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Fisker earnings call touts the Ocean's arrival, teases the Pear

Henrik Fisker's on his third go as head of an independent carmaker. It started with Fisker Coachbuild, putting new bodies on German sports cars to create the Tramonto and Latigo. His dreams soon went electric with Fisker Automotive and the Karma. The latest dream revision birthed Fiker Inc, the company behind the Ocean. Based on details provided during the company's Q4 and full-year 2022 results call with analysts, the third time could well and truly be the charm. The bullet points are a startup's dream. There are 56 Ocean prototypes on the roads, 15 of them in partner Magna Steyr's fleet for daily testing and validation. Fisker Inc spent less money than expected in 2022 ($702 million) and has more cash on hand than expected. And if things go smoothly in 2023, the predicted spend and gross margin could leave Fisker Inc with "potentially positive EBITDA [Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization] for 2023." Huge if it happens. If there's slightly mixed news, it's with the Q1 2023 timeline. The good bit is that Fisker says homologation programs in the U.S. and seven European countries are "progressing well," the processes expected to conclude in March. After that, the company needs to secure final regulatory approvals from the U.S. EPA, California's Air Resources Board, and the seven international regions. Fisker touted the broad market strategy as lowering risk since getting approved in multiple markets would give the company the option to go where demand is greatest. The target has been to get the first 300 Ocean units delivered by the end of March, Fisker saying the company secured supplier commitments for the quarterly and annual build schedules. With the amount of paperwork yet to be done, though, hitting the March deadline could be close. After that, according to the CEO, it's back to uncut good news. Those homologation programs have apparently shown ranges better than expected for the Ocean. Instead of the 350-mile range predicted on the U.S. regime, Fisker thinks "it's going to be closer to 360 [miles]." Instead of the Europe's WLTP prediction of 630 kilometers, he said, "I think this will be closer to 700."  As of the end of February, the company is sitting on roughly 65,000 reservations or orders for the Ocean. The goal is to manufacture 42,000 units this year, the ramp-up going from 300 in Q1 to 8,000 in Q2, more than 15,000 in Q3, and at least 19,000 in Q4.

Fisker Ronin previewed as electric four-door, four-seater convertible

Fisker plans to expand its range of electric vehicles with a four-door, four-seater convertible called Ronin. The model is being engineered to have "the world's longest range for a production EV," according to the company, and a new digital rendering gives us a better look at it. Published on the official Fisker website, the computer-generated preview image shows a convertible with a futuristic-looking front end that's characterized by a light strip made up of individual LEDs. There's no grille, which isn't surprising for an electric vehicle, but it looks like designers chiseled air intakes into the lower part of the front bumper. McLaren-like dihedral front doors and massive wheels add a touch of drama to the design. We don't know how the rear doors open yet, and Fisker hasn't released images of the Ronin's rear end or interior yet. Earlier in 2022, company founder Henrik Fisker pledged that the Ronin will offer 660 miles of driving range when tested on the WLTP cycle used in Europe. While the convertible's EPA-estimated range will undoubtedly be lower, even a 500-mile range would be an impressive figure. We don't know how Fisker plans to achieve that yet. In terms of specifications, all that's been announced is that the Ronin will offer "extremely high levels of performance" and serve as "a showcase for [Fisker's] internal engineering, powertrain and software capabilities." It's being developed by Magic Works, a United Kingdom-based division tasked with bringing special high-end projects to production. If everything goes according to plan, Fisker will unveil the Ronin as a close-to-production concept in August 2023 and will begin building the model the following year, according to Motor Authority. Pricing will reportedly start under $200,000. In the meantime, the company will continue developing a smaller, far more affordable, and Foxconn-built EV called Pear that's allegedly due out by the end of 2024. Green Fisker Convertible Electric

