New four door plug-in sedan set to be cheaper, smaller and more fuel efficient than the Karma sports car

Fisker has expanded its fleet with a four-door plug-in hybrid sedan that is smaller, more fuel efficient, and cheaper than its flagship Karma sports car.
The new Atlantic model is “90 per cent fully developed,” Henrik Fisker, co-founder of the company, said at a press conference earlier this week, although he declined to reveal the release date for the vehicle.

Like the $103,000 Karma, the Atlantic features extended range technology that allows the driver to switch from all-electric driving to petrol mode, allowing them to make longer journeys.

The new model is a similar size to an Audi A5 and designed for young families, the company said.

Since its foundation in 2007, Fisker Automotive has raised funding worth almost $1bn, including $529m in Federal loans, as it looks to become a mainstream auto manufacturer. Company chief executive Tom LaSorda said the Atlantic was “a crucial milestone” in that process.

“We have a long way to go, but in the near future Fisker intends to deliver this exceptional American-designed, engineered, and manufactured vehicle to showrooms worldwide,” he added.

“I’m confident the Fisker Atlantic will inspire people and win the brand many new customers who may not have considered an EV powered vehicle like this before.”

Fisker will be hoping the Atlantic dodges the technical problems that have afflicted the Karma, including a potential leak of coolant from battery packs that was identified as a fire risk and forced the recall of 239 models.

Around 700 of the sports cars have been delivered to date and the company hopes to sell 4,000 by the end of the year.