One glance at the sleek design of the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid vehicle is enough to stir excitement in the potential of electric drive technology. That’s why it’s been hard to wait for the company to deliver its first units. Although we have yet to see the 400-horsepower Karma get fully put through its paces by professional journalists, there is clear evidence that sales will begin in September.

In late July, the company handed keys to production models to venture capitalist Ray Lane—an investor in Karma—as well as Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Gore, and Colin Powell, according to some reports on the web. (The company has not yet announced that the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has officially certified the Karma, and thus allowing these first owners to legally hit the road.)

The LAcarGuy provided the latest sign of an imminent official launch, when earlier this month, we posted videos from a special event held for Fisker deposit-holders.

The “test drive” video reveals a good look at the Karma, including these details:

• In stealth mode, the vehicle operates as a pure electric car, strictly delivering power from the batteries to the rear wheels. When switched into Sport mode, the car’s four-cylinder turbocharged engine supplies energy to the 22-kWh battery pack.
• The Karma comes with custom-designed 22-inch wheels.
• There are no gears and no shifting. The linear acceleration delivers 980 foot-pounds of torque, and propulsion up to 125 miles per hour.
• Front-seat passengers can peek at the battery pack through a plexiglass window in the center tunnel.

Also, earlier this month, Fisker announced that EV Connect will be the exclusive provider of charging equipment for the Fisker Karma. EV Connect will install Level 2 220-volt home or workplace charging for Karma owners for about $1,500, aiming to complete installations with a turnaround time of 14 days. So, it appears that charging infrastructure is also in place for the first customers. In one sense, this would not have been a hold-up for new owners because the Fisker Karma has a gas engine on board to supplement the 50 or so miles of all-electric range.

While the nuances of plug-in hybrid technology are mostly lost on the public, General Motors got into trouble last year when it was revealed that its plug-in hybrid, the Chevy Volt, under some circumstances is capable of linking the gas engine to its wheels—in the name of efficiency. On the other hand, Fisker Automotive is emphatically stating that there are absolutely no mechanical linkages between gas power and wheels. Electricity and only electricity will turn the wheels.

In the end, these distinctions matter less than production and actual delivery of a powerful—albeit expensive—new plug-in option for consumers. When we see the Fisker Karma in the open on the road, and appearing in media road tests, an important product milestone can be checked off as complete, and attention can turn to Fisker Automotive’s promises for an entire product line.

The rumor mill has it that Fisker will unveil an SUV version of the Karma next month at the Frankfurt motor show—and that it will go on sale as early as 2012. A hardtop convertible version of the Karma, along with the debut of a second more affordable model line know now only as “Nina,” could follow in 2013. Four-wheel and two-speed variants are also reportedly in the works.

Investor Ray Lane celebrates receipt of his Fisker Karma.