Fisker Pear shows up in L.A. in video and pics

With the Fisker Ocean running down production lines at Magna's plant in Graz, Austria, Henrik Fisker has decided to let the Pear out the play. The Fisker Pear will be the second car introduced to the lineup, expected to happen sometime around late 2024. The CEO said he was going to take it out for a drive in L.A., and someone caught the hatchback crossing the new 6th Street Viaduct Bridge last Friday morning. This week, a prototype dressed in the same camouflage and bright green 22-inch Slipstream wheels was caught parked in an L.A. alley, giving us an even better look.  This one's dubbed a battery-electric city car for a global audience, its name an acronym for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution. Said to challenge cars like the Volkswagen ID.3 in international markets, the Pear is actually sized like a subcompact crossover. Length is given as 4.55 meters or 179.1 inches. That's 12 inches longer than the ID.3, 9.5 inches longer than the Chevrolet Bolt EUV, half an inch longer than the 2024 Chevy Trax. A series of patent application drawings at Fiskerati give glimpses into novel features, one of them being a drawer that emerges from the front fascia, the other being a hatch that partially disappears into the bumper. The steel chassis debuting with the Pear will eventually support two more vehicles. That platform can hold one of two batteries on offer, one for local city duty, and a Hyper Range pack with an estimated 310 miles of range. Fisker has announced a price of $29,900 for the base version with the smaller battery, but we imagine it's going to be hard to hold the line on that until the Pear goes on sale. The key to making it work is keeping the parts count low, and maximizing manufacturing efficiency. The automaker hired a production exec from BMW's South Carolina facility to oversee plans at the Foxconn facility where the Pear will be built, the target being 250,000 per year by 2025. Fisker wants the Pear to get Fisker Automotive to 1 million sales by 2027. Last we heard, Fisker said it had 5,000 reservations for the little guy. Now that it's out and about, we should see and learn more soon.

Fisker Ocean enters production this week without some ADAS features

At the beginning of the year, Henrik Fisker said his eponymous company anticipated the Ocean battery-electric crossover entering production in November, first deliveries happening in early 2023. In the latest update during the Q3 earnings call with analysts, Fisker said everything is on track, the Ocean expected to start rolling down the production line at Magna Steyr's facility in Graz, Austria on November 17. If that happens, then dealers would be handing over the first sets of keys to retail customers next February. Hitting the milestones might be a bigger pick-me-up for Fisker than the customers, showing the longtime design executive may finally have the right team in place to become a successful auto executive. There will be some hiccups, however. Automotive News reports the first Oceans will be delivered without some software features because Fisker doesn't want to delay production while the coding is sorted. Most of the omissions are from Fisker Intelligent Pilot, the advanced driver assistance suite. Affected units will not have automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assistance, which the company hopes to add with an over-the-air update early next year. Based on the production timeline, that could mean only the Fisker Ocean One, limited to 5,000 units and built into Q2 of next year, will be affected. Lane centering and traffic-jam assist are anticipated to come at the end of 2023. Cruise control is another casualty, unavailable until later next year. Fisker told Autonews he believes "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." Based on the analyst call, Fisker Automotive is prepping for the trials of homologation in Europe and the U.S., and wants to do as much as possible at once instead of doing piecemeal software certifications. Delivering vehicles without certain software-enabled features that will be added later shouldn't surprise anyone. Volkswagen did the same with the ID.3 launch. Meanwhile, the chip shortage convinced legacy OEMs to sell cars without features that couldn't be added later.   Fisker's production ramp-up for 2023 intends for Magna to build more than 300 units in Q1, more than 8,000 units in Q2, more than 15,000 units in Q3, and at least 19,100 units in Q4, making a total of 42,400 Oceans. As mentioned, the first 5,000 will be the Ocean One.

Fisker Ocean to be sold in India, Pear could be built there

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Fisker says it will begin selling its Ocean electric sport-utility vehicle (SUV) in India next July and could begin manufacturing its cars locally within a few years, the company's chief executive officer told Reuters. Sales of electric cars in India will increase by 2025-26, Henrik Fisker said in an interview in New Delhi, adding that the company wants to secure a first-mover advantage. "Ultimately, India will go full electric. It may not go as fast as the U.S., China or Europe, but we want to be one of the first ones to come in here," Fisker said. Electric cars currently make up just 1% of India's roughly 3 million annual car sales, with insufficient charging infrastructure and high battery costs partly to blame for the slow shift. The government, which wants to increase this share to 30% by 2030, is offering companies billions of dollars in incentives to build their EVs and associated parts locally. Tesla put its India entry plans on hold after failing to secure a lower import tariff for its cars. Like Fisker, it first wanted to import vehicles to test the market before committing to local manufacturing. While Fisker admitted it is "very expensive" to import vehicles into India, the company wants to use the Ocean to build its brand, with its premium pricing likely to limit numbers, he said. The Ocean retails at around $37,500 in the United States but importing it to India would add logistics costs and a 100% import tax. That would put it out of reach of most buyers in a market where the bulk of cars sold are priced under $15,000. "Ultimately, if you want to have somewhat of a larger volume in India, you almost have to start building a vehicle here or at least do some assembly," Fisker said. The company's next EV, the smaller Pear pictured in a rendering above, is being considered for production in India but not before 2026, he said. "If we can get that vehicle just below $20,000 locally in India, that would be ideal. Then I think we'll get to a certain volume and market share," he said, adding that if they find the right local partner the timeline could be shorter. To set up a plant in India would require volume of at least 30,000 to 40,000 cars a year, Fisker said. He did not directly comment on the size of investment the company considered necessary, but said that to set up a plant with an annual production capacity of 50,000 cars would likely cost $800 million in India.

