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Former Fisker CEO has some advice for Tesla Motors

Former Fisker Automotive CEO and ex-Chevrolet Volt vehicle-line director Tony Posawatz has some words of caution for Tesla Motors. The long-time automaker executive questions the California automaker's long-term viability – and gives some praise – in a talk with Benzinga, which you can listen to below. While the all-wheel-drive D that Tesla unveiled earlier this month in Southern California wowed a packed crowd, Posawatz (starting at around minute 4:45 in the interview) says Tesla would've been better off taking the resources it expended toward that Model S upgrade and directed them towards speeding up the development of a more affordable plug-in. Perhaps a number of investors agreed, since the company's stock fell the day after the D was announced. Posawatz says Tesla has been over-reliant on the sale of ZEV credits. Posawatz also says that Tesla has been over-reliant on the sale of zero-emissions vehicle credits in California for its earnings and questions whether the automaker will ever work at a large enough scale to sufficiently drive down costs and make consistent profits. Tesla CEO Elon Musk would take issue with this characterization. Posawatz first made his mark in the plug-in vehicle world when he was the vehicle-line director at General Motors for the Volt extended-range plug-in from 2006 to 2012. Later that year, he joined extended-range plug-in maker Fisker Automotive as its CEO, though quit that job during the summer of 2013 as the company was descending into insolvency. He joined the Electrification Coalition this past March. News Source: Benzinga Green Chevrolet Fisker Tesla Electric PHEV Tony Posawatz

Fisker announces plans to build an electric pop-up Popemobile

Resurrected EV builder Fisker announced early Friday that it plans to build an electric Popemobile for Pope Francis based on its forthcoming Ocean EV. Fisker says it will deliver what it is calling the first all-electric papal transport vehicle next year ahead of starting series production of the Ocean. Fisker says company representatives pitched the idea to the Holy See in a private audience on Thursday. The announcement comes just days after a Biden administration official indicated that electrification of the presidential limousine dubbed "The Beast" is under consideration.  The presentation to His Holiness included the design sketch and renderings above. They're a bit on the quick-and-dirty side, but check out photoshopped Pope Francis in his little pop-up (Pope-up?) roof bubble thingy. D'aww.  "I got inspired reading that Pope Francis is very considerate about the environment and the impact of climate change for future generations," Henrik Fisker said in the announcement. "The interior of the Fisker Ocean papal transport will contain a variety of sustainable materials, including carpets made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean." For now, this is a one-and-done project; Fisker did not announce plans to supply any additional EVs to the papal fleet. Hey, beats a Dacia Duster, right? 

Henrik Fisker teases more images of Emotion luxury electric vehicle

Is Henrik Fisker's new electric vehicle ready for its close-up? Apparently, the founder of the eponymous and dearly-departed extended-range plug-in maker thinks so. Fisker, whose new company is working on a model called the EMotion (get it?), has done away with his back-lit teaser photos, and has posted a couple clear images highlighting the EV's lines and features. Mr. Fisker's tweets reveal a side view of a model that appears to be a less-swoopy version of the Karma, the extended-range plug-in that was produced by his former company. An image of the front, which is notably without a grille and includes adaptive LED headlights, shows a car with what one may perceive as a mean-looking smile. Fisker Inc. has promised an electric vehicle with a 400-mile single-charge range from a battery that's being developed at UCLA. Mr. Fisker also adds in one of his tweets that "Fisker vehicles will always have a strong emotional connection to its owner." Not to mention "Superb rear legroom." As it is, the four-door is already notable because it is slated to include dihedral (also known as "butterfly") doors. Hopefully, they will work a little better than the falcon-wing doors that have been problematic for the Tesla Model X SUV. Whether Mr. Fisker will have better luck this time around remains to be seen. The former Fisker Automotive made a model that attracted buyers such as Leonardo DiCaprio and CeeLo Green. That company went bankrupt in 2013, and its assets were acquired by China-based Wanxiang. What's now known as Karma is preparing to start selling its own four-door plug-in called the Revero. That model will have an MSRP of $130,000 and will be able to go as far as 50 miles on electricity alone before the on-board gas-powered generator kicks in. Related Video: Featured Gallery Fisker Emotion News Source: Henrik Fisker/TwitterImage Credit: Henrik Fisker/Twitter Green Fisker Electric Hybrid Henrik Fisker