New automaker Fisker to sell battery-powered hybrid

John McCormick / Autos Insider

Former Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker jumped into the green performance car arena today with a striking four-door, coupe styled, plug-in hybrid sedan.

With a claimed range of 50 miles on its lithium-ion battery before the small gasoline engine kicks in, and a top speed of 125 mph, Fisker Automotive’s Karma model will go on sale toward the end of 2009 with a starting price of $80,000.

"We are the first company to offer a true lithium-ion battery vehicle," Fisker said. "We have tested this car extensively and are ready to market it.

The Karma is the latest to join what is shaping up to be a classic race to market the first plug-in hybrid in America. Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. are also planning to sell plug-in hybrids as early as 2010, though the battery technology remains a major hurdle.

Lithium-ion batteries offer the most promise to power plug-in hybrids for automotive use, but some are still prone to hot flashes and overheating. The auto industry is eager to offer them because they can be recharged using standard household current without special connections.

Fisker is being backed financially in part by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, one of Silicon Valley’s biggest venture capital firms, with early investments in Amazon, Google and Netscape.

The deal between Fisker and Kleiner Perkins was finalized last week, the Wall Street Journal reported today, with former Vice President Al Gore serving as an adviser to Kleiner on the deal.

Gore - who shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his efforts to address global climate issues - is eager to order a car.

Fisker hopes to sell 15,000 electric cars a year.

The Karma can run from zero to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. Fisker said 50 percent of Americans drive less than 50 miles a day, so many users could never have to make use of the small four-cylinder gasoline engine/generator that is part of the Karma’s "Q-drive" powertrain system.