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Fisker sues Aston Martin for $100M over The Force 1

We were expecting Henrik Fisker to bring The Force 1, his next vehicle design, to next week's Detroit Auto Show, but that might not happen. In December an attorney for Aston Martin sent Fisker a letter asking the Danish designer to either not show his car in Detroit or to change the design. Fisker responded to that letter by filing $100-million civil extortion lawsuit against Aston Martin in a California Federal court, naming company CEO Andy Palmer, chief spokesman Simon Sproule, and chief creative officer Marek Reichman as defendants. Based on the overhead-view sketch, the English carmaker believes that The Force 1 is "strikingly similar to several of Aston Martin's cars, including the DB10" from the movie Spectre. At the same time the carmaker's letter to Fisker admitted that it doesn't know what the final design will look like, but it appears that the carmaker's intent to "protect its valuable rights if necessary" could not make way for patience. Or perhaps Aston Martin is trying to prevent another Thunderbolt episode before it starts. That incident last year involved the carmaker suing Fisker over his reimagined Vanquish, with the two settling the matter out of court. Fisker says The Force 1 has isn't based on an Aston Martin, and as part of the lawsuit submitted a design breakdown of both the DB10 and The Force 1. Fisker's latest is apparently in partnership with VL Automotive, the company that's been threatening to release a V8-powered Karma sedan for years now, and the Detroit show organizers say they've been working with VL, not Fisker. The lawsuit seeks the $100 million for punitive and compensatory damages and court costs, alleging that Aston Martin's actions "would subject [Fisker] to public humiliation, embarrassment in the industry, and significant financial losses." The public allegations go even further, Fisker's lawyer Jonathan Michaels saying that the English brand, "In an effort to protect itself from further market erosion... conspired and devised a scheme to stomp out Henrik Fisker's competitive presence in the luxury sports car industry." News Source: Wall Street Journal Design/Style Government/Legal Detroit Auto Show Aston Martin Fisker Coupe Luxury Performance lawsuit Henrik Fisker spectre aston martin db10

Fisker commits to Extreme E electric off-road series

EV manufacturer Fisker has committed to Extreme E, the company confirmed Monday, and is in "advanced talks" to become a series partner and potentially field a factory team. The Extreme E series is the brain child of Formula E mastermind Alejandro Agag. It will feature purpose-built 4x4s EVs racing in remote, spectator-free venues with coverage provided by drones. The series will visit remote regions of Nepal and Saudi Arabia, among other locales, and teams will be transported from one leg to the next via ship. Extreme E is refitting a 7,716-ton former Royal Mail Ship, the RMS St. Helena, to serve as transportation and floating paddock. There will be five races in the 2021 season — if all goes to plan. The series' remote nature will make it less accessible to fans, but the choice of such locales was intended to highlight "[...] the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the worldÂ’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles to help preserve the environment and protect the planet," the series announcement said.  "Alejandro brought electric vehicle racing into the mainstream with Formula E and I fully support his vision to reinvent off-road racing at the same time as creating an education platform for the threats posed by climate change. Extreme E and Fisker Inc. are completely aligned in our mission and values," said CEO Henrik Fisker. Extreme E will use a spec chassis. Dubbed the Odyssey 21, it will be built by French company Spark and powered by batteries designed by the Williams Formula One team. Spark says the Odyssey 21 can do 0-62 mph in 4.5 seconds and with a range of 200km in non-racing conditions. The top speed is around 200 kph (or approximately 120 mph). While the chassis and battery pack will be provided, manufacturer teams will be tasked with developing their own electric motor and inverter. They will also have leeway in designing certain body panels, allowing them to make the Odyssey 21 look more like their own production models.   

Recharge Wrap-up: Fisker EMotion rear end, Faraday Future drag race teaser

Fisker has unveiled the rear end of its EMotion EV. This latest image in a series of slow reveals shows us the strip of lighting across the back, the lines of the trunk opening, and a good look at the rear diffuser. The car appears significantly wider at the fenders than at the roofline, which gives it a planted and muscular look. It's a shape that fits the car's stated performance; Fisker says the EMotion will have a top speed of 161 miles per hour. And, of course, there are no tailpipes. Read more from TechCrunch. Check out the off-road prowess of the Tesla Model X in an icy ditch. Thanks to a sophisticated traction control and torque distribution system, the electric SUV is able to keep its composure even when a wheel leaves the ground over the uneven terrain. Of course, the grippy winter tires help too. The video could also help ease concerns about the vehicles torsional rigidity, though there was a slight creak when opening one of the falcon wing doors while the Model X was suspended over the ditch. See the video and read more at Teslarati. Faraday Future is teasing a video of drag races against the Tesla Model X, Bentley Bentayga, and Ferrari 488 GTB. It shows the camouflaged FF prototype lining up next to the competitors individually, and taking off down the drag strip before cutting the video short. The video then instructs viewers to "stay connected" for the results. Presumably, the prototype will perform impressively. Outrunning a Model X P100D with Ludicrous mode means doing 0-60 in less than 2.9 seconds. Faraday Future is slated to unveil its production electric vehicle at CES 2017 in early January. Check out the video and read more at Teslarati.