2023 Fisker Ocean One on 2040-cars

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Wanxiang wants to restart Fisker Karma production as quickly as possible

It appears that Wanxiang America's $149.2-million acquisition bid was about more than just owning the assets of Fisker Automotive. The Chinese auto parts maker is apparently serious about getting the Karma plug-in hybrid luxury vehicle back on the production line. "We will want to get the Karma back online as quickly as possible." "We will want to get the Karma back online as quickly as possible," Pin Ni, president of Wanxiang America, told The Boston Globe. More details will likely be released by Wanxiang now that US Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross has officially approved the purchase. Gross was satisfied that the purchase price includes a 20-percent stake in Fisker for creditors valued at $15 million – something that was not addressed by the original bids from Wanxiang and Hong Kong-based Hybrid Tech Holdings. Wanxiang also owns the maker of the Karma's lithium battery pack, A123 Systems. Creditors were delighted to see Wanxiang's bid, according to attorney William Baldiga, whose law firm represented creditors. "The value is six times what [Fisker] said it was worth when it filed for bankruptcy," Baldiga said, describing the negotiations as "two and a half days of yelling, screaming, bidding." In documents that Wanxiang filed with the federal court in January, Wanxiang mentioned a three-phase plan: building a hatchback version of the Fisker Atlantic (pictured above); restarting production of the Karma at Valmet in Finland, the plant where all the Karmas have so far been built; and then moving production to VL Automotive's manufacturing facility in Michigan. That means Bob Lutz, ex-General Motors vice chairman, could come back into the picture. In the first part of 2013, Lutz and Wanxiang tried to purchase Fisker. Lutz has as ownership stake in VL Automotive and wants to put small-block Corvette V8 engines into Karma bodies, calling the resulting vehicle the Destino. Wanxiang has said VL is the "soul of Fisker," so now that the company has the body, the revival can't be far behind. Featured Gallery Fisker Atlantic: New York 2012 News Source: The Boston Globe Green Plants/Manufacturing Fisker Electric PHEV a123 systems wanxiang karma

The Force will be strong with Fisker in Detroit

Henrik Fisker is going to the Detroit Auto Show to show off two new cars, one of them a two-seat American "super sports car" called The Force 1. We know The Force 1 will have a Fisker-designed carbon fiber body laid over a front-engined American production car, is said to be a daily driver with the precision of a track car and the comfort of a luxury sports car, is priced near $300,000, and no more than 50 units will be produced starting next year. However, Fisker isn't divulging much more than that, including what the donor car is.The sketch shows off a number of Fisker cues like a long nose and short tail, wide body and even wider wheel arches, and large wheels - The Force 1 gets 21-inchers. "Laser blade" taillights will warn those behind, we imagine the sound of an engine said to have among the world's highest naturally aspirated outputs will give everyone else the signal to stay back. Power goes to the rear wheels only, with either a six-speed manual or an automatic with paddle shifters. The coupe is fitted with an active suspension developed by an American race car driver, Fisker saying that the unnamed driver uses the suspension on his race car.Our first guess for a two-seat donor car with an engine sturdy enough for such a tune would have been a Chevrolet Corvette, but the six-speed manual would mean Fisker scrapped the Corvette's standard seven-speed manual. The press conference revealing all secrets will happen on January 12. The release below can tide you over until then.Related Video: HENRIK FISKER DEBUTS NEW AMERICAN SUPER CAR "THE FORCE 1"AT THE 2016 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW ON JANUARY 12December 10, 2015 - Henrik Fisker, the founder of Henrick Fisker Design, will be taking the wraps off a new sports car, The Force 1, at a press conference at the 2016 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) on the main show floor on January 12, at 10:05 a.m.This high-performance automobile is an American take on a super sports car featuring powerful, dramatic sculptural exterior styling, Ultra Thin Ventilated (UTV) laser blade tail lamps and a luxurious contemporary interior for two people. The body on the limited edition auto is all carbon fiber sitting on 21" wheels with high performance Pirelli P Zero tires, controlled by a unique new active suspension.Priced just under $300,000, The Force 1 is the only American sports car in this price category.

Fisker-Foxconn EV partnership 'moving faster than expected'

U.S. electric automaker Fisker expects operating expenses to reach between $490 million and $530 million this year, a slight increase in its business outlook for the year that is driven by R&D spending on prototypes for its Ocean SUV, testing and validation of advanced technology, hiring and its "accelerating" partnership with Foxconn. The company, which reported its second-quarter earnings Thursday after market close, raised its business outlook for expectations for key non-GAAP operating expenses and capital expenditures for the full year up from its previous guidance of $450 million to $510 million. The earnings report pointed to R&D spending on prototype activities in 2021 driven by testing and validation on advanced driver assistance systems, powertrain and user interface. The company also noted an increase in spending on in-house costs, such as virtual validation software tools, hiring and virtual and physical testing to account for recently tightened Euro NCAP and IIHS safety regulations. Co-founder, CFO and COO Geeta Gupta Fisker added during an investor call that the company made a strategic decision to develop internal capabilities to test and validate, instead of relying solely on third parties. Co-founder and CEO Henrik Fisker said in an interview Thursday its partnership with Foxconn, which is "moving faster than expected," also is contributing to an increase in spending. "We were really aligned," Fisker said in an interview Thursday. "I mean it's a very unique business deal because we are both investing into this program; it's not like we just hired Foxconn to make a car." Fisker has two vehicle programs in the works. Its first electric vehicle, the Fisker Ocean SUV, will be assembled by automotive contract manufacturer Magna Steyr in Europe. The start of production is still on track to begin in November 2022, the company reiterated Thursday. Deliveries will begin in Europe and the United States in late 2022, with a plan to reach production capacity of more than 5,000 vehicles per month during 2023. Deliveries to customers in China are also expected to begin in 2023. Fisker Ocean at the track View 6 Photos In May, Fisker signed an agreement with Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that assembles iPhones, to co-develop and manufacture a new electric vehicle.