More pictures of production-spec EMotion arrive. Will this be Fisker’s big break?

Late last year, the reborn Fisker Inc. returned to the fray with something called the EMotion concept car. A four-door (four butterfly doors, that is) powered by electricity and purporting an ambitious 400-mile range.

Now we’ve got some more pictures of a slightly less outlandishly detailed EMotion (including a world exclusive image of the whole car), hinting strongly that development is coming along nicely and the finished car is close to production.

The black motif at the front houses a LIDAR sensor, which is a key component for autonomous driving, using lasers for measuring distance and allowing a car to calculate its position and heading relative to other static and moving objects. If Fisker’s newcomer is to have a similar run on deposits when orders open later this month as Tesla’s Model 3, it’ll clearly want to better the self-driving capability of Elon Musk’s next offering. With a price of $129,900, though (around £100k) it’s more a rival to a well specced Model S or Model X.

Elsewhere, it looks typically pert and smartly detailed, but then, Henrik Fisker’s never had a problem designing a handsome car. His record of making one into a business case isn’t so hot, though. Can this 161mph offering be the vehicle to change that? We’ll find out for sure when production is slated to begin in 2019.

DETROIT — Fisker Inc, which is going public through a merger with a so-called blank check company, said on Thursday auto supplier Magna International will supply the vehicle platform and build the electric carmaker's Ocean SUV.

As part of the deal, Magna will receive warrants to purchase a stake of up to 6% in Fisker. The company is worth about $3 billion, Fisker Chief Executive Henrik Fisker told Reuters.

"We're full speed ahead," Fisker said in a telephone interview. "This is a huge turning point. We realized Magna would be an amazing partner because having skin in the game obviously means we both have the same goal of getting this car to market."

Fisker, which is merging with Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp, said it had finalized a deal with Canada's Magna to build the Ocean in Europe, marking the Canadian supplier's first entry into contract manufacturing for an EV startup.

Magna also has a tentative deal to build vehicles for EV startup Canoo, which is also going public later this year through a reverse merger with a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC.

Magna's stake in Fisker is subject to hitting three engineering and production milestones through the planned start of production of the Ocean in November 2022, Henrik Fisker said. Fisker Inc said in August it had a tentative deal for Magna to build the SUV at its Graz, Austria, plant.

"This is a great example of our strategy to leverage our strong portfolio to scale for future mobility needs," Magna President Swamy Kotagiri said in a statement.

"This is a unique competitive position for us, particularly with new mobility players and OEMs seeking to expand their electrified offerings.”

Fisker had previously said it was negotiating to use Volkswagen AG's MEB electric-vehicle platform for the Ocean, but Fisker said the company remains in talks with the German automaker to use unspecified body and interior parts.

Use of Magna's aluminum-intensive vehicle platform will allow the Ocean to have an electric driving range of more than 300 miles (483 km) and will allow Fisker Inc to offer buyers the option of a third row of seating, Fisker said.

The vehicle will have a starting price of $37,499.

Fisker's merger with Spartan is expected to close on Oct. 30, and the EV maker's shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FSR," Fisker said.

Fisker has officially gone public, trading on the New York Stock Exchange under "FSR" as of Friday, the company announced this week. It was taken public as part of a merger/acquisition by Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp.

"All the external pieces are now in place to execute our unique, asset-light business strategy, with today’s funding and the strategic cooperation announced with Magna on Oct. 15," said Fisker Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Henrik Fisker, in the company's announcement. "We can now fully turn our attention to developing and launching the revolutionary, all-electric Fisker Ocean into the heart of the midsize SUV market, expected to commence in Q4 2022. We appreciate the confidence from all our shareholders and intend to deliver on our stated goals."

Fisker announced last week that auto supplier Magna will provide the vehicle platform and build the electric carmaker's Ocean SUV. As part of the deal, Magna will receive warrants to purchase a stake of up to 6% in Fisker, giving the EV maker an overall valuation of about $3 billion, Fisker Chief Executive Henrik Fisker told Reuters.

"As a result of the completion of the transaction, Fisker expects to have in excess of $1.0 billion (net of transaction fees and expenses) of cash on the balance sheet and no funded debt. This amount is expected to fully fund Fisker operations and the development of the Fisker Ocean program through the planned start of production in Q4 2022."

Fisker, which is merging with Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp, said it had finalized a deal with Canada's Magna to build the Ocean in Europe, marking the Canadian supplier's first entry into contract manufacturing for an EV startup. While Magna has built vehicles for traditional automakers for years, analysts and investors have speculated it could eventually build for technology companies like Apple.

Fisker stock was up more than 10% in its first day of trading (as of publication time).

Henrik Fisker's eponymous electric car startup has abandoned plans to develop solid-state battery technology, citing its lack of near-term viability (among other complications) in an interview with The Verge.

Fisker said the company felt it was "90 percent there" on solid state tech, but that the final 10% proved too challenging given the constraints of current technology. He feels the move to solid state battery composition will require a significant breakthrough followed by years of development.

"I think personally, they’re at least seven years out, if not more, in terms of any sort of high-volume format," he said. "... once you have a breakthrough in that technology, you need probably three years to set up high-volume manufacturing, and then you need another three years to do durability testing. So even if somebody invented it today, it would be at least probably six years out."