10 electric cars we’re excited are coming soon

If you were considering buying an electric vehicle a couple years ago, we wouldn't fault you for thinking your options were limited, both in terms of quantity and quality. You just might not have been able to find an electric car that would suit your needs, lifestyle or budget. With the newest generation of EVs that have launched in the past year or two, your options have changed — and improved — dramatically. If you still don't see an EV you like, just wait a little while longer. It won't take long. There are a whole lot more on the horizon, and the problem may soon be in narrowing down your options. To give you an example, here are 10 electric vehicles we're excited about that you'll be able to buy very soon, from GM, from Germany, from Japan and more. Some of these will be available by the end of the year, and all are expected to launch by the end of 2023. The Chevy trio: 2024 Blazer EV, Equinox EV and Silverado EV GM is stepping into the future with strong footing. Following high-end electric launches from GMC (Hummer EV) and Cadillac (Lyriq), Chevrolet is bringing three electric vehicles with familiar nameplates. The 2024 Chevy Blazer EV (above left) will offer a number of versions, starting with the 2LT and RS trims in the summer of 2023, followed by the 557-horsepower SS in the fall and the base 1LT in early 2024. The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV (above right) will go on sale in fall 2023 as a limited-edition model, with volume sales ramping up in 2024, with a base cost of “around $30,000.” For those who prefer a bed to a liftgate, the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV is an electric pickup that looks more like the old Chevy Avalanche than the current Silverado. The WT (work truck) trim launches in fall 2023, while the 664-horsepower RST will follow in 2024. Read more: 5 new electric car companies coming in 2023 and beyond 2023 BMW i7 BMW revealed the all-electric 2023 i7 luxury sedan alongside the gas-powered 7 Series. It should go on sale before the end of 2022. The i7 xDrive60 will be the only variant, with its two motors providing a total of 536 horsepower and 549 pound-feet of torque, and its battery expected to offer a range of about 300 miles. Just like its internal combustion counterpart, this full-size sedan wonÂ’t come cheap, with the i7 starting at $120,295. 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Following the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and Genesis GV60, the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 will be the fourth car using Hyundai GroupÂ’s E-GMP electric car architecture.

5 new electric car companies coming in 2023 and beyond

It’s an exciting time in the automotive world as the industry shifts to electric vehicles at a rapid pace. With the changes, there are opportunities for new automakers to get traction and join the EV frenzy. Tesla did it over a decade ago, and now, a handful of well-funded startups hope to take on legacy automakers with new and innovative EV models. To help you make sense of the market, weÂ’ve outlined some more promising EV upstarts that weÂ’ll see in the next couple of years. LetÂ’s get rolling with our list of new EV automakers weÂ’ll see soon. VinFast VinFast is a Vietnamese automaker with headquarters in Singapore. ItÂ’s the first brand from the company to sell in other countries. The company says it will open dozens of dealerships in the U.S. by the end of 2022, though all will be in California. Two models will be available when the automaker launches in the U.S.: VF 8 and VF 9. VinFast will offer a unique battery subscription service that separates the cost of the vehicle and the battery. Read more: How Vietnam's VinFast wants to reach America's EV mainstream Read more: VinFast plans competitive pricing* to win over U.S. EV market (batteries not included)   Fisker Henrik Fisker, the guy who designed the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin DB9, didnÂ’t have the best luck with his first self-named automotive company in the 2000s. The Fisker Karma he created during that time lived on as the Karma Revero and now the Karma GS-6, but the original Fisker Automotive is long defunct. The auto design genius is back with another company bearing his name, though this time itÂ’s sleek electric vehicles heÂ’s designing, not futuristic plug-in executive sedans. The Fisker Ocean will be first out of the gate and is expected to start production in late 2022, and it's expected to be followed by the low-cost and unique Fisker Pear. Read more: All our coverage of the Fisker brand   Canoo CanooÂ’s vehicles look as funky as its name sounds, but that uniqueness has made the company hard to forget. That said, Canoo has had its share of management disputes and challenges getting products off the ground. The automaker plans to release a van, a pickup truck, and a boxy delivery van that looks like itÂ’s made from Legos. CanooÂ’s van and truck feature a unique cab-over design that places the driver and front passenger over the front axle rather than behind it. The look is similar to old-school semi-trucks and school buses and is unlike anything else on the road.

