, which will result in more affordability, especially when the lower overall cost of EV ownership is considered. “Electricity is much cheaper than gasoline,” says Miller. “It can be as much as one-tenth the cost of gasoline. Pure battery electric vehicles need no oil changes, filters, belts, smog checks or tune-ups. Maintenance costs are much lower than internal combustion engine cars.”
EVs drivers don’t fully deplete their battery before recharging (the same way a driver of a gas car doesn’t completely empty the tank before refilling). Instead, they plug in their cars while they sleep or when they’re at work so the car always has its full range. Therefore, the distance an EV can travel before recharging is less of an issue. Automakers and automotive suppliers are also working to develop batteries with greater energy capacity to increase the distance that can be traveled between recharging.
EVer Technology
One automaker that’s leaping to the front of the development curve is Fisker Automotive, founded in 2008 by automotive designer Henrik Fisker, his engineering colleague Bernhard Koehler and vehicle technology developer Alan Niedzwiecki. It’s flagship vehicle, the Karma, is a luxurious, high-performance vehicle that’s energy efficient and environmentally sensitive. (It was featured on this season’s premier of “Two and a Half Men.”)
The Karma is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that runs solely on battery power for up to 50 miles. After that, a gasoline engine kicks in to drive a generator, which recharges the battery pack and extends the car’s range another 250 miles. That means the Karma is driven only by electric traction motors at all times; there’s no mechanical link between the gas engine and the drive wheels. This exclusive power train, called EVer (Electric Vehicle extended range), was inspired by a high-performance stealth vehicle originally created for the U.S. military. At its heart is a 20 kWh rechargeable lithium ion battery.
The Karma also features a fully blended regenerative braking system, which captures the vehicle’s kinetic energy and feeds it back into the battery, and the largest solar glass roof ever designed for a production vehicle. It harnesses energy from the sun to extend the driving range for up to an additional 200 miles (322 km) annually.
Green luxury
In addition to its innovative technology, the car is strikingly styled: long and low, with sweeping lines. But that shape is also aerodynamically clean to reduce the car’s energy requirements when underway. And the interior is elegant and tasteful, but it’s also green: the wood trim is reclaimed from sunken logs in Lake Michigan or burned orchards in California, and the leather comes from a low-emissions, energy self-sufficient tannery in Scotland (buyers can also specify an animal-free interior if they prefer).
This is the heart of Fisker’s concept of uncompromised responsible luxury—giving up nothing to drive a vehicle that helps take care of our environment.
To learn more about the Fisker Karma, visit www.FiskerAutomotive.com. For a test drive, contact Marin Luxury Cars at (415) 460-4600 or www.MarinLuxuryCars.com.