"[W]e have completely dropped solid-state batteries at this point in time because we just don’t see it materializing," Fisker said. "Would we do something in the future? If we do, it would be something completely new, and we obviously have a battery team that’s looking at the current technology that’s here. But the solid-state battery that we worked on, that just doesn't have a future at this point in time in the near future."

As to whether Fisker's abandonment of solid-state tech had anything to do with the company settling a lawsuit brought by QuantumScape, Fisker cited the settlement's non-disclosure clause and nothing more. Fisker has shied away from promoting solid state battery development since the introduction of its production-intent Ocean electric SUV, which is going to be produced in partnership with automotive supplier Magna.

Meanwhile, others in the industry remain committed to solid-state battery tech, at least for the time being. Toyota said just months ago that it intends to introduce a solid-state prototype some time in 2021, with production viability coming as soon as 2025. That would be sooner than Fisker predicted, but not outrageously so, and if anybody has the resources to rapidly develop next-generation automotive powertrains, it's Toyota.

Henrik Fisker is the kind of guy you really want to like but he's making things extremely difficult for you. After all, he did design some of the most beautiful cars of the last few decades, which is a plus, but he was also caught using fake accounts to praise his yet unreleased models, which is anything but.
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However, if there's one thing the Danish designer can fall back on it's coming up with very beautiful cars. Concept cars, to be more precise, but beautiful nevertheless and without that over-the-top nature design studies so often have. He does claim these cars will go into production, so there would be no room for any of that anyway.

With the EMotion shelved for now, the company's entire attention is turned toward the Ocean electric SUV, a sexy-looking model that proves there's no excuse for designing an ugly and boring SUV, which is what most of them are these days. Until it enters production, though, the Ocean can only compare itself to all the other concepts out there, and that's a much tougher competition than what it'll find on the actual market.

Henrik Fisker, the head honcho at Fisker Inc. has previously teased a starting price of under $40,000 for the allegedly upcoming model. Now, he has posted a new tweet revealing the Ocean's starting price won't be $39,999.99, as you would have probably expected, but actually $37,499. What exactly would we get for that money?

The Ocean's previously mentioned specs talked about an 80 kWh battery pack and a maximum range of 250 to 300 miles. That sounds just about right from every perspective, but we sincerely doubt a fledgling company will be able to offer that at such a low price considering Tesla is selling the Model 3 Standard Range Plus with its 53.6 kWh battery and 240 miles maximum range for $37,000 after years in the market.

Henrik Fisker's attitude on Twitter - or at least that of the person running his account, because you can never be too sure - doesn't fill us with confidence either. He conveniently ignores tweets asking about the Ocean's release date, but he's very quick to threaten with a block those who talk about his past problems. He also replies to his own tweet with all sorts of "cute" GIFs, which is not exactly the kind of behavior you want to see from the person designing your car.

DETROIT — Electric car maker Fisker has finalized its vehicle-assembly deal with Foxconn Technology Co Ltd, including plans to open a U.S. plant in 2023, the companies said on Thursday.

The plant's location has not been identified, but Fisker Chief Executive Henrik Fisker said four states are under consideration, including Foxconn's plant site in Wisconsin. Foxconn Chairman Liu Young-way previously said electric vehicles (EVs) have a "promising future" in Wisconsin but did not elaborate.

The annual capacity for the U.S. plant will be at least 150,000 vehicles to start, Fisker said.

"When you look back at recent history and new technology products, they have been launched in the U.S. first," Fisker said in an interview. "That's why we want to launch here." He expects the U.S. market initially to be the biggest for the vehicle.



Fisker also cited access to Foxconn's supply chain, including semiconductor chips, as an advantage of the partnership.

Fisker is one of a handful of EV startups that have gone public through a reverse merger with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) at a time when U.S. President Joe Biden has called for $174 billion in new spending to boost EVs and charging.

Under the Fisker deal, the companies will jointly invest in "Project PEAR" (Personal Electric Automotive Revolution) and share in any profit. The companies reaffirmed Foxconn will eventually build more than 250,000 vehicles a year for Fisker across multiple sites, with initial production beginning at its U.S. plant in late 2023 which it announced in February.



"We have world-class supply chains in place to support Project PEAR — in particular, securing the reliable delivery of chipsets and semiconductors," Liu said in a statement.

The vehicle type has not been identified by Fisker, but will be based on a new lightweight platform — FP28 — designed by both companies. The five-passenger vehicle, which will be sold globally and is the second model under development, will have a starting price below $30,000 before incentives. Fisker said the vehicle would be described by some as a crossover.

Terms of the deal, which runs seven years, were not disclosed.



Fisker said in December that Canadian auto supplier Magna International Inc would initially manufacture its first vehicle, the Ocean SUV, in Europe. Production is on track to start in the fourth quarter of next year, said Henrik Fisker, who added the Foxconn deal does not affect those plans. Fisker will show the final production version in November at the Los Angeles auto show.

Fisker declined to say who will supply batteries for both vehicles.

Foxconn has ramped up its interest in EVs over the past year or so, including the formation of a joint venture for contract manufacturing with Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Foxconn aims to provide components or services to 10% of the world's EVs by 2025 to 2027, posing a threat to established automakers by allowing technology companies a shortcut to competing in the vehicle market.

Last month, Foxconn, known for making iPhones in China for Apple Inc, drastically scaled back a plan for a $10 billion factory in Wisconsin that was originally announced in 2017 and was supposed to build cutting-edge flat-panel display screens.