Fisker wants $5,000 nonrefundable downpayment to buy Ocean One

In a March press release, Fisker Automotive said it had surpassed 40,000 reservations for its Ocean SUV and would "open pre-order reservations for the limited-edition Fisker Ocean One on July 1, 2022, due to anticipated demand." Later in the same release, CEO Henrik Fisker said, "Our goal is to be completely transparent with our customers. ... We don’t want reservation holders who expect to purchase a Fisker Ocean One to be disappointed, so we are providing them now with the opportunity to secure their vehicle." Those anticipating the chance to buy an Ocean One might not have been disappointed by the e-mail Fisker sent this week, but they certainly would have been surprised. As reported by Electrek, turns out the offer of "pre-order reservations" was actually an invitation to pay a $5,000 nonrefundable downpayment for an Ocean One. As in, this isn't a reservation, this is the beginning of the purchase process, and a change of heart won't get the money back.   We need to make three things clear. First, this only applies to the limited-edition, $69,000 Ocean One. Shoppers interested in the serial production Ocean are fine with their $250 deposit. Second, Fisker isn't the first EV maker to ask a healthy four-figure deposit. When Lucid unveiled the production version of the Air, it took reservations from $300 to $7,5000 depending on trim. Of course, the key difference is that all of Lucid's reservations were refundable. Third, it's not like there aren't thousands of people buying cars sight-unseen nowadays. GMC Hummer EV and Ford F-150 Lightning buyers reserved, then paid for, then laid eyes on their rigs. And between the herds of car flippers and shoppers just trying to get the new vehicle they want, folks are not only buying sight unseen online, they're driving hundreds of miles to do it. With that out of the way, let's say we still think this is an, ahem, gutsy move on Fisker's part. Established automakers with a century of production knowledge and gold-plated supplier relationships can't get vehicles built in a timely manner. Nascent EV makers like the aforementioned Lucid, as well as Rivian, are more likely to announce production cuts or delays than a production milestone. Case in point, Fisker planned to have its contracted Ocean builder, Magna, running the Ocean down lines at the end of last year.

Fisker Pear interior teased, shows airy, minimal cabin

Henrik Fisker is back on Instagram, this time with his Pear. The CEO teased the interior of the coming compact electric vehicle that will double Fisker Automotive's lineup after the Ocean goes on sale later this year. The Pear, an acronym for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution, wants to melt the hearts and open the wallets of city dwellers looking for minimalist urban transport with elevated design at minimal cost. Based on the interior rendering, such buyers will get a good look at their cities out of the Pear thanks to tall, wraparound windows. The curved A-pillar intrigues us. Aerodynamic necessity has made EV windshields terrifically narrow because they're raked so steeply, and the tops of instrument panels shockingly lengthy. An upright-looking windshield on a curt IP would be a novelty in an EV. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Elsewhere, there's the SolarSky panoramic roof that's expected to contribute to range. The Pear could drop the Ocean's second gauge cluster screen, putting everything on the central infotainment monitor held aloft from the dash. There seems to be heaps of ambient lighting, notably on the declining forward edge of the center tunnel. It's all simple and bold. What we can't see is the "Houdini trunk" behind the back bench, claimed to be a new concept in storage that will "offer a new level of storage for its segment." We could begin to find out how this looks in real life later this year. Fisker said prototypes might hit the road ahead of schedule, before 2022 is out. The retail version isn't slated for production until 2024 at this point, in the Lordstown, Ohio plant that Foxconn owns. When that happens, we've been promised two battery sizes powering single- and dual-motor powertrains. The larger battery is called the Hyper Range unit, aiming at more than 300 miles on a charge. Fisker's caption said, "We are currently working full speed on re-defining how to make an inexpensive car. Reducing parts, make them simpler." If all goes to plan, the entry-level version will cost $29,000 before incentives. That's a shockingly low price right now, never mind in two years. The company says it as 3,200 reservations so far for the Pear, and more than 50,000 for the Ocean. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Fisker Ocean shows its Revolve infotainment screen

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.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Henrik Fisker interview, and driving the Polestar 2 | Autoblog Podcast #643