Fisker's EMotion: Realer Than Ever and Still Promising the Moon By 2019

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

Fisker, now called Fisker, Inc. after the company Henrik Fisker originally created fell into bankruptcy, is going after the luxury EV market for a second time. Don’t let past money troubles worry you too much, though. Even Henry Ford filed for bankruptcy twice before forming the company that build the Model T.

Instead, let your fears stem from the questionable build quality of the Fisker Karma, which faltered on the market in 2012. Because the new model, dubbed the EMotion, appears to be a rehash of the old formula with its ambitions set much higher. Offering self-driving abilities, an impressive electric range, an extravagant design, and some of the market’s most desirable infotainment functions, the EMotion is either a trumped-up prototype or the absolute pinnacle of electric luxury sedans.

Glossing over the model’s groan-inducing name and the trust issues we have with the brand, let’s begin with what Fisker is promising. First off, we have a targeted 400-mile range. According to Henrik, the goal is sufficient to alleviate range anxiety in prospective buyers, but it would also best anything else on the market by a wide margin. In fact, it’s so impressive that we’re wondering if it’s even possible by the vehicle’s target date of 2019.

While Fisker has said it now possesses solid-state battery technology that could ultimately lead to 500-mile ranges and charging times faster than anything currently in existence, it wouldn’t be ready in time for the EMotion. That saddles the model with a more traditional lithium-ion battery pack.

Next there is the car’s performance. While the all-wheel drive sedan’s claimed top speed of 161 mph seems achievable, Level 4 autonomy does not. Partnering with Quanergy, Fisker claims the EMotion will be equipped with a LIDAR array (hidden mostly in the vehicle’s nose) capable of providing a complete autonomous driving experience. However, the hardware is only half of what it takes to make a self-driving car. There needs to be software to make sense of the data and help the car make the important decisions — and the brand has yet to explain that side of the coin.

Propulsion for the EV is achieved via “multiple electric motors” delivering a combined sum of more than than 575 kW (or approximately 780 horsepower). Instant torque and all-wheel drive help it hit a proposed 0-to-60 time of under 3 seconds and will rush it along to the aforementioned 161 mph top speed.

The car is about 197 inches long, with an overall height of around 52 inches. Fisker says the packaging of the electric powertrain allows for a more spacious interior than most similarly sized vehicles. It’s a sharp-looking model, similar in shape to the Karma while still being distinctive. Its butterfly doors feature flush handles and can be opened or closed with the help of one’s smartphone. Even though we admit it would be a glorious sight to behold, we’re extremely wary of non-traditional door designs that also utilize an electric motor.

Clad in black and tan vegan leather, the EMotion’s interior is lavish. While it can be optioned with non-vegan upholstery, Fisker seems proud of just how soft it managed to make the faux alternative. Continuing on its luxury bent, the sedan has four individually adjustable electric seats with a five-seat variant that utilizes a rear bench. Additional entertainment options will become available when the unit is operating in autonomous mode through a trio of driver-oriented screens. There will also be a an optional 27-inch rear screen for the upscale Chauffeur Edition of the car. The glass roof is also said to feature four zones of tint, each electrically adjustable to let in the desired amount of sky.

It sounds great, maybe even too good to be true. While we’d certainly like to see something like this take to the road, it’s almost unfathomable that the EMotion can pull all of it off before the end of 2019. However, if it does, Fisker says it will start at $129,000. The company is currently taking reservations for $2,000 a pop on its website.

[Images: Fisker Inc.]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Dukeisduke Dukeisduke on Jan 10, 2018

    "Even Henry Ford filed for bankruptcy twice before forming the company that build the Model T." Henrik Fisker and Henry Ford may share the same initials, but Henrik Fisker is no Henry Ford. His ego is so big that it has its own postal code. The swoopy styling is derivative of the Karma, and even if the ridiculous door hinges don't break, I'd be dubious about weather sealing. Are there enough suckers out there to invest in Fisker's latest pipe dream? I still see the occasional Fisker on the road, and I wonder, "Who works on these things? What is parts availability like?" There are 15 2012 Karmas on eBay Motors right now, priced from $38,980 to $49,900, and none have more than 36,000 miles. They're novelties, not daily drivers. Anyone who invests money with Fisker should have their head examined.

  • Gomez Gomez on Jan 10, 2018

    Isn’t this just a slightly rebodied version of the Fisker Atlantic from 2012?

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
  • Jalop1991 what, no Turbo trim?
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