Five years after his first eponymous automotive venture sputtered to a stop, Henrik Fisker soon will know whether he’s ahead of his time, needs a better brand proposition—or should stick to designing vehicles (such as the Aston Martin DB9) for others.
The legendary Los Angeles-based car designer displayed a prototype of his all-electric EMotion supercar at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, a stunner with doors that rise like butterfly wings, a sculpted figure, a 27-inch screen in the back seat and a jaw-dropping $130,000 price tag.
The EMotion prototype—which Fisker says will be available in 2020—has a Tesla-beating range of over 400 miles with a top speed of 161 mph. The luxury EV includes a fast-charging feature that gives you 125 miles of range after 9 minutes of charging.
Fisker told CES attendees and reporters it will be available in 2020, talking up its new driving experience including SPD-SmartGlass technology in the roof, which instantly switches the car’s windows from darkly tinted to clear, bringing in natural light and creating an open-air feeling without having to open a window or sunroof.
What’s more, according to press materials, the SmartGlass “makes (passengers feel) more comfortable, increases safety and security, and protects against harmful glare, heat and UV. This special glass also reduces noise, fuel consumption, and harmful CO2 emissions.” (Watch a demo here.)
But what Fisker himself is most excited about is not EMotion or even what’s under its hood. It’s the cutting-edge motor technology that he says will accelerate the demise of the internal-combustion engine. The working prototype of Fisker’s new “solid state” battery carries the promise of delivering dramatic increases in electric-vehicle range and performance he said.
The Fisker battery could replace lithium-ion batteries that power today’s electric cars (and a variety of other devices, including cell phones). Even Tesla’s advanced battery technology relies on lithium-ion batteries that CEO Elon Musk is simply trying to make bigger, faster and better at Tesla’s “gigafactory” in Nevada.
“We’re very close to maxing out what is possible” with existing electriccar battery technology, Fisker told the Los Angeles Times.
Besides limits in range, lithium ion batteries can be prone to overheating, explosion and fire if not properly contained. Boeing, for instance, had to temporarily ground the Dreamliner jet five years ago because of lithium-ion-battery fires.
Fisker made his name in the industry with exciting, elegant designs of iconic automobiles including the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage. But his previous electric car company, Fisker Automotive, went broke in 2013, overshadowed by Tesla’s all-electric Model S.
Battery failures were part of the reason for the demise of Fisker’s first company—he’s determined not to let them fail this one.
Below, watch a behind-the-scenes video of the Fisker Emotion:
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