EVs as Popular as iPhones?

Will electric vehicles be as popular as the iPhone? That’s what Henrik Fisker says, the man behind the 4-door luxury Fisker Karma. The Karma will start production in March and is slated to show up in U.S. showrooms in April. The MSRP is $95,000, but Fisker points out that the starting price on new technology is always high, but descends quickly as manufacturing processes scale up.

Popular as the iPhone? I too expect a robust adoption curve for electric vehicles, though I refrain from hyper-dramatic statements. Of course, I share neither Fisker’s financial exposure nor his super-bombastic personality.

For what it’s worth, the car itself is stunning. To find a more impressive use of leather and exotic, high-end materials in a car’s interior, you need to head to a Maserati showroom.

Going back to Fisker’s bold prediction, it goes without saying that the adoption of EVs generally has little to do with the demand for the Karma, at $95K. In fact, I’m not sure that you’ll find a big confluence between buyers of ultra-luxury cars and electric vehicles. It’s unclear to me how many people who shudder at the prospect of $4+ gallon gas have an appetite for a $95,000 car. I also doubt that most of those who care about the environmental impact of their driving want a car that’s worth more than the average house in a great number of US communities.

I AM sure most environmentalists want to make a statement, but I’m guessing it’s not “look how rich I am.”