Fisker
Surf
Surf
is an “eco-friendly lifestyle vehicle that offers space, performance, and
luxury design for people who live an active, environmentally conscious
lifestyle, and like to drive beautiful cars.
The Surf’s wagon body is obviously new, but beneath the skin it’s all Karma sedan, aluminum space frame, suspension, and electric powertrain. Based on our first drive of the Karma, the sedan pleasantly quick and agile.
Under
the curvaceous bodywork, the Karma and Surf are identical when it comes to
their powertrain. Both cars use a 2.0-liter 260 bhp turbocharged and
direct-injected inline-4. This engine is similar in design and function to the
1.4-liter found in the Chevrolet Volt. Power from the engine is used to drive a
generator when extra power or range is needed, while two electric traction
motors directly drive the rear wheels. A lithium-ion-phosphate battery pack is
positioned inside a central tunnel, to keep weight low and centrally mounted in
the aluminum space-frame chassis.
Two
driving modes, Sport and Stealth, are selectable by the driver. In Sport mode,
a mammoth 981 lb-ft. of torque is there to haul the Surf from 0–60 mph in 5.9
seconds, and on to a top speed of 125 mph. In Stealth mode, running solely on
battery power, the Surf needs an extra 2 seconds for the sprint to 60 mph, and
top speed drops to 95 mph. Electric-only driving range is about 50 miles,
though the engine/generator adds another 250 miles' worth of range.
