Fisker Douses The Flames

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Fisker responded quickly to the fire that left a Fisker Karma a clump of smoldering sheet metal last Friday. Fisker issued a statement saying that Fisker engineers, working with independent investigators from Pacific Rim Investigative Group, have started examining the Karma. What they found so far does not support speculation put forth on major car blogs:

“Evidence revealed thus far supports the fact that the ignition source was not the Lithium-ion battery pack, new technology components or unique exhaust routing. The area of origin for the fire was determined to be outside the engine compartment.”

The investigation now will focus on where the fire did start, namely the area “located forward of the driver’s side front tire.”


Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Detroit-X Detroit-X on Aug 13, 2012

    Nothing makes me more suspicious about this day-old 'investigation' than saying, "evidence revealed thus far" exonerates their key technology. Was a similar investigation done with regards to the potential for this fire happening in the first place?

  • SCE to AUX SCE to AUX on Aug 13, 2012

    Just as with election-year lies, the truth won't matter. This incident, bad press about the US government loans, and the Consumer Reports problems, may spell doom for Fisker.

    • CJinSD CJinSD on Aug 13, 2012

      OTOH, electric car marketers aren't worrying about fooling clever and informed people any more than Obama is.

  • Ryoku75 Ryoku75 on Aug 13, 2012

    "The area of origin for the fire was determined to be outside the engine compartment" Aka "The issue is with outside elements as opposed to the car, by coming to this conclusion we will save time and money by NOT issuing a recall on the Fisker Karma" Thats just what it comes off as to me.

  • El scotto El scotto on Aug 13, 2012

    At about the 37 second mark in the video you can see the firehouse charge (fill) with water. You don't use water to put out a battery fire.

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    • El scotto El scotto on Aug 13, 2012

      @CJinSD Identification of the origin of the fire will determine the best way to fight it. Every fire has something called a "Fire Triangle". The triangle is fuel, heat, oxygen; stop one of the three and the fire will go out. Sometimes water is used to dowse the fuel and heat of a fire; sometimes chemical are used to to do the same thing, and Halon removes oxygen from a closed space. Getting back on track: The firemen determined this fire was not hazardous and treated it with medium pressure water. If the battery pack was on fire it would be a HAZMAT situation and the fire would have been fought with chemicals. Not be to be trite, but find a Sailor in the DC rating, they know more about this stuff than I do. Navy ships do catch on fire and the DC bubbas are the experts in firefighting. The ship can catch on fire? Something my recruiter never told me. If anyone else has firefighting experience please fee to comment, expand, or even criticize.

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