High-End Electric Car Coming to Route 17 in Paramus

Henrick Fisker, 2008 founder of Fisker Automotive in California, has designed high-end automobiles for BMW and Aston Martin. But his latest car could be a crowning achievment.

The Fisker Karma, a luxury four-door sports sedan, is an electric-powered car with gas generator as a range extender. The car cost $1 billion to plan and manufacture, half of which came as a loan from the government after Fisker assumed control of the General Electric plant in Delaware.

The cost to own is more than $100,000. But get in line.

There are about 50 pre-orders thus far, though some big names—Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Gore and Colin Powell—already have theirs. The first Fisker Karma for Bergen County, currently being assembled in Finland, will arrive at Fisker of Bergen at  in nearby Paramus on Sept. 20.

"This automobile is about responsible luxury,” said Christopher Kaefer, General Manager of Fisker of Bergen. “It will reduce our dependency on foreign oils, it has one gear only, and it’s large and moves fast.”

And Paramus was the chosen spot for the showroom, which is currently being worked on.

“It’s the shopping corridor of one of the biggest destinations in the country," Kaefer said. "It’s nearby Manhattan, and from the George Washington Bridge, you can be here in 15 minutes, and you can configure your own Karma. It will be a boutique showroom within a showroom.”

A few featues and benefits of the Fisker Karma:

• An all aluminum body, cuts down on the weight of the car for energy efficiency and easy handling
• It’s very fast, with a 403 horsepower Zelec motor
• No transmission—the car runs on an electric motor, with lots of torque at all speeds
• Everything is designed with the environment in mind. The interior leather comes from free-range grass fed cattle, and the source for the wood trim comes from fallen wood and trees, and wood from the bottom of the Great Lakes
• The Karma can travel 50 miles on its battery. After that, the gas generator can take the car another 300 miles. The battery itself can always be recharged by plugging it in.

The Fisker Karma is so quiet when in motion, the manufacturers put speakers on the outside the car so the public can tell a car is in the area. Orders and deposits are currently being accepted at Fisker of Bergen at Bergen Jaguar.

Kaefer said of the car being sought by his high end clientele has been years in the making.

“You feel good about owning this car," he said. "It’s fun to drive, and the car is gorgeous. If Ferrari made a four-door car, that’s what this would look like.”

Fisker of Bergen at Bergen Jaguar, 666 Route 17 North, Paramus, (877) 826-9975,www.fiskerofbergen.com