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Fisker Pear electric hatchback revealed in more detail

Just a few weeks ago, Fisker showed off the future of its electric lineup at its "Product Vision Day." Among the highlights was the new compact Fisker Pear, which is intended to arrive with a sub-$30,000 price point and be an affordable alternative to the likes of the Chevy Bolt (currently on hiatus) and Nissan Leaf. While the Pear isn't quite ready for prime time, Fisker has shared a host of photos to accompany a few new details about this budget-friendly EV.  We now know the Pear will measure approximately 15 feet long (4550mm) and will be offered in both five- and six-seater configurations, further enhancing what already promises to be a flexible and utilitarian platform. The cargo section is referred to as the Pear's "Houdini trunk," which allows access to the hatch area in tight nose-to-tail parking situations or low ceiling heights thanks to a rear glass section that opens downward into the rear load floor, rather than swinging up and out like a normal hatch. Fisker also hopes to launch the Pear with exterior camera mirrors, but those are still under review due to regulatory requirements. And then there's the "froot." Think frunk, only British — or vegetarian. It's a sealed front storage compartment intended to store things that should be isolated from the cabin, like sweaty workout gear or pungent leftovers. Fisker says it will even offer an insulated option for storing temperature-sensitive items. Gig drivers, take note. The cabin itself is "designed to be extremely durable, with no fragile moving parts." Fisker calls it a boon for families and ride-share drivers, but there's also an upside for the manufacturer that consequently doesn't have to bother with expensive physical controls.  Fisker says the Pear will also have a "Lounge Mode" that allows all of the seats to fold completely flat to create a relaxation or sleeping area along with a rotating, 17-inch screen to provide entertainment while you're stretched out. The six-seater option replaces the single front passenger seat and center console with a large two-seat bench.  Fisker also appears close to finalizing the Pear's electric range. Previously, the company said it was hoping to deliver up to 310 miles on the EPA test cycle. Fisker has revised that up to 320 miles on the high end. In addition, it's offering a target for the smaller, city-oriented battery pack that is expected to come standard at the Pear's $29,990 starting price.

Henrik Fisker opens up about EVs

Danish car designer Henrik Fisker is an interesting figure in the automotive world. After heading up design at Aston Martin he created the initial design for the Tesla Model S before launching Fisker Automotive. There, he created the Karma range-extended electric sports car. As we all know, the company eventually went bankrupt, leaving Mr. Fisker's future in question. Now he's back on the scene with his $230,000 supercar, the VLF Force 1, which debuted at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Interestingly the V10-powered Force 1, along with VLF's V8-powered Destino, is a huge departure from the green machines for which Fisker was responsible not too long ago. If that makes you curious as to what's going on inside the talented head of Henrik Fisker, you're not alone. Thankfully, Fisker has opened up to Tech Insider, discussing his thoughts on EVs and the future of the automotive world. While Fisker was part of the EV revolution – in his words, showing that "electric cars can be beautiful and exciting and fun to drive" – mass adoption has been slower than he originally predicted. The field is still too limited, with not much available in terms of what people want to buy. The driving range, too, is a huge obstacle to EV uptake, but that is slowly improving. "The choice for consumers is still fairly limited, but in my mind there's no doubt electric cars are here to stay," says Fisker. "It is going to be a growing segment and it will continue to grow." Fisker, however, is bearish on hybrids, despite their popularity. In his opinion, "electric cars will take over a lot of hybrids quicker than people think now." In an interesting prediction that defies more commonly held beliefs, hybrids don't have a place as a transition to EVs anymore. As infrastructure grows – along with battery capacity – people will "jump straight from gas to electric rather than make the transition to hybrid which is what a lot of car companies are betting on." It's an interesting point of view, to be sure, especially coming from a man who just recently took a pretty big leap from electric cars back to supercars whose fury is fed by fossil fuels. Take a deeper look into the mind of Henrik Fisker in the piece from Tech Insider. Related Video:

Fisker commits to Extreme E electric off-road series

EV manufacturer Fisker has committed to Extreme E, the company confirmed Monday, and is in "advanced talks" to become a series partner and potentially field a factory team. The Extreme E series is the brain child of Formula E mastermind Alejandro Agag. It will feature purpose-built 4x4s EVs racing in remote, spectator-free venues with coverage provided by drones. The series will visit remote regions of Nepal and Saudi Arabia, among other locales, and teams will be transported from one leg to the next via ship. Extreme E is refitting a 7,716-ton former Royal Mail Ship, the RMS St. Helena, to serve as transportation and floating paddock. There will be five races in the 2021 season — if all goes to plan. The series' remote nature will make it less accessible to fans, but the choice of such locales was intended to highlight "[...] the impact of climate change and human interference in some of the worldÂ’s most remote locations and promotes the adoption of electric vehicles to help preserve the environment and protect the planet," the series announcement said.  "Alejandro brought electric vehicle racing into the mainstream with Formula E and I fully support his vision to reinvent off-road racing at the same time as creating an education platform for the threats posed by climate change. Extreme E and Fisker Inc. are completely aligned in our mission and values," said CEO Henrik Fisker. Extreme E will use a spec chassis. Dubbed the Odyssey 21, it will be built by French company Spark and powered by batteries designed by the Williams Formula One team. Spark says the Odyssey 21 can do 0-62 mph in 4.5 seconds and with a range of 200km in non-racing conditions. The top speed is around 200 kph (or approximately 120 mph). While the chassis and battery pack will be provided, manufacturer teams will be tasked with developing their own electric motor and inverter. They will also have leeway in designing certain body panels, allowing them to make the Odyssey 21 look more like their own production models.