Let’s let Mike Sullivan tell you all about it.

With 200+ vehicles participating this years event was the largest-ever plug-in vehicle parade and biggest grassroots EV event, the parade in Santa Monica was mirrored by similar displays in 20 cities across the US.

Organised by not-for-profit EV advocate group Plug-in America, the day saw new and legacy plug-in vehicles from the likes of GM, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota, smart, Ford, Tesla and Coda take part in the flagship parade through downtown Santa Monica.

“Only a few years ago, major automakers were literally crushing electric cars. Today, virtually every auto company in the world is selling or developing a plug-in car, and consumers are snapping up each and every one, stimulating our economy while helping the environment,” said Plug In America co-founder Paul Scott.

You can see all of the pictures we took from the event on out Flickr page, just click this link to take you there.

Kelly Sullivan, the General Manager of our new Fisker Santa Monica store will be driving the stunning Fisker Karma, and Mike Sullian will be driving a Plugin Prius from our Toyota Santa Monica store!

We invite highway-capable plug-in vehicles in the area to join us as we roll from the Santa Monica Civic Center down Main Street at 10 a.m. We’re staging in the parking lot from 8:00 a.m. through 9:30 a.m. A press conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. Parade will start promptly at 10:00 a.m. and proceed down Main St.

To find out more about National Plug In Day just head to their website pluginamerica.org/pluginday/los-angeles

This event provides one of the most extensive presentations of Alternative technology vehicles and transportation, infrastructure, renewable energies, energy efficiency and urban planning found worldwide.

There will also be world renowned experts speaking to consumers and professionals about what is possible in todays world and the differences we all can make.

LAcarGUY will be out in force, we will have Volkswagen Santa Monica bringing the Golf TDI, Touareg TDI and the all new 2012 Passat TDI, Lexus Santa Monica will be bringing the Lexus HS 250h and the CT 200h, Toyota Santa Monica is bringing two Prius Hybrid and 5 Prius plug-ins for the ride and drive as well as the 2012 Camry and 2012 Rav 4 and Rav EV on Display. Fisker Santa Monica will have a booth with the Karma on display.

Admission is free, we hope to see you there.

With Two And A Half Men being one of the most watched comedies on television, the Fisker Karma will be exposed to an even larger audience, more people will get to see what all the hype is about with the Karma. The Karma is much more than just a car, it is art, it is environmental, it is the future.

Make sure that you watch or DVR tonights show, then share your feedback with us on our Facebook page, or on Twitter.

One particular feature we would like to tell you about is the showroom floor. LAcarGUY has partnered with DeadHead Lumber Company to reclaim the wood from two old launchways at the former Snow’s shipyard in Rockland, Maine. The shipyard dates back to the 1800s, but the site is no longer in use. As a result, the launchways were left in disrepair. The owner was concerned about the timbers breaking loose in a storm and potentially causing a navigational hazard. DeadHead Lumber was called in to help with the removal.

DeadHead Lumber Company focuses on reclaiming sunken logs from Maine lakes and rivers. DeadHead logs share a rich history with Maine’s legendary logging industry. Referred to as “deadheads,” these historically significant logs sank during the log drives across Maine’s lakes and rivers beginning in the early 1600s. Hardwood logs, which could not be floated downriver, were chained to buoyant softwoods and rafted to the mills for processing. Since the weather on northern Maine lakes changes quickly and dramatically, many rafts were lost or abandoned during storms.

Resting undisturbed, these logs were perfectly preserved by Maine’s fresh water and protected from timber’s worst enemies–direct sunlight, pests, and oxygen. Centuries later, these sunken treasures are finally being recovered.

In these images, the long beams are hemlock and pine; and the cross beams are oak. The beams were brought back to DeadHead Lumber’s yard; and were denailed and despiked, and finally sawn into thick 6/4 planks. The unique color of the beams are a result of being submerged with large steel spikes in them. As the spikes eroded, that caused what is called ‘iron tannate’ stain which results in the darkening of the wood.