Earlier this year, Fisker Inc. and Foxconn announced they were about to revolutionize the EV industry. There was no feigned modesty in the announcement: their vehicle, which they called PEAR, would be revolutionary, high-quality, and very good value for money.

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The name PEAR itself stands for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution, so there is really no mistaking the intent behind it. Whereas, until now, details on how this revolution would be brought about were sketchy, now we know, at the very least, that they have to do with a very low price point. PEAR will be an EV that will sell under $30,000 for the basic model.

The announcement comes via a press release announcing a new deal between Fisker and Foxconn. Car designer Henrik Fisker, founder of Fisker Inc., is teasing a bit more info on his social media, hinting the design is complete and “the next big step in car design.” He doesn’t explain why that is, but he does say it’s “freaking amazing,” so that should do it for the time being.

PEAR comes at the tipping point for electric vehicles. It will usher a new era of affordable EVs due to Foxconn’s experience and connections on the software side and Fisker’s on the automotive side. The plan is to reach a production of 250,000 units, with a start date eyed for late 2023.

Forbes notes that PEAR will start delivery after Fisker’s all-electric, $38,000 SUV Ocean and that it could be produced at a failed LCD panel factory in Wisconsin, as well as at other U.S. and overseas sites. A higher-range version will be offered at a higher price.

“At under $30,000 with stunning design and innovation, we are rethinking the car, both in terms of proportions, design, interior functionality and connected user experience,” Fisker says in the aforementioned press release.

If you’re thinking that’s a lot of big words and very little to show for, you’re probably not alone. A design of PEAR is yet to be revealed, and specifics have not once been mentioned. Until they do, it’s best to take all these “freaking amazing” claims with a tiny grain of salt, just in case.

Resurrected EV builder Fisker announced early Friday that it plans to build an electric Popemobile for Pope Francis based on its forthcoming Ocean EV. Fisker says it will deliver what it is calling the first all-electric papal transport vehicle next year ahead of starting series production of the Ocean.

Fisker says company representatives pitched the idea to the Holy See in a private audience on Thursday. The announcement comes just days after a Biden administration official indicated that electrification of the presidential limousine dubbed "The Beast" is under consideration.



The presentation to His Holiness included the design sketch and renderings above. They're a bit on the quick-and-dirty side, but check out photoshopped Pope Francis in his little pop-up (Pope-up?) roof bubble thingy. D'aww.

"I got inspired reading that Pope Francis is very considerate about the environment and the impact of climate change for future generations," Henrik Fisker said in the announcement. "The interior of the Fisker Ocean papal transport will contain a variety of sustainable materials, including carpets made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean."

For now, this is a one-and-done project; Fisker did not announce plans to supply any additional EVs to the papal fleet. Hey, beats a Dacia Duster, right?

Fisker and Magna have finally signed a binding manufacturing agreement for the Ocean. The electric SUV’s production even has a precise date for starting: November 17, 2022. About one year before that, it will make its official public premiere at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

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The agreement would cover planned volumes for the vehicle, manufacturing costs, quality metrics, the ramp-up to full production, and everything that will allow it to start at $37,499 in the U.S. without government incentives. Not by chance, we are still waiting to see what Joe Biden will change regarding these incentives.

In Germany, where things are not slated to change that much after Angela Merkel is no longer at the helm, the car will cost less than €32,000, including taxes and subsidies, which are pretty generous.

The Fisker Ocean will use a platform called FM29, which is based on Magna’s own electric vehicle platform. That will make it a sibling to the Sony Vision-S when it reaches the market. We have already tried to learn its name with Magna, but the company never disclosed any info about this architecture, possibly because it will never want to have its own car brand.

Fisker plans to manufacture the Ocean with Magna until 2029, which will make it have a lifespan of seven years. The FM29 platform may also give birth to other Fisker vehicles, but the next one will be the Pear (Personal Electric Automotive Revolution).

Curiously, Fisker will manufacture it with Foxconn, with the MIH Open electric car platform. Fisker decided to give the architecture a different name: FP28. The car will be made in the US on a site that is yet to be defined, but it should be very soon if they want to start producing it by Q4 2023. It is a good thing that manufacturing suppliers do not have human feelings like jealousy.

Henrik Fisker's EV start-up will bring a production version of the battery-electric Ocean SUV to the LA auto show this fall, following its first appearance at CES nearly two years ago. Promised with a 300-mile range and a $37,499 starting price, prior to any incentives, the Ocean is slated to be produced by Austria's Magna Steyr starting next fall, using Magna's own EV architecture.


The SUV itself is due to enter production in the fourth quarter of 2022, a timeline from which Fisker has not backed away from since the deal with Magna was announced, with the LA auto show later this year serving as its big debut. Testing of production prototypes is set to start later this year, with the company stating that it has 17,300 paid reservations for the SUV so far in addition to 62,000 hand-raisers, as well as fleet orders from companies including Onto, Viggo, and Credit Agricole Consumer Finance.

"Our reservation and order process was designed from the outset to be transparent, to prioritize quality over quantity and to ensure our stakeholders have confidence in the commitment of our reservation holders," said Fisker Chairman and CEO, Henrik Fisker. "As we get closer to launch, we will be working with our prospective owners to transition their reservations into contracted orders. We have many loyal supporters of the company waiting for their Ocean, and the reservation system is purposely designed to be fair to those who reserve with the intention to ultimately take delivery."



