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Got a Fisker Karma? Hack it for more driving options

We've already touched upon the ability to hack into the software of the BMW i3 battery-electric vehicle in order to change some of the preset driving modes. One of the issues there, though, was the risk of voiding the car's warranty. If you were do something similar to a Fisker Karma extended-range plug-in, the warranty thing probably won't come into play since the company went broke and is now, slowly being reborn. The hacking-inclined can access four new driving modes for the Karma, according to the Fisker community site Fisker Buzz. There's "EV mode" that simply depletes the battery regardless of how much fuel is in the range extender. "Sport mode" runs the battery at full power up until 60 percent state of charge (SOC). "Stealth mode" will hold any SOC and ER will increase the SOC to 90 percent full. If you'd like to watch blurry cell phone videos rather than read, there's an incredibly short YouTube clip above that apparently shows the driver accessing those additional drive modes. Poster PowerSource says that the new modes are turned on with a simple plug-in module: The enhancement will not modify any of the existing OEM software in the vehicle. Our solution is plug and play hardware that adds functionality. To put the vehicle back to stock you simply unplug the module, to add the functionality you simply plug in the module. Fisker does not have the capability to overwrite our software since its on our physical module. Fisker is in the process of rising from its bankrupt-induced ashes. The company went belly up in 2013, the year after it stopped making the last of its approximately 2,600 high-end Karmas. Last year, China-based Wanxiang bought out the company's assets for a tidy $149.2 million. And this year, the company is operating offices in Orange, County, CA, and is in the process of building a factory in Moreno Valley, CA, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Its new model will look a lot like the Karma but will be called the Elux. We're not sure how many drive modes it will have. Related Gallery 2012 Fisker Karma: Second Drive View 30 Photos News Source: Fisker Buzz Green Fisker Electric hacking software karma

Auto startups chasing Tesla race past red flags to go public

Missed out on the Tesla rally but still want to surf the electric vehicle wave? A stream of EV-related startups backed by blank-check firms is lining up to go public so there are plenty of choices. But like Tesla in the early days, few have products ready to sell or any likelihood of generating significant revenue anytime soon. Instead, investors will be relying on rosy production, sales and revenue forecasts for new cars, trucks and batteries, all set to be jostling for a slice of markets that will be far more crowded than when Tesla's cars first hit the road. Take Fisker Inc, for example. It was launched in 2016, just three years after the bankruptcy of its predecessor and early Tesla rival Fisker Automobile. In July, Fisker Inc announced a $2.9 billion reverse merger deal with Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp, a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC), and is planning to go public later this year. It has no revenue and its Fisker Ocean electric sports-utility vehicle (SUV) is at least two years away from production in a project heavily dependent on nailing down deals with partners who will build the car and provide key components. That's not particularly unique for young companies in the sector looking to use SPACs to go public and bypass the scrutiny of a traditional IPO process, according to company presentations and interviews with executives and investors. That also didn't seem to be an issue earlier this year when U.S. electric truck maker Nikola Motors used a SPAC to go public. Shares in the company that hopes to generate revenue next year almost trebled after listing on the Nasdaq exchange. But they slumped when a short-seller questioned whether founder Trevor Milton had made false claims about Nikola's technology, forcing the 38-year-old entrepreneur to step down as executive chairman — and making some investors more cautious. Nikola and Milton have publicly rejected the accusations and have threatened to take legal action against the short-seller, Hindenberg Research. "Good storytelling is an important component of being a good founder and entrepreneur — but it better not be the only component," says Evangelos Simoudis, managing partner and founder of startup investor Synapse Partners. 'IT'S A FORECAST' Fisker Inc's founder Henrik Fisker is well known in the industry for designing sports cars such as Aston Martin's Vantage, and for his failed EV firm Fisker Automobile that went bust in 2013 after burning through more than $1 billion.

Karma Automotive to offer Sports and Performance Packages on 2020 Revero GT

Although Karma Automotive is busy working on numerous electric vehicle projects, the company announced this week a new batch of options for its Revero GT plug-in hybrid. On 2020 models, customers will have the choice to upgrade the GT's capabilities and aesthetic with a Sports Package or a Performance Package. The Revero GT, which was originally born as the Fisker Karma back in the day, is a rear-wheel-drive luxury performance sedan with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It features a 28-kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt lithium-ion battery pack, two electric motors, and a BMW i8-sourced three-cylinder that acts as a generator. Karma says it has 536 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque. The Revero GT can run in pure electric mode for 80 miles and has a total range of 360 miles. The Sports and Performance Packages offer the same performance upgrades but with different looks. The Performance package stays undercover with virtually no exterior changes, but the Sports Package adds a little extra style. A Revero GT with the Sports Package will have Borrego Black paint, blacked-out chrome, carbon fiber exterior bits, GTS fender badges, and a monochrome Karma badge, which was previously seen on the SC2 concept car. It will also have red brake calipers, cross drilled rotors, and 22-inch Dune Twist Midnight Chrome wheels. Inside, the GT Sports Package will have carbon fiber trim, a blacked-out steering wheel Karma badge, and a GTS badge on the center console. Regarding the performance upgrades brought by both the Sports and Performance packages, Karma doesn't say much. The Packages bring electronic torque vectoring, and the 0-60-mph time is now 3.9 seconds. Without the package, the Revero GT is capable of 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds in Sport Mode and 3.9 seconds in Launch Mode. The Revero GT is available now and starts at $146,600, including destination. Related Video: