Hurricane Sandy: Fisker investigates report of multiple fire-damaged cars

Fisker Automotive is investigating the event that was first reported by automotive enthusiast website Jalopnik on Tuesday.

According to the initial report, approximately 16 Fisker Karma vehicles were parked in Port Newark, New Jersey when storm water from Hurricane Sandy breached the port and submerged the vehicles, which then caught fire and burned to the ground.

Since the story first broke, Fisker has released a statement confirming there were no injuries as a result of the fires and none of the cars were being charged at the time.

“We have confidence in the Fisker Karma and safety is our primary concern. While we intend to find the cause as quickly as possible, storm damage has restricted access to the port.

"We will issue a further statement once the root cause has been determined.”

The Fisker Karma is powered by two electric motors, a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 20.1kWh lithium-ion battery giving it a range of of 370km on a full tank and a full charge, with an equivalent fuel economy of 4.5 litres per 100km.

The Fisker Karma has had a more than chequered history since the company’s inception in 2007, with a number of fires linked to the vehicle.