The Ocean has a relatively low planned starting price in its favor, but it remains to be seen whether the company will be able to carve out a niche for itself as a newcomer of sorts (even though it isn’t), after a decade of Tesla sales.

The company also plans to open six Fisker Brand Experience Centers. The first such locations will open their doors in early 2022 in Los Angeles and Munich, with the rest (likely New York, Copenhagen, Miami, and London) scheduled to open in the second half of 2022. The centers are expected to serve as analogues to various company-owned stores launched by a number of other automakers, popularized by Tesla, where customers can experience the Fisker models, talk to vehicle experts, and place orders.

Fisker the company has been on the periphery of EV start-ups the past few years, after briefly offering its Fisker Karma range-extended electric sedan early last decade, starting in 2011. That was a year before the Tesla Model S debuted, and for a brief time the two looked they had about equal chances of success in the marketplace. But just under 2,500 examples of the Karma ended up being produced, with the effort stalling after its battery supplier entered bankruptcy. Since that time, the remains of the Karma project had been bought up by a Chinese industrial giant and rebranded as Karma Automotive, while Henrik Fisker has been plotting a return to the EV game under his own name, a return that imminent for quite some time.

That return began to seem more likely almost a year ago when the company announced that it had reached a deal with Austria's Magna International to produce the Fisker Ocean SUV.

The Ocean will also arrive in a markedly different EV landscape than that of just a few years ago, as the number of competitors in late 2022 will be quite extensive. Just how Fisker will be able to distinguish itself and grab a slice of the EV pie given all the other players that will be in the game by then remains to be seen.

"With less than 500 days to run before we start on-time production of the Fisker Ocean, we are simultaneously focused on crafting our customer journey," Fisker added. "Our brand experience centers will be the primary physical touchpoint for the majority of our prospective customers. Our global rollout plans are focused on the largest metropolitan areas for electric vehicle adoption—and where we can meet the greatest number of our reservation holders."

Fisker has signed a contract with CATL to ensure that the Ocean SUV will have all the batteries it will need when it enters series production in November 2022. The agreement secures Fisker will have more than 5 GWh in battery packs every year until 2025.
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It is not clear why the deal does not extend further in time. The lifespan of most models is six years, double the time covered by the agreement with CATL. The biggest battery supplier in the world will give the Fisker Ocean LFP (lithium iron phosphate) and NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) battery packs.

Tesla also CATL’s LFP cells in the Model 3 and Model Y made in China. They have a lower energy density than NMC or NCA but are cheaper, more robust, prefer to be charged to their total capacity, and are less prone to thermal runaways. CATL once said some of its LFP battery packs could last 2 million kilometers. That’s not the LFP cells it supplies to Tesla, but they could be on the Fisker Ocean.

Regarding the NMC cells, Fisker only said that they will have “very high levels of energy density.” Henrik Fisker tweeted about that and was pretty happy with what CATL will have to offer to his company’s first electric SUV. A while ago, CATL said it had developed cells with 300 Wh/kg. The best NMC and NCA cells currently available deliver around 260 Wh/kg.

Fisker and CATL said they have been working together since 2020 to create these high-energy-dense battery packs. Both chemistry options would be able to cope with 250 kW fast chargers. Considering some 800V can deal with fast chargers with capacities higher than 350 kW, it seems the Ocean will work at lower voltages.

The companies would now be involved with testing and validation of the technology with Ocean’s first prototypes. They are currently working on directly charging the battery pack with the solar cells that will be on the optional solar roof. Magna Steyr will manufacture the Ocean for Fisker in Graz, Austria.

Fisker promised to reveal more information on the Ocean at the LA Auto Show. That’s where the production version of the electric SUV will be presented when the event opens on November 17, 2021, two weeks from now.

Fisker has brought the new Ocean EV to the L.A. Auto Show, with a public preview at Manhattan Beach and a presence at the show itself. You can watch the public show reveal above, and see more shots from the show floor below.

Fisker says the Ocean will start at $37,499 before incentives. That entry model would be the Sport trim with a single, 275-horsepower motor driving the front wheels and 250 miles of estimated range. It also has a 0-60 time of 6.9 seconds.

Moving up to the Ultra version at $49,999 gets dual-motor all-wheel drive, 540 hp, 340 miles of range and a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. The $68,999 Extreme trim gets AWD, 550 hp, 350+ miles of driving range and a 3.6-second 0-60 sprint.





Fisker also touted the previously announced lease program where customers can choose the length of the lease with a monthly price as low as $379 a month. The lease fleet would be in service for twelve years before being completely recycled by Fisker.

The electric ute will feature eco-friendly materials (recycled fishing nets and T-shirts, for instance), a solar roof that can open in a "California Mode," a multi-link rear suspension to help bolster its sporting chops and an aerodynamic system that aims to balance minimizing drag with optimized cooling. We've also already seen a 'Force E' package that would turn the Ocean into a more rugged off-roader for interested fleets.



Today, Fisker also showed the Ocean's rotating infotainment screen, which can be oriented in portrait or landscape mode.

At a sneak preview near the company HQ in Manhattan Beach, Henrik Fisker said the company logo is inspired by an ocean sunset. "That's where the orange and blue come from," he said, "with the two vertical lines symbolizing thee designer's pencil and the engineer's ruler — the tools of our trade. My inspiration for the logo happened on a day very much like this one."

The new affordable EV crossover is scheduled to begin production a year from today at Magna-Steyr's Graz, Austria factory, though Henrik Fisker said the company is moving fast and could possibly deliver units before then.

