I have already commented about the AM radio being apparently defective on this blog.
I habitually listen to the local AM news radio channel on my commute to/from work and it didn't take me long to determine that the AM radio reception on this channel was far worse than in my old Audi.
This was one of the first pieces of feedback to the Fisker dealership and on the first return to the dealership for new firmware I had them check the radio. The story was that the AM reception was as good as other vehicles they tried (including BMWs) and in any case the radio was operating as designed.
For most of my drive the AM station I listen to is adequately received, but frankly reception drops to practically nothing when I get into the downtown core. It's definitely a continued annoyance.
Recently, a post on the FiskerBuzz forums caught my eye. The poster was asking whether anyone else had poor AM radio reception. Naturally, I replied in the affirmative. Alarmingly, one other response indicated that in his case a dealer had specifically indicated that the AM radio was essentially inoperable by design when he took delivery of his vehicle. The suggestion (at least) was that a suitable AM antenna was never installed.
That's a bit of a shocker, if true. It could certainly explain my experience. If the front end of the receiver is having to work with nothing more that the minimal signal from an unconnected antenna, or some minimal circuit/connector acting as an internal antenna, then I could well believe it wouldn't pick anything up that wasn't a booming direct signal.
Obviously, it begs the question as to whether there will be any remediation of this defect, whether it's by design or a manufacturing oversight.
Anyway, in the grand scheme of things it's not critical, but as people have said before, when you're shelling out for an expensive luxury car you kind of expect all the basic features to work reasonably and then you'd hope for many things to exceed mere 'average'.
As I'm still enjoying the Karma as much or more than I've ever enjoyed any automobile I'm finding it fairly easy to forgive non-critical issues... and the company and dealership are still keeping me happy with the post-sales treatment in general. I would eventually quite like a working AM radio though!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Mini car show met Vancouver's weather
Well so much for the car show. Vancouver's late spring weather put pay to that.
I suspect it will be rescheduled for a later date though.
I suspect it will be rescheduled for a later date though.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Mini car show and Raspberry Pi
I've been invited to take part in a mini car show on Sunday - another example of the organic interest that the Karma produces. I think the weather will be less than hoped-for (d'oh), but hopefully not actually raining. Currently the forecast is for mixed sun/cloud with occasional showers. Naturally, I'd like to have the time (and weather) for a quick wash and polish before then.
In other news, my Raspberry Pi is allegedly on its way from the UK. I wasn't prepared to pay for expedited shipping, so it'll probably need to be lost behind a sofa or somewhere for a few weeks before they finally get it to me. Should be fun to start seriously planning what I can make it do in the Red Carmeleon.
In other news, my Raspberry Pi is allegedly on its way from the UK. I wasn't prepared to pay for expedited shipping, so it'll probably need to be lost behind a sofa or somewhere for a few weeks before they finally get it to me. Should be fun to start seriously planning what I can make it do in the Red Carmeleon.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Karma a magnet for interest
I've had a huge amount of interest in the Karma since I've had it. Guys at work have asked to visit the car, neighbours have come over to have a 'tour'. At least three people have said they were going to actively do more research or visit the showroom to take a closer look. That's to say nothing about the number of people who turn their heads (and then bodies) to stare as the Red Carmeleon drives past. A least a dozen people (that I've seen) have been quick on the draw with their camera phones while I've been stopped at red lights too.
Most people express that their reasons for being interested is the electric propulsion, but they also know that there are other choices in the Nissan Leaf, Chevvy Volt, Ford Focus and others appearing all the time now. I think it's the combination of electric vehicle and the epic looks that create an interesting intersection here. If so, then I think that bodes well for the Fisker Atlantic... if this can be offered in the market at an attractive price point. It's still a little crazy how much premium we have to pay to get electric over an ICE, but I suppose that's just the nature of things this side of the 'chasm' on the adoption curve - all the vendors are still paying down their R&D costs and what higher margins per unit.
By the way, the "epic looks" include the car's interior. This is universally acclaimed by those visitors who have actually sat in the car. As it did for me, the interior of the car really impresses with its luxury appointments, overall style and many other little details. Especially on first contact, the cabin is an overload of graceful lines and colours and I think it's different to most vehicles in feeling upholstered throughout (at least in the EchoChic). This makes the car feel much more comfy and lounge-like. More than one visitor also commented on the welcome chimes and startup animations in the dash, which all adds up to a great impression.
From those that have actually ridden in the car, there have been expressions of cabin and ride comfort and comments about the quietness of the vehicle. The latter is obviously helped by the total quiet of the electric propulsion, but I think the aforementioned "upholstery" makes a difference too in the cabin, and I'm sure the battery compartment also serves as a baffle.
Looks like my in-home charger rebate has gone through. As noted in a prior post, I was a little unsure if I had covered all the bases in terms of the required paperwork, mostly because the Californian online vendor from whom I purchased the charger doesn't provide a full invoice with letterhead, logo and a bunch of items spelled out as required in the rebate application form. Nevertheless, it appears that what I have submitted (including an email thread where the vendor says they don't have any other official sales document) has been sufficient for the BC government. So, hopefully a cheque is now forthcoming.
