2010 Fisker Karma S Concept

2010 Fisker Karma S Concept

You can't bring a Fisker Karma Sunset home yet, but it can already be dubbed "award-winning." That's because the eagerly anticipated plug-in hybrid hardtop convertible was named the 2009 North American Production Preview Vehicle of the Year on Tuesday. The award is reserved for vehicles based on an existing model that has been announced or planned for production.

The Karma Sunset was chosen by a panel of automotive journalists over a list of seven other finalists from major automakers. The Sunset uses the same "Q Drive" powertrain as the Karma sedan, which is powered by two electric motors. A 2.0 liter turbocharged Ecotec engine from GM, mated to a generator, charges the lithium-ion battery that stores power for the motors. Fisker estimates that a fully charged Karma will go 50 miles before the gas engine has to kick in.

"As the industry's emerging paradigm shift rewrites the book on how cars are designed and manufactured, the Fisker Karma Sunset concept is a bellwether for the auto industry's second century," said Tom Kelley, juror and founder of the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards.

We hope so. You can reserve your convertible Karma for a cool $25,000 today.

Source: Fisker via PR Newswire