Fisker have finally brought their fully electric Ocean SUV to Europe, choosing the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as the setting for this debut. Deliveries in the United States, as well as select European and Scandinavian countries, should begin shortly after production kicks off in November of this year.
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In the UK, you’ll have to pay upwards of £34,990 (excluding subsidies) for the entry-level Ocean Sport, which offers a range of 275 miles (442 km). Meanwhile, the flagship spec Ocean Extreme variant can travel for 390 miles (627 km) on a single charge, thanks to its dual-motor AWD setup, featuring three driving modes and a host of innovative safety functions.

“Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is the ideal place to showcase the Fisker Ocean, as our vehicle is full of advanced technology, including over-the-air offerings that we will take to a new level,” said company CEO Henrik Fisker.

“With the Fisker Ocean's combination of performance, value and sustainability, I believe we have a unique electric vehicle with industry-first features, such as California Mode, a 17.1-inch rotating screen and the longest range in our segment.”

“Europe is critical to the company’s success as we work towards building the most sustainable vehicle and starting production in November,” he added.

As of today, 47 Fisker Ocean prototypes are under construction, with the CEO himself having reviewed their development just last week. The EV-maker is developing a comprehensive European strategy, which includes establishing an office in Munich, but also building a brand experience center in Germany, with other European countries to follow.

Last year, Fisker created its Magic Works division in England, a branch that will develop special edition variants of the company’s vehicles, alongside other various projects.

If you fancy yourself a potential Ocean buyer, you should know the EV comes with an industry-leading basic warranty of six years / 100,000 km (62,000 miles), a powertrain warranty of 10 years / 160,000 km, and a battery warranty of 10 years / 160,000 km (99,400 miles)

Fisker’s CEO is nobody else than Henrik Fisker. The company is set to bring two new EVs to the market, even though there were a couple of problems regarding supply chains, production, and costs. The executive is positive about meeting the deadlines.
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The crazy-looking, fashionable, and not very successful Fisker Karma was a statement that showed the car market is yet to be saturated. Like Tesla’s first Roadster, the Karma was also a test. In the end, it showed the company could make something and it could deliver the product. Unfortunately, Fisker Automotive didn’t manage to rise to expectations. The product flopped – badly.

The rear wheel-driven plug-in hybrid car with a solar roof, speakers instead of tailpipes, and a range extender was made in Finland, but the U.S. government still helped the entity with a small loan of $200 million. The public officials really wanted to help up-and-coming automakers with their green initiatives. The Karma was such a bad car that Fisker Automotive went bankrupt in 2013 because of it.

But nothing will stop someone that believes in their mission. Fisker Inc. (NYSE: FSR) is the rightful successor of Fisker Automotive. Now it will bring the Ocean and the PEAR – two all-electric vehicles that use the popular crossover shape to attract as many customers as possible.

The Fisker Ocean is made in Austria, even though the company says it is American. Contract manufacturing is popular nowadays, and Magna Steyr is already a key player in this space. Better do it with someone that knows their business rather than kickstarting something that’s not going to work in the end.

While on a podcast with Jason Stein, CEO Henrik Fisker confirmed the automaker is ready to start deliveries, as scheduled, in November. This will happen in the U.S. and in other select countries in Europe as well. There were over 31,000 pre-orders for the Ocean when we last checked, so it’s going to be interesting to see if Fisker will manage to outrun Rivian in the delivery department.

The CEO also thinks the auto industry is still one of the most “underestimated industries in the world in terms of complexity and costs.” He says that the bankruptcy episode taught him what matters most when it comes to success in the automotive sector. The man explains supply chains are extremely important and says cash is vital. He also admits Fisker was too early in the market with the Karma.

Unlike other manufacturers, Fisker Ocean still has a starting cost of $37,499 while offering a bold look, useful technology, a range of 250 mi (402 km), and a front-wheel drive architecture, while the most expensive version, the Fisker Ocean Extreme comes with 350 mi (563 km) of range, a revolving infotainment screen, and all-wheel-drive.

The Karma is still made today by a Chinese company. It’s called the Karma Revero GT.

Henrik Fisker thinks Tesla got almost everything right, including the changing customers’ perception about how a car should be delivered to a buyer and how the vehicle should perform during the ownership. The executive discreetly points out people expect less and pay more nowadays.
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Henrik Fisker was invited to a podcast with Jason Stein where he touched on a variety of topics. The man was also asked by the host what he thinks of Tesla, and he gave an unscripted answer that shows what most people from the auto industry think about Elon Musk’s company.

Fisker says he watched Tesla closely along the years and witnessed firsthand how everyone was calling for the company’s bankruptcy and… It never happened. He’s confident the EV maker is at the epicenter of a seismic shift in the automotive space but also underlines some key changes that took place over the years.

The man thinks the future of personal transport will be about “who has the right products,” not the most products. Fisker believes enticing the customer will play a major role in the success of EV manufacturers, as the cult-like following developed around Tesla and its leader showed.

“Clearly Tesla has shown that despite the quality and service issues, people are still buying the cars and the company's products still get the highest consumer ratings,” said the CEO while pointing out that cars shouldn’t behave like aging smartphones. He thinks Tesla played the market extremely well and understood that customers aren’t as sensitive about certain car issues as they were ten years ago. Buyers accept some problems just to experience new technologies first and don't worry that much about software reliability.

