Fisker Fires

[jcstp]

I guess it's just bad luck this time!
Could indeed have been the 12v battery shorting

those 50-70 cars are a total loss?
Hope they are insured!

 

[Matthew049]

Since you lean toward the side of making hyperbolic conclusions without bothering to look for data or evidence, let me help you out.

In the first photo, it is clear that there is at least three distinct rows of Karmas behind the burnt out sections, if not four and possibly five (judging from alternating rooflines). It looks as though the 16 Karmas that were fire damaged were in the front two rows, meaning 7-8 cars per row, plus the 1 -2 unscathed ones in the first and second row (see second photo). Based on this, I would venture a guess that there were five to seven rows of Karmas, about 10 cars deep, for a total of 50-70 cars.

wow, talk about hyperbolic conclusions. 10 cars deep??? im definitely not seeing that. but thx anyway for your "help".

 

[doug]

It's no sense arguing about this. Just stick to facts we know. Even if there were 100 Karmas there and only one initially caught fire, it's reasonable to make the empirical observation that the Fisker Karma has a higher probability of catching fire than a Toyota Prius in this extreme situation. Anything more than that is just speculation, though. And this isn't really a situation you bother to design for unless you're making a submarine.

As has been said a few times now, however many Karmas were there, they are all a total loss, fire or no.

So hopefully Fisker will say how many Karmas were lost to the flooding. I wonder how long the cars were there. Seems to me I haven't heard much movement in the sales numbers. I keep hearing about 1500 Karams sold, yet 2000 or so made? Was the difference stored at that port?

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

From NYTimes (a report similar to that posted by the LATimes):

Mystery at Port Newark: Why Did 17 Plug-In Cars Burn? - NYTimes.com

 

[richkae]

It's no sense arguing about this. Just stick to facts we know. Even if there were 100 Karmas there and only one initially caught fire, it's reasonable to make the empirical observation that the Fisker Karma has a higher probability of catching fire than a Toyota Prius in this extreme situation. Anything more than that is just speculation, though. And this isn't really a situation you bother to design for unless you're making a submarine.

As has been said a few times now, however many Karmas were there, they are all a total loss, fire or no.

So hopefully Fisker will say how many Karmas were lost to the flooding. I wonder how long the cars were there. Seems to me I haven't heard much movement in the sales numbers. I keep hearing about 1500 Karams sold, yet 2000 or so made? Was the difference stored at that port?

That is the equally troubling statistic for Fisker. Cars sitting around unsold.

 

[pythagoras]

Fisker and NHTSA have concluded their investigation. Note:
1. Fire started in a single "low voltage control unit" common to many vehicles 12V system.
2. Lithium-ion batteries not at fault.
3. There were no "explosions" as incorrectly reported by Jalopnik.
4. Several other cars in same lot also caught fire, but we never saw sensationalist photos of those.

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/108 ... t-at-fault

Nothing to see here really. Jalopnik and its peers once again won a few page hits at expense of Fisker's reputation

 

[ElSupreme]

That is the equally troubling statistic for Fisker. Cars sitting around unsold.

Well maybe. But there is a car lot near where I work often. There are regularly THOUSANDS of cars parked there.

Mostly trucked up from the Kia and Hyundai plant to get onto a train. But there are all kinds of cars that get parked here.

Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions

 

[markwj]

Tsunami fires (ice cars):

http://www.infinitig37.com/images/earthquake-shipping-yards-2.jpg

Green Car Reports in Fisker statement:

Sandy Flood Fire Followup: Fisker Karma Battery Not At Fault

In a statement last night, the company said it has concluded--after "a thorough investigation witnessed by NHTSA representatives"--that the cause was residual salt damage inside a Vehicle Control Unit submerged in seawater for several hours.

Corrosion from the salt caused a short circuit in the unit, which led to a fire when the Karma's 12-Volt battery fed power into the circuit.

Heavy winds then spread that fire to other Karmas parked nearby. But, the factory said, there were no explosions, as had been incorrectly reported.

 

[Adm]

According to this report 300 Karma's headed for Europe were lost:
http://pevc.dowjones.com/article?an=DJFVW00020121106e8b6odyot&from=alert&pid=32&ReturnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fpevc.dowjones.com%3a80%2farticle%3fan%3dDJFVW00020121106e8b6odyot%26from%3dalert%26pid%3d32

 

[doug]

According to this report 300 Karma's headed for Europe were lost:
http://pevc.dowjones.com/article?an=DJFVW00020121106e8b6odyot&from=alert&pid=32&ReturnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fpevc.dowjones.com%3a80%2farticle%3fan%3dDJFVW00020121106e8b6odyot%26from%3dalert%26pid%3d32

By "European shipment" I'd guess they mean from Europe rather than for Europe. The cars are built in Finland.

So that's a loss of about $30M. I assume they were insured?

 

[dsm363]

According to this report 300 Karma's headed for Europe were lost:
http://pevc.dowjones.com/article?an=DJFVW00020121106e8b6odyot&from=alert&pid=32&ReturnUrl=http%3a%2f%2fpevc.dowjones.com%3a80%2farticle%3fan%3dDJFVW00020121106e8b6odyot%26from%3dalert%26pid%3d32

Wow. Even with insurance that has to be a big blow to the company.

 

[spatterso911]

Bad news for Fisker, and bad news for the EV industry as a whole.

 

[doug]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/07/fisker-sandy-idUSL1E8M6HPS20121107

The cars were insured and Fisker expects "no impact from a business or a financial point of view," he said, adding that Fisker does not expect any problems with meeting U.S. demand.

They lost 300, but don't expect problems meeting demand. How low is the demand?

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/07/fisker-sandy-idUSL1E8M6HPS20121107

They lost 300, but don't expect problems meeting demand. How low is the demand?

what demand? (sorry, had to say it)
maybe the next car will be 'practical' (and quick and handle well and lighter and have storage and room for 5 - practical)

 

[SoCalGuy]

LeftLaneNews Mobile Version

As I had offered before, one car on fire due to being submerged for several hours in 5-8 feet of storm water which caused 12V to short and cause a fire. The fire then spread to 15 cars nearby. Also, I was wrong - it wasn't 40-50 cars in the lot - more like 300.

 

[dpeilow]

If the insurance pays out, does that count as a sale? :tongue:

 

[strider]

LeftLaneNews Mobile Version

As I had offered before, one car on fire due to being submerged for several hours in 5-8 feet of storm water which caused 12V to short and cause a fire. The fire then spread to 15 cars nearby. Also, I was wrong - it wasn't 40-50 cars in the lot - more like 300.

Yeah, this is just bad luck. Somewhere on this thread someone posted a pic of a bunch of Infinities on fire after being swamped by saltwater. Those were not EV's. Everyone (including Elon) needs to lighten up on Fisker. I understand there is some bad blood based on the early work Henrik did for Tesla but at the end of the day, we should wish them the best and combine forces to get EV and PHEV's more widely adopted. Once PHEV owners realize they rarely use gas they will realize they can make the jump to an EV.

 

[medved]

My concern is that this can scare a lot of people away from EVs. I'd like to see Tesla toss an S into a water tank to show how it doesn't explode or catch on fire. But just wait until mine is built. Can't handle anymore wait anxiety!!

Fisker is NOT an EV, it is a crap.

 

[vfx]

Fisker is NOT an EV....

And the Tesla Model S has a 12V battery and system.

 

[jerry33]

And the Tesla Model S has a 12V battery and system.

But there is less gas to burn.