Finnish Luxury Hybrid Vehicle Sells in Mission Valley

The latest breed of hybrid has arrived from Finland in the form of an electric luxury vehicle. The Marvin K. Brown dealership in Mission Valley has an inventory of a dozen Fisker Karmas.

A showroom greeter named Laura said they have sold “14 or 15” of the all-electric drive vehicle, which retails for between $97,000 and $114,000.

“Most people just order them online and then come in to pick them up,” she said.

Similar to the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, the Fisker Karma can be plugged into a conventional electrical outlet and possesses a gasoline generator system that charges the batteries; unlike the Volt and Leaf, the Karma has the equivalent of just over 400 horsepower and has twin motors that enable it to go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, with a top speed of 125 mph. The all-electric range is reportedly 50 miles; total combined range, 300 miles; and it averages 100 miles on a gallon of gas.

Proclaiming their product “a bold expression of uncompromised responsible luxury,” the car company touts “sustainable design”: Laura pointed out that wood trim in the dash had been sourced from a burnt forest rather than new lumber.