Fisker working on four Karma variants

Despite regular legal tussles with rivals like Tesla and the occasional production set-back due to the high-tech nature of the product, Fisker is aiming to get its Karma plug-in hybrid car to market by the end of next year. After the Karma sedan hits the streets, there are already plans for three more models based around the same core technology, including a convertible, coupe and even an SUV.

The timeline for the subsequent models is still vague, but Vic Doolan, a Fisker board member and the company's director of retail development, said the new models would be available by 2012, reports AutoWeek. The company's goal for the Karma and its compatriots is to secure 3.3% of the luxury vehicle market outright. That figure doesn't include high-end SUVs in its tally, but with their current sales trends, that's a reasonable exclusion.

The Karma itself is on pace to make its release date, with an intial list price of around $87,000 and production volume of about 7,500 cars in its first full year, 2010. The company hopes to double those figures by 2011, and will consider offering a vehicle in the $60,000 range to further help boost volume sales. The Karma will be built in Finland, but plans for an eventual U.S. production base are being laid.