Once the beams are cut into lumber, they are sent to a factory in Quebec where they are sliced into very thick veneer. The factory then re-submerges the wood in large vats of water and heats them up in order to soften the wood fibers for slicing. The process of vatting and slicing takes about one week. After the veneers are sliced, they are immediately passed through a hot dryer to lower the moisture content to about 6-8% and then packaged for shipment back to Maine.

A company in Kennebunkport, Maine that specializes in custom cutting and laying up veneer on base panels trims, grades and glues the veneers to the base panels. After the layup process is complete, the raw panels are brought to a custom millwork shop in Massachusetts for face sanding and to mould the tongue and groove. The unfinished flooring planks are then brought back to DeadHead Lumber’s shop in Scarborough and the Bona Kemi Natural finish is applied. The planks are then wrapped and packaged for shipment.

We feel very fortunate to have been able to include the work of DeadHead Lumber Company in our dealership. Just thinking about how those trees were logged by people 200 years ago and how they’ve been sitting underwater for over 200 years, it seems almost magical that they are now available for people to appreciate today! We invite you to visit the dealership to walk on a piece of history and experience them for yourself.

But what is it like to drive this revolutionary car? Fisker Santa Monica got together with professional driver Kyle Shields and put together a test drive video for you to enjoy. Shields describes the styling of the Karma as a “cheetah in motion”. The Karma looks like it is traveling at speed, even when it is parked. We do not doubt that some who purchase the Fisker Karma will view it as a piece of sculpture. There is no doubt that you can walk around the car for hours and admire all the different lines of the car and enjoy it’s sheer elegance.

That elegance is not not just for the exterior. The interior is designed with the highest levels of style, luxury and environmental sustainability as well. The exclusive EcoChic™ series is based on an advanced sustainable animal-free approach that replaces leather with a high-grade textile and EcoPremium Suede™ trim. Certified Rescued Wood™ trim is sourced from Walnut Burl and Red Elm trees reclaimed from forest fires in the hills of southern California.

The Fisker Karma is sexy, fun, exciting, and brings the blending of luxury, performance and environmental consciousness to the world.

The location, at the corner of Santa Monica Blvd and 25th Ave, is the old Lexus Santa Monica site that is now the internet sales department for the VW dealership. The building is relatively small, but you don’t need a large space for the Fisker brand because they only have one model, the voluptuous $95,900 – $110,000 Karma electric extended range sports car.

Sullivan Automotive Group is the 33rd largest dealership group in the US (2010). In 2010, it sold a total of 21,239 units (new, used and wholesale) and had total revenue (including parts, service, etc.) of $632,338,233 – with only seven dealerships:

Lexus Santa Monica
Toyota/Scion Santa Monica
Toyota/Scion of Hollywood
Volkswagen of Santa Monica
Pacific Audi
Pacific Porsche
Pacific Volkswagen
Fisker Santa Monica (opening Spring/Summer 2011)

The group uses the catch-all LACarGuy.com website to promote its stores and, if you live in LA, you’ve seen billboards for LACarGuy and TV commercials featuring patriarch, Owner/President Michael Sullivan. All of Sullivan’s dealerships have adopted environmentally-friendly practices, both in the showroom and in the service bays. Green is good for business these days.

LACarGuy claims that it’s the number one hybrid dealer in the world. I know the Lexus store is the number one Lexus hybrid seller in the US. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the combination of hybrid sales from the two Toyota dealerships, the Lexus store and a few niche hybrids like the VW Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, and Porsche Panamera Hybrids, put it on top. We do love our hybrids in LA.

The group also has EV charging stations “live” at some of their dealerships. Odd, as none of the vehicles they sell are plug-in hybrids – yet. The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid EV and the upcoming plug-in Prius will also use the charging stations.

The Fisker brand is a good fit for Sullivan Automotive and the City of Santa Monica. So far, it’s the only Fisker dealer in greater Los Angeles. The next closest store is in Orange County.
If you’ve never been to Sullivan’s flagship Lexus Santa Monica dealership, it’s worth your time to see this video. I give them props for restoring this beautiful, historic building.

The People’s Republic of Santa Monica is the perfect location for the plug-in EV Fisker Karma. It’s home to ultra-wealthy aging hippies, environmentalists and lefty socialists. Entertainment industry and creative-types populate trendy restaurants and condos. Expensive boutiques on Montana Avenue attract celebrity shoplifters. You’ll find LEED-certified buildings and the most creative, modern architecture there.

