The best cars on the planet are in a race. A very serious race. A race to be the best, out in front, the leader of the ultimate driving blah, blah, blah. And you see and hear it everywhere. It's overwhelming. My town, your town, every town has banner ads, commercials, billboards and the Superbowl. And they all want you to see them... not necessarily as what they are, but what they are striving to be.
Now, many have achieved true greatness. Machines that do exactly what they say. A great driving experience, supple this and powerful that. But really, take off a lot of those badges and what do you have? A lot of confusion. Many have trouble separating themselves from the pack.
Cars today look a lot alike. Some have been able to transcend the jelly bean look in lieu of sharp, crisp and inventive lines. Some have even blown your minds with their visions of concept cars or power plants. Some have created absolute marksmanship. And some... actually... just one... has done something else. Entirely something else...
Henrik Fisker's KARMA is not really a car at all. According to Vice President/Global Design, Alexander Klatt... "It's a Statement of Consciousness." And I am one to agree. A bright shining star among a cluster of many beautiful stars. But what makes Fisker brighter and more intense is that it's goal doesn't seem to be to sell cars at all. Curious, I thought at first. It's goal... seems to be to create a visionary future of infinite possibilities. A future where people are aware in a way that transcends themselves. What do I mean by this?
In many ways, our world is comprised of fear. People are locked in "What if" scenarios that imprison them without them knowing it. "What if I'm late? What if we hear bad news? What if I don't get the job?" This fear causes them to be locked in themselves in a perpetual worrisome future. And that gets interpreted as a selfish point of view. Not bad selfish, but just unable to see beyond themselves... and what's causing fear. Unable to create Peace and Harmony in their lives. You know these people, don't you?
Driving a cool car while you're in this kind of state actually makes the car insignificant. Who cares if you're driving a 600hp whatever if you're afraid and worried that it's gonna get dinged or whether you can afford the next payment. Who cares if it cost $60K when you're jealous of the dood that just bought a car for $120K. That kind of thinking keeps you out of the present. And the present is where all your answers lie.
When you enter a Karma, something happens. Something unexpected. And what happens is that you actually enter and stay in the present...
The Karma is so full of extraordinary ideas and innovations that it "holds" you like a gentle 10 foot wave of consciousness that promises to take you on the ride of your life. Not with a roar, but with a silent peace that opens your eyes to a whole new world.
Now, I've driven many cars over the years... and joked that I didn't want to send them back because they were too cool. But the experience in the Karma made me seriously think about packing up all my stuff and disappearing... forever. But, alas... none of my stuff would fit. And that... led me to the idea of leaving it all behind.
What makes the Karma a conscious bright light? A list too long to envision here, but there are some examples. The wood trim in the car comes solely from downed trees. Submerged, Forest Fires, Fallen Mahogany and many others. In fact, they are the only ones using it in this way. The leaf skeletons in the interior are touches of opulence that open your eyes to beauty. The EcoChic interior in this Inferno Red Edition kept me transfixed by stating that leather may be a thing of the past and that luxury should be more about the expansion of ideas and positive permanent change. And finally, the Solar Panel roof is the only one of it's kind by shaping itself into an arc reminiscent of the earth's horizon.
A 50 mile range on full Electric means that with my lifestyle, I would rarely go to the gas station, if ever. But the gas assist extends the range to over 300 miles if you suddenly get a bug to head to Vegas. Although, in this car, you'd probably opt to go see the redwoods instead. At an average of 53mpg, 403hp and over 900ftlbs torque, this 5300lb baby has no problem doing ANYTHING but causing shock by it's stunning design. People stopped me constantly to ask what it was, take pictures and comment on it's grace and elegance. I was driving a concept car. But, with how it places you in a state of bliss, the idea of racing a Ferrari becomes completely childish. Just knowing you have a CO2 emission of 188g/mile gave me an eternal calmness that bled throughout my day, in and out of the car.
What we all want comes down to very few things. Peace, Joy, Prosperity, Love, Health. And all the things and doodads we want always leads to one of these, otherwise, we wouldn't want them. But, for the first time, I've driven a car that actually represent all these things. The idea that I could drive it again is overwhelming, but the idea of being able to share the experience with passengers becomes a mission.
Henrik and his team are Agents of Change. They know that change comes from incremental strategic and focused movements, shifting the race towards oneness. They've created a product that just happens to be a car, but in actuality is an ambassador for good. My visit to Fisker and my talk with Alex (to see what else is coming) enlightened me to realize that there are people out there that are not in the car race at all, but are blazing a whole new trail in a 21st Century direction. And they also realize that change, in no matter what form, is always good because they choose for it to be that way. The Fisker Karma is a wise vehicle for an all new way of thinking. Not because it's electric or looks awesome, but because of the people that give themselves no choice but to be greater each day. A perspective and inspiration we can all benefit from to make all our lives richer.
"The greatest remedy in the world is change. And change implies the passing of the old into the new. It is also the only path that leads from the lesser to the greater, from the dream to the reality, from the wish to the heart's desire fulfilled. It is change that brings us everything we want. It is the opposite of change that brings us that which we don't want.
But change is not always external. Real change, or rather the cause of all change, is always internal. It is change in the within that always produced change in the without. To go from place to place is not a change unless it produces a change of mind- a renewal of mind. It is a change of mind that is the change desired. It is the renewal of mind that produces better health, more happiness, greater power, the increase of life, and the consequent increase that is all that is good in life.
And the constant renewal of mind- the daily change of mind- is possible regardless of times, circumstances of places. He who can change his mind every day and think the new about everything every day, will always be well; he will always have happiness; he will always be free; his life will always be interesting; he will constantly move forward into the larger, the richer and the better; and whatever is needed for his welfare today, of that he shall surely have an abundance."
Christian D. Larson
