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Fisker previews Orbit autonomous shuttle

Fisker Inc. isn't just working on an expensive performance EV. The manufacturer, headed by designer Henrik Fisker, is also working on a new " UltraCharger," and has filed patents for solid-state batteries. Now, the company has announced that it is partnering with China's Hakim Unique Group to build an autonomous shuttle for smart cities. Fisker says its Orbit self-driving electric shuttles will be ready by the end of 2018. Fisker hasn't provided a lot of specifics about the Orbit, but we do get a glimpse of it in the two images the company has released. The pod-like vehicle looks to be designed to maximize interior space. The side window has a display that shows the shuttle's next stop and departure time. There appears to be a door ahead of the rear wheels, but we can't really tell if it swings or slides open (we'd guess the latter). The partnership combines Fisker's automotive and design expertise with Hakim Unique Group's resources. Both partners have an interest in mobility and smart infrastructure. Fisker says the first Orbit autonomous shuttle will be deployed in a "Hakim Unique-implemented smart city." We hope to hear more details about this project soon. In the meantime, we can look forward to the public debut of the Fisker EMotion. The luxury EV, which boasts a range of 400-plus miles and a base price of $129,000, will be revealed next month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It also incorporates autonomous technology, but is more focused on a good driving experience. Related Video: News Source: Fisker Green Fisker Green Automakers Green Culture Technology Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles Electric Future Vehicles Henrik Fisker fisker inc

VLF Force 1 V10 is a rebodied Viper priced like a Lamborghini

It would appear that Henrik Fisker is done with hybrids. His latest project, called the Force 1, packs an oversized V10 engine with no electric assist in sight and all the environmental credentials of a herd of flatulent cattle. Alongside the Karma-based, Corvette-powered Destino, the Force 1 is the second product from VLF Automotive. Fisker has taken partnership in the new firm as chief designer alongside chairman Bob Lutz and CEO Gilbert Villarreal. The company isn't saying explicitly what the Force 1 is based on, but it doesn't take a CSI team to trace its roots back to the Dodge Viper. Never mind that it's being built in Auburn Hills – the same Detroit suburb where Chrysler is headquartered – or that it was jointly developed by Fisker and professional Viper racer and dealer Ben Keating. It also happens to be powered by an 8.4-liter V10, and there aren't many of those kicking around the industry. Instead of the Viper's 645 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, the Force 1's ten-cylinder engine is optimized to deliver 745 hp and 638 lb-ft. That, according to VLF, is enough to send the coupe rocketing to 60 in 3.0 seconds flat, covering the quarter-mile in under 11 seconds on its way to a top speed of 218 miles per hour. The power is transmitted to the Pirelli PZero rubber through a six-speed manual, but VLF says it will fit it with an automatic at the customer's request. Around that massive engine and two-seat cockpit, Fisker designed a new shape that, for better or for worse, looks way more aggressive than the Viper's. The Force 1's proportions are tellingly super-snake, but the curves are replaced by some very angry-looking angles and vents. Its head- and taillights are ultra thin, and the deep-dish, split-four-spoke wheels seem to visually split the difference between the three-spoke wheels on the original Viper and the five-spoke alloys it wears today. If you doubted the Force 1's origins before, the interior ought to give it away, with its wide tunnel and familiar surfaces. Only VLF has refinished it in leather, suede, and Alcantara, all diamond stitched with contrasting thread to help position this as a more luxurious prospect than the Dodge. It even fit between the seatbacks place for two champagne bottles that we hope nobody would consider consuming before trying to handle that much power. Of course, none of this will come cheap.

Henrik Fisker previews secretive car with gorgeous butterfly doors

Earlier this month, Henrik Fisker announced plans for a 400-mile electric car that would follow up on the failed Fisker Karma. Fisker recently took to Twitter where he posted a picture of a mysterious vehicle with magnificent dihedral (also known as butterfly) doors. This, then, is our first look at Fisker's upcoming electric vehicle. So far, everything looks good. Besides the dihedral doors, there's not much to go off of. Dihedral doors aren't new, as McLaren uses the units on its entire range (as do other cars, mainly exotics), but the rear-hinged ones are unique. We've seen suicide doors and falcon doors on four-door vehicles, but no rear-hinged dihedral ones intended for production that we can recall. According to Fisker, the upcoming model uses the fancy doors for better ingress and egress. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Other than the nifty doors, the front fascia has what looks to be LED accent or running lights on the side, while the rear taillights are also LED units. As Fisker claimed earlier this year, the upcoming electric car will be a "spiritual successor" to the Karma and that shows in the profile of the car, although the teased car has shorter front and rear overhangs. Fisker hasn't released a lot of information on the upcoming vehicle, besides that it would be "sporty and spacious." The outline of the vehicle definitely looks sporty, but there's no way to say if it's spacious from the one image. The new vehicle will be Fisker's first under his new company called Fisker Inc. The battery technology for the vehicle is currently being developed at UCLA, by the company's own battery division known as Fisker Nanotech. The vehicle is expected to be revealed late next year. Related Video: News Source: @FiskerOfficial Design/Style Green Fisker Electric Future Vehicles Sedan Henrik Fisker nanotech fisker inc