Santa Monica is home to Heal the Bay. It’s the unofficial “Home of the Homeless.” The City hosts four terrific Farmers Markets each week in three different locations. Organic and locally-sourced food is pervasive.

Santa Monica banned smoking on public beaches and the outdoor patios of restaurants. Plastic bags are banned from supermarkets. The City’s fleet of non-emergency vehicles is mostly hybrids or alternative fuel vehicles. The City’s Big Blue Buses all run on compressed natural gas (CNG). It’s not uncommon to see an old diesel Mercedes that’s been converted to run on B20 bio-diesel or used vegetable oil. The Prius appears to be the unofficial transportation appliance of Santa Monica — you can’t throw a stone in any direction without hitting one.

Santa Monica is ground zero (in the LA Metro) area for everything environmentally-friendly, progressive and “green.” There are many wealthy early adopters of EVs and other advanced hybrid technology living in or near Santa Monica. In short, it’s the perfect market for a $100,000 extended-range electric vehicle.

The Fisker Karma is a plug-in electric vehicle with a gas engine that drives a generator to charge the batteries for extended-range driving. Fisker claims the Karma can travel 50 miles on the batteries and an additional 200 miles in extended-range mode. The concept is much like the Chevy Volt; but the Karma’s execution is very different and the target audience is wealthier.

The Karma packs a GM Ecotec 2.0 liter direct-inject turbo I-4 engine just behind the front wheels. It drives a generator to charge the large-capacity 20 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that forms a rigid spine down the center of the car. The Karma is a proper rear-drive sports car (albeit a bit heavy at 4,100 lbs) driven by rear-mounted dual 300 kW electric motors good for a total of 403 hp with a heart-stopping 981 lb-ft torque available from the moment your foot hits the electron exciter. The Karma seats four adults and can hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds.

Fisker Automotive got more than $500 million from the Department of Energy to build the Karma in the US. Fisker bought a shuttered GM plant in Delaware and is in the process of converting it into a shiny modern factory to produce its sleek sports car. It’s going to have to sell lots of cars to pay back its investors.

Below is the Fisker Karma’s first “Get Hot” commercial:

In the meantime, the Karma is being built in Uusikaupunki, Finland by contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive. Valmet also builds the Boxster/Caymen line for Porsche at this plant. The Karma began production on March 21, 2011 so deliveries may happen as soon as this summer. I’m sure Fisker Santa Monica is taking orders. Just have your checkbook ready.

Motor Trend’s Technical Editor, Kim Reynolds, gives his take on the Karma:

Reprinted with permission from Todd Bianco’s ACarIsNotARefrigerator.com Blog The Truth About Cars and the Car Biz in LA

However, don’t expect to see too many on the road anytime soon. “We are going to be ramping up very slowly, very carefully to ensure quality,” says Fisker Automotive spokesperson Roger Ormisher. “This year we want to get almost 7,000 deliveries,” which is considered a small number in the automotive world.

The Karma is advanced as it is gorgeous and it works much like the Volt. The 20 kilowatt-hour lithium-nanophosphate battery has a claimed range of 50 miles. When the battery winds down, a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine, sourced from GM, drives a 175 kilowatt generator that keeps the juice flowing to the wheels. Fisker claims that the car gets an annual average of 100 mpg and emits just 83 grams of CO2 per kilometer, that’s less than the Toyota Prius! The battery recharges in six to eight hours at 220 volts.

Powered by dual electric motors, output is 403 horsepower with 901 lb-ft of torque, 0 to 62 mph comes in at 7.9 seconds. In hybrid Sport mode, that time drops down to 5.9 seconds with top speed improving to 125 mph.

The starting sticker price for the standard Karma will be $95,000, the Eco Sport version will be $103,900, and $108,900 for the high-line Eco Chic model.

Check out our Facebook page to find out what’s been going on in the community. Follow us on http://twitter.com/#!/fiskersm for the latest update. And read our blog to catch up on the latest news.