Henrik Fisker even says he’s confident carmakers will even out at some point in terms of build quality because some aspects that mattered the most in the past are now almost irrelevant. For the time being, everything remains dynamic.

The executive is also anticipating that in the next five to seven years most legacy automakers won’t find themselves in the most successful section any longer, while up and coming entities will easily take their spots. He attributes this shift to Tesla’s way of interacting with customers, something that nearly all relevant stakeholders witnessed when Lucid and Rivian came to fruition and adopted almost the same business model.

Henrik Fisker is the CEO of Fisker Inc, the company that follows in the path of the defunct Fisker Automotive. Now the CEO and his new company are ready to follow through with a new crossover EV that borrowed some ideas from the Fisker Karma and improved them.

If you don’t know the executive, then you should keep in mind that before the Karma was a thing, he worked for BMW where he designed the Z8, and for Aston Martin where he envisioned the DB9 and the V8 Vantage. The Danish-American designer knows his stuff and he’s not giving up on the dream to make his own all-electric car. That’s why Fisker Ocean and PEAR are coming soon, despite what happened in the last couple of years.

​​​​​​Fisker Automotive is finally spotlighting a feature that got talked about at the global debut of the Ocean SUV at last year's L.A. Auto Show, but we didn't see in action. It's called Revolve, and does just that to the Ocean's 17.1-inch infotainment screen. Vertical orientation is called Control Mode, when occupants are using the screen for all of the typical infotainment purposes. At what we imagine is the press of a button, the screen rotates 90 degrees clockwise to enter what's referred to as Hollywood Mode, wherein its 16:9 aspect ratio would make it ideal for watching movies and playing games. Screen sounds get piped through a 16-speaker audio system. The cinematic rotation can only be had while parked, we're told.

Buyers who want the presto-change-o viewing options might need to step to the top of the Fisker Ocean range; we know Revolve will come standard on the top Extreme trim. It will also be included with the Ocean One, but that model is limited to the first 5,000 units built. The series production Extreme starts at $68,999 before destination, comes with a dual-motor AWD powertrain putting out 550 horsepower, and is expected to get more than 350 miles on a charge. It's unclear at the moment whether the entry-level Ocean Sport and midgrade Ocean Ultra will offer Revolve as an option.

When in Control Mode, the screens will be running a custom infotainment software Fisker is developing with Japan's Sharp Corporation, running on screens developed just for Fisker's line of vehicles. The company said, "Our collaboration with Sharp is set to create exciting new automotive display systems, featuring innovative backlight solutions to improve illumination without increasing power consumption – in addition to class-leading resolution, bezels, and design."

The Ocean is slated to enter production at a Magna Steyr facility in Austria in November. If history is a guide, initial deliveries will prioritize more expensive reservations.

Fisker confirmed that only 5,000 reservation holders will be able to pre-order the Ocean. The lucky ones that will go through with the buying process will receive the Ocean One – a limited and properly numbered edition of the much-anticipated all-electric SUV. Here’s what you need to know.
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Even though the economy is not looking like it’s going to head in the right direction anytime soon, Fisker decided to not break its promise. The automaker that made a comeback for the EV era is now sending out an invitation to 5,000 lucky reservation holders. If you’re among those that made the first step early, then something might soon arrive in your electronic mailbox.

Fisker confirmed that it has sent out the first invitations. The company is taking its time with the process. It wants to see who responds and who doesn’t. E-mails are sent to specific groups. The automaker wants to make sure that the 5,000 Ocean One units will go to those that are ready to pull the trigger and agree to a pre-order.

The process of finding 5,000 reservation holders that will want to go further with the acquisition and be patient about the delivery is happening in groups. Thus, if you didn’t receive an invitation yet, just wait a couple of days or weeks. It’s entirely possible many early reservation holders will give up and you’ll be able to replace them.

The Fisker Ocean One is presenting itself as a fully loaded all-electric SUV. It includes a special digital signature unique for each of the 5,000 vehicles, a cool badge, 22-inch three-spoke wheels with aerodynamic design, and an eco-friendly MaliBlu interior made from recycled plastic bottles and polymers. It will also include a rotating infotainment screen!

Customers that want to pay for a pre-order must be ready for a price tag of $68,999. Unfortunately, this sum is so low because it does not include delivery, finance, and governmental costs. Moreover, maintenance isn’t part of the deal. The manufacturer will also offer customers the opportunity to customize the SUV as it gets closer to production. All this means that, in the end, almost nobody will pay $68,999 – it will be a lot more than this.

All the 5,000 Fisker Ocean One models will be consecutively numbered. The company is moving away from the confusing strategy previously used by carmakers like BMW or Mercedes. They won’t use “1/5000.” You’ll know exactly the number of your special, zero-emission SUV.

If you’re still excited, then make sure you have access to your e-mail and the $250 reservation made almost three years ago. The process began in late 2019 and it will continue for at least six more months.

Fisker recently confirmed at the Deutsche Bank 2022 Global Auto Industry Conference that it has 51,000 reservations for the Ocean SUV. Production is scheduled to begin in November this year at Magna Steyr’s facility in Austria where they hope to have an output of at least 40,000 units per year.

Fisker’s CEO said the company won’t change the price for the first 40,000 reservation holders that will go through with pre-ordering an Ocean.

EV startup Fisker indicated this week that it is on track to begin production of the Ocean SUV later this fall, and that it is now in the testing and validation phase for its latest electric model.