I continue to really enjoy my Karma every day for my work commute. I still have 90% of the delivery fuel left in the tank. As I habitually never exceed the electric range of the vehicle, the only fuel usage has been a few blasts in Sports mode along the highway when I've taken the car out for a fun evening drive, and the few times that the car's management software has decided that its time to run the ICE for a bit.
It's actually a bit of a shock when the engine is started automatically in order to burn a little fuel and condition the engine. This tends to happen when you've just entered the vehicle and hit the power button - an event that normally has absolutely no physical feedback whatsoever, as you're normally just energizing some circuits for the electric drive. However, I've noticed that when the engine has not been used for a week or two, it starts with a bit more of a 'lurch', which torques the car a bit causing it to roll slightly on the suspension. When you're not expecting anything, this feels like a mini-earthquake as the car shudders. The first time it did this, I thought something had bumped the car, or (in the parkade) that someone most have shut their car door particularly vigourously. Of course, then you hear the engine running and it's obvious what's happened. It might be nice if there was a little icon or something on the dash that indicated that the engine was started (or even better, about to be started) for 'maintenance'. Otherwise, there is no indicator at all that the vehicle is in this mode - and the way the engine runs seems to be different to what it does in Sports mode. I'm not sure what this programmed engine run is supposed to achieve before it is considered to have done its job, but it is normally turned off again by the time I've driven a dozen blocks down the road. Perhaps it's just a timed thing (e.g. run the engine at and optimum RPM for 5 minutes a month), or maybe they sample telemetry that indicates whether fuel burn, air intake, exhaust gases etc. are nominal. As usual, as a geek I'd love to know the answers to these questions out of pure curiosity, but I guess they'll remain a mystery.
Most people express that their reasons for being interested is the electric propulsion, but they also know that there are other choices in the Nissan Leaf, Chevvy Volt, Ford Focus and others appearing all the time now. I think it's the combination of electric vehicle and the epic looks that create an interesting intersection here. If so, then I think that bodes well for the Fisker Atlantic... if this can be offered in the market at an attractive price point. It's still a little crazy how much premium we have to pay to get electric over an ICE, but I suppose that's just the nature of things this side of the 'chasm' on the adoption curve - all the vendors are still paying down their R&D costs and what higher margins per unit.
By the way, the "epic looks" include the car's interior. This is universally acclaimed by those visitors who have actually sat in the car. As it did for me, the interior of the car really impresses with its luxury appointments, overall style and many other little details. Especially on first contact, the cabin is an overload of graceful lines and colours and I think it's different to most vehicles in feeling upholstered throughout (at least in the EchoChic). This makes the car feel much more comfy and lounge-like. More than one visitor also commented on the welcome chimes and startup animations in the dash, which all adds up to a great impression.
From those that have actually ridden in the car, there have been expressions of cabin and ride comfort and comments about the quietness of the vehicle. The latter is obviously helped by the total quiet of the electric propulsion, but I think the aforementioned "upholstery" makes a difference too in the cabin, and I'm sure the battery compartment also serves as a baffle.
Looks like my in-home charger rebate has gone through. As noted in a prior post, I was a little unsure if I had covered all the bases in terms of the required paperwork, mostly because the Californian online vendor from whom I purchased the charger doesn't provide a full invoice with letterhead, logo and a bunch of items spelled out as required in the rebate application form. Nevertheless, it appears that what I have submitted (including an email thread where the vendor says they don't have any other official sales document) has been sufficient for the BC government. So, hopefully a cheque is now forthcoming.
I continue to really enjoy my Karma every day for my work commute. I still have 90% of the delivery fuel left in the tank. As I habitually never exceed the electric range of the vehicle, the only fuel usage has been a few blasts in Sports mode along the highway when I've taken the car out for a fun evening drive, and the few times that the car's management software has decided that its time to run the ICE for a bit.
It's actually a bit of a shock when the engine is started automatically in order to burn a little fuel and condition the engine. This tends to happen when you've just entered the vehicle and hit the power button - an event that normally has absolutely no physical feedback whatsoever, as you're normally just energizing some circuits for the electric drive. However, I've noticed that when the engine has not been used for a week or two, it starts with a bit more of a 'lurch', which torques the car a bit causing it to roll slightly on the suspension. When you're not expecting anything, this feels like a mini-earthquake as the car shudders. The first time it did this, I thought something had bumped the car, or (in the parkade) that someone most have shut their car door particularly vigourously. Of course, then you hear the engine running and it's obvious what's happened. It might be nice if there was a little icon or something on the dash that indicated that the engine was started (or even better, about to be started) for 'maintenance'. Otherwise, there is no indicator at all that the vehicle is in this mode - and the way the engine runs seems to be different to what it does in Sports mode. I'm not sure what this programmed engine run is supposed to achieve before it is considered to have done its job, but it is normally turned off again by the time I've driven a dozen blocks down the road. Perhaps it's just a timed thing (e.g. run the engine at and optimum RPM for 5 minutes a month), or maybe they sample telemetry that indicates whether fuel burn, air intake, exhaust gases etc. are nominal. As usual, as a geek I'd love to know the answers to these questions out of pure curiosity, but I guess they'll remain a mystery.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Trim replaced and more on "carpet formers"
I had to postpone the trip in to Fisker of Vancouver by a day, but today the car was in for about 40 mins having its dodgy window trim replaced and supposedly new "carpet formers".
