Tesla's Nemesis Fisker Set To Rise Again

One of the pioneers in making and marketing all-electric cars, Henrik Fisker is now all set to come back with a new set of vehicles. The designer who became famous thanks to cars like the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin DB9 has founded a new eponymous company called Fisker Inc. to lead this charge. This is not the same as his former company Fisker Automotive that he left following a bankruptcy in 2013. That company is now owned by China's Wanxiang Group and is renamed as Karma Automotive.

(Karma Revero- The former Fisker Karma)

Fisker Inc. once again wants to go after the Tesla Model S. The first all-electric model due in the second half of 2017 is being called a 'spiritual successor' to the Fisker Karma, and will have a 400-mile range. It promises to have more rear head and legroom than the Model S. Fisker has released a first sketch to hint at the car's possible design language that we can expect.

(The Original Fisker Karma)

Fisker Inc. plans to also offer a sub $40,000 mass model car as its second model, after the first car is out of the gate. The cars will feature a patented battery that the company claims will deliver a significantly longer life and range than any like-battery available today. The new battery will come from Fisker Nanotech, the battery arm of Fisker Inc. Reuters says Fisker Nanotech, which will be a subsidiary company will supply a battery that 'uses graphene to extend its range and life and reduce charging time.

Henrik Fisker, Chairman and CEO of the new company says, "Both the technology and the market are more mature now than when we first started out as pioneers in the electric vehicle industry, and our new vehicle will be the most innovative and cutting-edge electric car ever created. In an interview to Siddharth Patankar, Henrik said that "Adoption and Growth of electric cars in emerging markets will not only have a huge environmental impact, but also drive growth of global electric car sales because of the higher volumes."

" Fisker promises a new battery with an all new chemistry and new packaging. He also says the new battery will be more lightweight and cheaper to make. "We're teaming to create a new paradigm of what's possible in the application of battery technology within the automotive sector," said Jack Kavanaugh, Chairman, Fisker Nanotech.

(2011 Fisker Karma)

This could spell good news for the emerging markets where electric cars are often seen as being too pricey and out of reach. If the mass-market model can indeed keep costs well below the rivals - it could potentially hold an attractive proposition for India too, where Tesla will setting up shop soon and  many are awaiting the Tesla Model 3. Fisker adds, "If the electric car is to succeed as a mass market vehicle, we need a radical new battery technology and battery pack integration - and our vehicles will have just that. With our game-changing battery technology, now is the time to develop more affordable, mass market vehicles,"

Fisker's mass-market, lower-priced car is still many months away though. And its rollout will largely depend on the reception its predecessor receives - i.e. the first model Fisker Inc. plans to launch next year. If that first model is a commercial success, it could pave the way for the smaller more mass car to really make inroads into the electric vehicle or EV market in the future.