Austrian auto manufacturer and supplier giant Magna, which will build the SUV under contract, has completed 55 prototypes and is building more, with a number of prototypes on the way to Michigan for powertrain, ADAS, and safety tests.

"The prototype quality still needs improvement before we hit serial production, as several parts are early released prototype parts, but it gives us the time to do even more refinement," said Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker. "I want the Fisker Ocean to be a top-quality product when it reaches our first paying customers, which means diligent fine-tuning until the first production SUVs run off the line on November 17. With strong demand for our vehicles, we look forward to the next phase of our exciting growth plan.”

The company says all 5000 first-run units of the electric ute have already sold out, with the number of reservations eclipsing 56,000.

"This is a historic moment, where thousands of customers committed $5000 for a vehicle many have only seen in pictures, demonstrating our customers' excitement for the Fisker Ocean vehicle and the value proposition of our brand and product," the CEO added.

Just like other EV makers, Fisker will give priority to the launch-edition model dubbed Ocean One, which will be followed by the Fisker Ocean Extreme trim.
"Throughout 2023, Fisker will prioritize and manufacture all Fisker Ocean One and Extreme orders, with additional capacity then allocated to Fisker Ocean Ultra and Sport trims," Fisker added.

The Ocean will be built in Graz, Austria, while another manufacturing partner, Foxconn, has recently wrapped up the purchase of the former GM plant in Ohio where it plans to produce the Fisker Pear—one of the company's next models—which is promised to land with a starting price below $30,000.

Production of the Pear is slated to begin in 2024 on an all-new platform dubbed SLV1. The automaker says that once production gets going, Foxconn and Fisker plan to produce at least 250,000 units of the Pear each year, an ambitious goal for the two companies—one of which is new to auto manufacturing. Foxconn will use the same plant to build the Lordstown Endurance pickup before Pear production begins.

Fisker indicated that it had $891.5 million as of June 30, as it approaches the start of production, while losses from operations in the second quarter totaled $88.7 million, out of a net loss of $106 million in the same time period. Rapid cash burn is common as startups approach the production phase, though in this case, Fisker doesn't have to worry all that much about actual production, as Magna, with decades of auto manufacturing experience, will be building the SUV.

As a result, Fisker and Magna should be able to avoid the various production bottlenecks and snafus that have plagued other EV makers such as Tesla and Lucid, which had built up their own manufacturing footprints from scratch.

CEO Henrik Fisker of startup electric automaker Fisker Inc. has been keeping reservation holders and the media apprised of his intent to keep Ocean EV production and deliveries on track as promised. Each time we get a new report, it seems the electric crossover will begin production on time, though now we've learned that Fisker aims to deliver EVs with key features missing, most of which are safety-related.

Being that Fisker is a startup automaker and its CEO has a storied past related to the segment, keeping reservation holders and the media happy by meeting timelines is arguably paramount. Fisker may not be able to afford to have its reputation tarnished by long delays.

That said, most automakers are currently dealing with delays, especially related to their electrified products. Moreover, other brands have had to deliver cars with certain parts or features temporarily missing or removed entirely. There's been a chip shortage and supply-chain constraints hanging over the industry ever since the COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world.
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At any rate, Fisker says Ocean production will officially begin next week, on November 17, 2022, at the Magna Steyr assembly factory in Graz, Austria. The launch edition Ocean One will arrive for delivery without blind spot monitoring, lane keep assistance, and automatic high beams. However, the company says it will add the features very soon, in early 2023.

Other popular but less crucial features, such as cruise control, lane centering assist, and traffic jam assist won't come until at least late 2023. In addition, Fisker's Power Bank vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-vehicle charging technologies are still reportedly about two years out.

CEO Fisker made it clear that getting Ocean EVs into owners' driveways is key, and, regardless of the missing features, the crossovers will have multiple unique features that aren't available in rivals' models. He also added the over-the-air software updates will make adding features at a later date much more simple than it was in the past.

Fisker went on to highlight the Ocean's special features, including the solar roof, California mode, and Revolver. The solar roof can add up to 2,000 miles of range annually in the best conditions. California mode provides an instant "open-air" situation with the push of a button (rolling down all the windows and opening the solar roof). Revolver refers to the Ocean's 17.1-inch rotating display.

The CEO also claimed that the Ocean will have more range than any vehicle in its class, at an estimated 350 miles. Interestingly, CEO Fisker went on to say that he doesn't like cruise control, so perhaps many drivers won't be bothered by the missing advanced driver-assist systems. He shared:

"There's also, quite frankly, a lot of customers that may not care about it, so why wait to launch the vehicle? And you know you're going to maybe get it three months, six months, nine months later."

Fisker made a big splash today during its Product Vision Day 2023 event by revealing four new electric vehicles that will join the Ocean SUV in the next couple of years.

Taking center stage during its live event was the Ronin flagship electric supercar with 600 miles of range. It would be a "technology carrier" for showcasing innovations. Additionally, Fisker also revealed the Pear compact electric hatchback for the masses, Alaska pickup truck, and an adventure pack for the Ocean called the Force E.

The brand also revealed its new supercomputer that will debut on the Pear. Reservations are open for all the models listed below.

Fisker Pear

The most anticipated reveal was arguably the Pear, which is an abbreviation for "Personal Electric Automotive Revolution." CEO Henrik Fisker stated that the compact EV will start at $29,000 and be eligible for federal incentives, which would drop the price to $22,400 dollars.

