A Feel Good Story To Brighten One's Friday

Unable to restart the $100,000 Fisker Karma

Consumer Reports bought the Fisker Karma from a Connecticut dealer.

CR takes it for the speed test. While gently moving through 65 mph, the "engine light" comes on. CR completes the speed test, brings it back to the center to park it. Moments later, it would not restart.

On Wednesday, Consumer Reports engineers were just starting to calibrate the Karma's speed by driving 65 miles per hour down the magazine's test track in East Haddam, Connecticut, Champion said.

"During the gentle run down the track, a light on the dashboard came on," he said, referring to the battery light.

The speed test was completed despite the light on the control panel, but after it was parked, officials were unable to get the car restarted. A spokesman for A123 Systems, which makes the Karma batteries, could not be reached. 

Champion, who called the Karma "gorgeous looking,"  said problems with new technology is not surprising.

But it sure looks gorgeous sitting there. I can't make this stuff up.

The question is whether AAA is trained to re-start Fisker Karmas.

Thank you to a reader for alerting me to this. I had to do some valet parking this morning and all cars started without a hitch. No, a Fisker was not among them.