The service was excellent as usual... friendly, professional, organized. The trim was replaced in less than half an hour while I enjoyed coffee and breakfast pastries.
The remaining time was apparently an attempt to locate the guy responsible for the carpet formers. Apparently what this is all about is that the initial shipment of floor mats from Fisker were all black. I had some black ones installed on delivery of the vehicle. However, apparently the intention was to have more colour coordinated mats and these have since been shipped from California and received at the dealership. This was all somewhat moot today as the organizer of the mats wasn't locatable right away once the trim had been fixed, but frankly there's also the simple question as to whether I wouldn't prefer to keep the current black ones. Black actually works quite nicely with the earth (tan) interior. Moreover, black is probably rather better at hiding mud and stains that are par for the course with vehicle floor mats. I suppose I'm curious as to exactly what colour mats I'm supposed to have and maybe if this was a darker colour I might like it. However, black is far from a bad choice.
Apparently the next firmware installment (2.6?) is being readied for deployment, so it will perhaps not be too long before the next jaunt in to have another little upgrade.
The service was excellent as usual... friendly, professional, organized. The trim was replaced in less than half an hour while I enjoyed coffee and breakfast pastries.
The remaining time was apparently an attempt to locate the guy responsible for the carpet formers. Apparently what this is all about is that the initial shipment of floor mats from Fisker were all black. I had some black ones installed on delivery of the vehicle. However, apparently the intention was to have more colour coordinated mats and these have since been shipped from California and received at the dealership. This was all somewhat moot today as the organizer of the mats wasn't locatable right away once the trim had been fixed, but frankly there's also the simple question as to whether I wouldn't prefer to keep the current black ones. Black actually works quite nicely with the earth (tan) interior. Moreover, black is probably rather better at hiding mud and stains that are par for the course with vehicle floor mats. I suppose I'm curious as to exactly what colour mats I'm supposed to have and maybe if this was a darker colour I might like it. However, black is far from a bad choice.
Apparently the next firmware installment (2.6?) is being readied for deployment, so it will perhaps not be too long before the next jaunt in to have another little upgrade.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Space Dock
Starship Red Cameleon is in space dock on Tuesday for the window trim replacement and to have some "carpet formers" fitted.
As this point I have no idea what a "carpet former" actually is, or why I would want one. I guess I'll find out.
As this point I have no idea what a "carpet former" actually is, or why I would want one. I guess I'll find out.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Still no CEL, the next Town Hall meeting
The check engine light has stayed off since the last patch, which is great.
I understand that the most likely reason for an error condition causing it to light was in fact the opening of a door while the vehicle was in its charging cycle. This is almost certainly the cause of the light in my case, as having just received the vehicle I had all sorts of people wanting to take a look at it while it was parked and charging - not to mention my own forays into the car in order to experiment with and configure the preferences/settings.
Anyway, this is allegedly what was fixed in the last patch that was applied recently to my Karma and I have certainly had cause to enter the car while it was charging since then without seeing the return of the CEL. So it certainly looks like that's the end of that.
In other news, I have signed up for my first Fisker Town Hall meeting (webinar) since I acquired the vehicle, so that should be interesting. The meeting is at 1pm (PST) tomorrow (Wednesday 23rd May). Hopefully I'll be able to listen to at least the first half before my work itinerary interrupts. I hope they provide lots of juicy info on the continuing development of the Karma... we'll see.
I understand that the most likely reason for an error condition causing it to light was in fact the opening of a door while the vehicle was in its charging cycle. This is almost certainly the cause of the light in my case, as having just received the vehicle I had all sorts of people wanting to take a look at it while it was parked and charging - not to mention my own forays into the car in order to experiment with and configure the preferences/settings.
Anyway, this is allegedly what was fixed in the last patch that was applied recently to my Karma and I have certainly had cause to enter the car while it was charging since then without seeing the return of the CEL. So it certainly looks like that's the end of that.
In other news, I have signed up for my first Fisker Town Hall meeting (webinar) since I acquired the vehicle, so that should be interesting. The meeting is at 1pm (PST) tomorrow (Wednesday 23rd May). Hopefully I'll be able to listen to at least the first half before my work itinerary interrupts. I hope they provide lots of juicy info on the continuing development of the Karma... we'll see.
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