2012 Fisker Karma Eco Standard Sedan * Only 6,604 Miles * 403hp Hybrid on 2040-cars

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Henrik Fisker: No 'final conclusion' yet in Foxconn deal

Two years ago, EV startup Fisker seemed to have hooked a giant when it announced a deal with Taiwanese iPhone maker Foxconn to build a sub-$30,000 crossover in the United States. It turns out that deal hasn't been finalized, according to comments Fisker founder and CEO Henrik Fisker made during an interview with TechCrunch. "In the Foxconn deal specifically, we don't yet have a final conclusion to this deal," Fisker told TechCrunch on the sidelines of an event in Huntington Beach, California, to showcase its future EV portfolio. While Henrik Fisker is still confident it will come together, his comments show just how precarious and complex automotive manufacturing deals can be. And considering Foxconn's history of backing out of other factory agreements, there's reason for some caution. The Foxconn-Fisker deal Foxconn and Fisker signed in February 2021 a memorandum of understanding agreement, with the goal of producing 250,000 vehicles annually. While it wasn't clear which vehicle Fisker might build with Foxconn, the automaker had said that it was working on the Personal Automotive Electric Revolution (PEAR) — an EV built for cities and urban environments that would cost less than $30,000. The Fisker-Foxconn deal came together relatively quickly following the announcement of the memorandum, and by May 2021, Foxconn and Fisker had a signed agreement, setting those expectations in writing. A few months later, Foxconn made a separate deal with EV maker Lordstown Motors that included buying its factory in Ohio and helping the struggling company manufacture its Endurance electric pickup truck. Fisker became a beneficiary of the deal when, in May 2022, the company announced it reached an agreement with Foxconn to build its PEAR EV at the Lordstown factory. But cracks soon formed in Foxconn's agreement with Lordstown Motors. Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy and has sued Foxconn for "fraudulent conduct," stating that the Taiwanese company had made a litany of "broken promises." Foxconn currently still owns the manufacturing plant in Lordstown, Ohio, and Fisker says that plans to build the PEAR in the Lordstown plant are still on track. Foxconn is no stranger to scuttling done deals. The company withdrew from a $19.5 billion agreement with Indian company Vedanta last month. It also famously received a $3 billion incentives package to build a factory in Wisconsin that was supposed to create 13,000 jobs.

New Fisker aiming for mid-2016 production Karma restart

One slow step at a time, Fisker is getting things buzzing again with a headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA, and an upcoming factory in Moreno Valley, CA. But the company is keeping quiet about when the first new Karmas might actually hit the road, at least until now. According to Jim Taylor, the company's chief marketing officer, who spoke to The Orange County Register, the reborn automaker plans for a relaunch in 2016, probably in the middle of the year. Unfortunately, Taylor didn't nail down a timeframe any more specific than that. "We won't make any promises to say this is our launch date, get ready," he said to the OCR. Fisker still has some hiring ahead of it before the company is ready to actually produce vehicles again. The headquarters currently has 200 employees, including a new executive team, and is still adding people. As opposed to assembly at the Valmet factory in Finland (where the Karma was originally built), another 150 workers should be at the new 556,000-square-foot California factory when things get rolling there. The Karma's relaunch is already seeing delays, and the details about any changes to the vehicle still aren't clear. The engineering team is repurposing some of the 150 unsold original Karmas as test platforms, according to the OCR, and they are creating bespoke software for it. Also, A123 Systems, now a corporate sibling of Fisker under Wanxiang, is reportedly supplying updated batteries with different chemistry compared to the previous, recalled units. Styling is rumored to be very similar previous version, and the luxury sedan remains an extended-range plug-in hybrid. After getting sufficiently staffed, engineering complete, and production underway, the next major challenge is actually selling the relaunched Karma. Fisker still needs to expand its sales network. Although, repairing old examples for customers at points around the country could provide a foothold. Related Video:

Fisker cancels roadside assistance service in the United States

Fisker is reportedly in talks with several companies about a potential take-over, but a deal hasn't been announced yet and its troubles aren't over. The brand has notified owners of the Ocean, its only production model, that it will no longer provide a roadside assistance service. "We have an important update regarding our Roadside Assistance services that we want to share with you. Despite our best efforts, we regret to announce that Fisker Roadside Assistance is no longer available," the brand wrote in an email sent to its customers in May 2024. Several owners posted a screenshot of the email on Reddit, and a spokesperson for Fisker confirmed that roadside assistance is no longer available in our market in a statement sent to website CarScoops. Roadside assistance has already been canned in markets across Europe. Details about the service still appear on Fisker's website. Roadside assistance was available in all 50 states, 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year. The plan was valid for six years or 60,000 miles after the sale date, whichever came first. It covered a wide range of problems including mechanical disablement, a loss of power, a flat tire, and a lockout. Crucially, the fine print notes that Fisker "reserves the right to revise or discontinue specific roadside assistance benefits at any time without notice or refund, reimbursement, or credit to the owner." Fisker's recent financial problems are well documented, but the company seemingly believes there's a light at the end of the tunnel. It added three stores to its American dealer network in May 2024: Newport Fisker in Orange County, Fisker of San Jose, and Belford Fisker in New Jersey. These outlets will initially help the brand liquidate its inventory of left-over 2023 cars, which received a big price cut earlier in 2024. However, Fisker reportedly sent its staff members an email warning of company-wide layoffs that could start on June 28, 2024. Green Fisker Electric