Fisker Karma

Bringing a groundbreaker like this to market in less than four years is an amazing feat. While the petrol range-extender can be intrusive when going flat-out, in electric mode the Karma is a smooth, luxurious GT. It’s well priced compared to rivals, and comes with a four-year warranty and rock-bottom running costs. Around 15,000 will be built a year, but a bigger-volume Fisker – codenamed Project Nina – comes in 2013.

A new breed of hybrids has arrived, led by the Fisker Karma. This luxurious four-door sports car is an Aston Martin Rapide for those with an eco-conscience. Produced by the start-up Californian company, it claims to offer all the environmental benefits of an electric model with none of the limited-range anxiety.

Under the dramatically low and wide bodywork, styled by CEO Henrik Fisker (a former Aston Martin designer), sits a pair of electric motors. These drive the rear axle with a combined power output of 402bhp.

Charging up the lithium-ion battery pack – which runs along the central spine of the car – takes five-and-a-half hours from a standard mains socket, and allows the Karma to travel 50 miles in Stealth mode on electric power alone. Switch to Sport mode via a paddle behind the wheel, and the 2.0-litre turbo fires up, charging the batteries through a DC generator and giving an additional 250 miles of range.

On paper, the performance figures are extraordinary. The sprint from 0-62mph takes only 5.9 seconds in Sport mode, or 7.9 seconds in Stealth. Top speed is electronically capped at 125mph. Combined economy is calculated at 118mpg, while CO2 emissions are 83g/km. But what compromises does the Karma demand on the road?

The cabin is as sumptuous as you’d expect of a car that costs nearly £90,000. Leather, wood or suede covers every surface, while most functions – including the sat-nav, air-con and audio systems – are controlled through the huge central touchscreen that vibrates and clicks when your finger makes contact. There’s more space in the back than in the Aston Martin Rapide, but the boot is big enough only for a set of golf clubs.

In Stealth mode, the power delivery is silky-smooth and whisper-quiet, creating a calm and luxurious atmosphere – the only noise is the ‘Tron’-style sound effect fed through speakers mounted in the rear bumper. Acceleration is brisk, too, and as there are no gearchanges, the car couldn’t be easier to drive in town or on fast roads.

Switch to Sport mode, and the engine cuts in seamlessly. It idles quietly in the background and provides enough charge to the batteries for fast driving, plus tops them up to at least 50 per cent. The problem comes when the engine needs to work harder and rev higher, as the harsh noise entering the cabin detracts from the premium feel. To avoid this, you need to adapt your driving style – for bursts of acceleration use the electric-only Stealth mode, but for constant cruising on the motorway you can engage the engine and let it silently charge the batteries in the background.

Considering the huge 22-inch wheels, ride comfort impresses, although potholes do send jolts through the interior. Goodyear developed the rubber specifically to wrap around such large alloys, but still maintain a substantial sidewall. For a vehicle weighing more than 2.5 tonnes, the Karma handles well, too. The steering is light and accurate, and the sheer breadth (it’s 53mm wider than a Porsche Panamera) helps the car stay flat and grippy in bends. That said, it’s no track-day special.

For the majority of buyers who are interested in plug-in hybrids, the Vauxhall Ampera – on sale next year – represents a more affordable entry point to the technology. But if your garage aleady contains a Panamera or Rapide, the Karma is an attractive way to cut your carbon footprint with very little compromise.