The southern California-based company is now in full possession of the 3.2 million square foot Wilmington Assembly plant in Wilmington, Delaware, for which it paid Motors Liquidation Company (MLC) $20 million. MLC is the holding company formed by General Motors Corporation’s bankruptcy.

The purchase is supported by a $528.7 million Department of Energy loan for the development of two lines of plug-in hybrids.

The Wilmington plant will be home to Project NINA, Fisker’s second line of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and where Fisker expects to ultimately create more than 2,000 factory jobs.

“This is a major step toward creating thousands of manufacturing jobs and restoring America as a leader in the global auto industry,” said Bernhard Koehler, COO, Fisker Automotive. “Wilmington will be instrumental in fulfilling our plans to export more than half of Fisker premium plug-in hybrid production to global markets.”

Fisker announced its intent to acquire the idled factory in October 2009. A federal bankruptcy judge approved the sale last month.

The Wilmington Assembly plant opened in 1947 and produced more than 8.5 million vehicles before closing in mid 2009.

# # #
About Fisker Automotive Inc: Fisker Automotive is a privately owned, premium American car company creating environmentally conscious vehicles with passion, style and performance. Globalheadquarters are in Irvine, California, USA.

The company was created in 2007 to leverage the design capabilities of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, founded by auto design veterans Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler, and the PHEV powertrain capabilities of Quantum Fuel Systems
Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ-QTWW), a major Tier 1 supplier of clean vehicle technologies to automotive OEMs.

Previously, Fisker, CEO, was a board member and design director for Aston Martin, as well as president and CEO of BMW’s DesignworksUSA. Koehler, COO, led operations for Ford’s Global Advanced Design Studio and created concept cars for Aston Martin, MINI and BMW.

About LAcarGUY: Sullivan Automotive Group is also known as LAcarGuy.com, and offers automotive products and services to our greater Los Angeles area customers. The company carries a comprehensive line of vehicles by Toyota, Scion, Audi, Volkswagen, Lexus and Porsche, providing new and used cars, along with trusted car repair, original car parts, and financing as well a dedicated body shop. LAcarGUY’s Fisker Santa Monica is eagerly awaiting the opening of the marque location for Los Angeles and recently hosted the Fisker Road Show and last November held a private event for deposit holders to showcase the Karma vehicle.

IRVINE, CA – January 15, 2010:

New American carmaker Fisker Automotive has secured access to an additional $115.3 million in private equity funding to develop plug-in hybrid cars.

This funding is necessary for Fisker Automotive (www.fiskerautomotive.com) to access a $528.7 million U.S. Department of Energy conditional loan that will, in part, help speed completion of the Fisker Karma, the company’s first plug-in hybrid.

The raise comes at a time when capital is scarce, the auto industry is struggling and the global economy is just beginning to rebound.

Starting at $87,900 the Karma paves the way for development of lower-cost plug-in hybrid technology for a second, family-oriented car code named Project NINA. Project NINA is expected to be built in Wilmington, Delaware at a former General Motors assembly plant starting in 2012.

“Raising $115 million in these times speaks volumes about the value of our business model and the vast potential of plug-in hybrids,” said Henrik Fisker, CEO.

Investors include A123 Systems, Ace Investments and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

Fisker Automotive earlier this week signed a multi-year supply agreement with A123 Systems for the lithium-ion batteries that will power the Karma.

“Fisker Automotive selected A123 because of the company’s ability to meet our performance needs and rapidly scale to our production volume,” said Fisker. “We are committed to developing environmentally friendly cars that don’t sacrifice style or performance. A123′s technology will ensure the Karma delivers.”

Designed and engineered in the U.S., the four-door Karma proves eco-friendly cars can still have style and power. The Karma can reach 60mph in six seconds and top 125mph, yet runs cleaner and more efficiently than today’s most popular hybrids.

ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

Fisker Automotive is a privately owned, premium American car company with a vision to lead the automotive industry into the next-generation of automobiles with high-end design expertise and eco-friendly powertrain technology. Global headquarters are in Irvine, California, USA.