The US-made EV will ride on the SLV1 platform, an abbreviation for simple, versatile, and volume. It's a "steel plus plus" platform and uses 35 percent fewer parts. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive EV will get a range of around 300 miles. But don't expect it to appear on American roads anytime soon. Fisker said the launch timeline is mid-2025.

We can see several design highlights of the Pear, including ultra-slim headlamps, an illuminated Pear logo, radar sensors, and a faux grille upfront reminiscent of the Ocean. The version displayed also had cameras in place of wing mirrors.



Cool design elements at the rear include a wraparound LED taillamp and what the brand calls the "Houdini trunk." Its opening mechanism is unlike anything we've seen previously – it rolls down and disappears into the rear bumper, which Fisker says could be immensely useful in getting items in and out easily when cars are parked closely on tight city streets.

That said, Fisker will offer the Pear in five- and six-seat configurations, with the latter getting a bench seat upfront to sit three abreast. The brand plans to sell one million units of the Pear annually but stopped short of mentioning the timeline for that target.

The CEO said that the Pear is aimed towards "digital natives" who are looking for an affordable electric utility vehicle.

Fisker Ronin

Another exciting reveal is the Ronin, which the brand calls the world's first four-door convertible. The hand-built EV will flaunt a carbon fiber hardtop and availability will be limited. Its silhouette is somewhat of an ode to the Fisker Karma, the brand's first-ever vehicle that launched in 2012 and was soon discontinued.



The future Tesla Roadster rival appears striking with its low-slung stance, full-width front headlamps with an embedded illuminated Fisker brand logo, sculpted wheel arches, and scissor doors. To maximize aerodynamic efficiency, it will have active aero flaps as well. Moreover, it has four doors and is a five-seater.
The electric luxury GT will have a cell-to-chassis battery, eliminating packs and modules, which would enable 600 miles of range. The all-wheel-drive EV will feature a tri-motor set-up and deliver an output of over 1000 horsepower, with a 0-60 miles per hour time of just 2 seconds.

The Ronin is expected to launch in the US by the end of 2025.

Fisker Alaska

Fisker will enter the fast-growing electric pickup truck space with the Alaska. The electric truck market is currently occupied by the likes of the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, Hummer EV, and the Chevrolet Silverado. Fisker claims that the Alaska will be the world's most sustainable and lightest truck.



It is built on the FT31 platform, a modified and stretched Ocean platform, said the CEO. It will slot somewhere between a compact and a mid-size pickup truck.

At first glance, the electric truck appears to have the silhouette of a Hyundai Santa Cruz – its raked C-pillar slopes into the bed, and the design is an evolution of the Ocean SUV. The Alaska has a 4.5-foot bed, which extends to 7.5 feet – partly thanks to another "Houdini trunk," which in this application is a midgate that completely rolls down.
With the rolled-down midgate and an opened trunk gate, the bed's length increases to 9.6 feet. Customers will also be able to fold the rear seats flat, and open up additional room. Fisker's focus on extracting maximum space with quirky tricks like the Houdini trunk is pretty remarkable.

The expected driving range is between 230 to 340 miles, and it's likely to use the Ocean's battery and power units. The SUV gets a maximum range of 440 miles on the WLTP cycle, thanks to 113 kilowatt hours of battery capacity.

The CEO demonstrated how the truck's center console houses the world's largest cup holder, which appeared to house a one-gallon bottle. Another quirky feature is a "cowboy hat holder" above the rear seats, alongside the usual suite of features like California mode that we've already seen on the Ocean.

The Fisker Alaska price will be $45,400 before incentives, and will likely qualify for the federal tax credit that could drop its starting price to $37,900. The production version is expected to roll out in December 2024.

Fisker Force E

The brand also unveiled an adventure ready Ocean called the Force E. It rolled on the stage draped in a matt-black paint, with chunky 33-inch off-road tires and 21-inch aluminum aero wheels, extra wide fenders, and a massive roof rack. The Force E is an add-on package that even existing Ocean customers and reservation holders can buy.

Additionally, it packs the usual suite of off-road features that adventure junkies would expect, including higher ground clearance, a protective underbody plate, structural front and rear skid plates, along with special dampers and improved approach and departure angles. The package will be available in Q1 2024, and pricing will be revealed closer to that time frame.

Blade Supercomputer

Interestingly, the Pear's brain will essentially be a supercomputer called Blade. The supercomputer looks like a tiny box but appears to pack a lot of capability. It can deliver an insane computing speed of 6.2 teraflops. For reference, one teraflop can deliver one trillion floating point operations per second.

It's upgradeable and supports multiple functions like 5G, Wifi, and multi-gigabit ethernet – Fisker says it will be a mini data center on wheels. The Ocean's architecture uses eight primary domain controllers, while the Pear will use just two high-performance controllers, said the brand during the event.

Another notable aspect is that the supercomputer will enable high-quality graphics renderings and artificial intelligence capabilities which can "predict failures before they occur."
Fisker is still a new brand, and it still hasn't fulfilled production promises for the Ocean, its first BEV. The brand missed production targets for both Q1 and Q2 2023, while its operational losses continue to mount. Its Q1 2023 net losses equaled $120 million. With three new EVs on the horizon, it's likely an uphill task for the company to ramp up production and make the new products a reality.