The company was created in 2007 to leverage the design capabilities of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, founded by auto design veterans Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler, and the PHEV powertrain capabilities of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ-QTWW), a major Tier 1 supplier of clean vehicle technologies to the automotive OEMs. Previously, Fisker, CEO, was design director for Aston Martin and president and CEO of BMW’s DesignworksUSA. Koehler, COO, led operations for Ford’s Global Advanced Design Studio and created concept cars for Aston Martin, MINI and BMW. #

WHAT: Denmark’s Crown Prince HRH Frederik is the first individual outside theFisker development team driving the new eco-friendly Fisker Karma. The Crown Prince will tomorrow travel to the COP15 UN Climate Conference events in Copenhagen with the plug-in hybrid car. HRH Frederik will visit at 4 pm Hopenhagen event at Raadhuspladsen after which he will leave in the Fisker Karma at 5 pm to the

Bella Center.

The prototype saloon, developed by American automaker Fisker Automotive, can travel 80km (50mi) emission-free on a single charge of its Lithium-ion battery, and an additional 400km (250mi) on a range extending generator turned by an efficient fourcylinder gas engine. Economy is 2.4L/100km and emissions of just 83g/km CO2 – better than today’s best hybrids. Still, the Karma can reach 100km/h (62mph) in about 6 seconds and exceed 200km/h (125mph).

Fisker Automotive from California is led by Danish auto designer Henrik Fisker, who
also designed the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage.  The company was recently approved for a USD 528.7-million conditional loan fromthe U.S. Government and announced its intent to purchase an assembly plant from General Motors.

On Wednesday, November 4th, Mike Sullivan's LAcarGUY.com and Fisker Santa Monica provided future Fisker owners, green enthusiasts and fans of great design with a rare opportunity to see the Fisker Karma in person.

Fisker VP of Global Sales & Marketing, Marti Eulberg and members of the vehicle's design team were on hand to answer questions from the audience. Over 200 people enjoyed music, drinks and food while waiting for their chance to sit in the Fisker Karma. The evening ended with a LAcarGUY.com raffle, giving away a Flip video recorder and iPod Nano.

All info can be found at www.FiskerSantaMonica.com

The LA Times article announcing the Fisker dealerships is listed below:

Even the car of the future needs old-fashioned sales technology.

Irvine-based Fisker Automotive said Tuesday that it had signed up 32 new-car dealers in North America to sell its plug-in hybrid sedan, which begins production late this year.

"Our retail partners are our most important assets," said Vic Doolan, a Fisker board member who played a central role in locating prospective dealers. "They are the face of the company."

The announcement is the latest step in the company's bid to be the first carmaker to bring plug-in hybrid technology to market. Several large automakers, including General Motors Corp., are also working on plug-in hybrid drivetrains but aren't set to deliver them for at least 18 months.

At the same time, a growing number of start-ups working on similar technology have eschewed dealerships. For example, San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla Motors, maker of an all-electric roadster, sells directly to consumers and owns its two stores.

Fisker hopes to sell as many as 15,000 Karmas — which run on electric motors powered by lithium ion batteries and carry a gasoline generator to extend their range — per year. Company executives say that by using already established new-car dealers, Fisker doesn't need to fund its own new-car lots or build a sales force.

Pasadena dealer Dan Gaby plans to dedicate one of his three standing showrooms for Fisker. He recently consolidated his separate Hyundai, Hummer and Chevrolet dealerships into just two showrooms, freeing up room for another brand. Beyond that, he said, the commitment is relatively minimal: Fisker asks its dealers to buy two vehicles (which retail at $87,900 apiece), update their service bays for the new technology and dedicate some floor space to Fisker alone.

"We had the capacity, and with all the buzz in California about the environment, this product fits well into what we offer the public," Gaby said.

Fisker announced dealerships in 16 states plus British Columbia, with eight in California. One is in Santa Monica, where Mike Sullivan, owner of nine dealerships including Toyota, Lexus and Porsche, plans to put the Fisker showroom.

Sullivan believes that selling Fiskers could become "quite profitable" once the economy improves.

"We need to be realistic and get this off the ground together," said Sullivan, who said he planned to buy a Karma for himself.

Fisker has 1,300 pre-orders for the Karma and plans to begin delivery in early 2010.

Chief Executive Henrik Fisker has said that he hopes to recruit as many as 45 dealers in North America and 40 in Europe.

Click here to view latimes article