2023 Fisker Ocean One on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla hiring new sales executives, A123 focuses on starter batteries

A123 Systems is shifting more of its focus to lithium-ion starter batteries for cars with stop-start systems. The company sees the smaller batteries as a safer, more viable way to bounce back from its recent bankruptcy than by providing battery packs to power EVs. A123 still provides EV batteries to China, and hopes to provide them to Fisker, which is now owned by a mutual parent company, Wanxiang. A123's Detroit facility is currently building starter batteries for Mercedes-Benz, with microhybrid battery production expected in within the next few years. Read more at Automotive News. Tesla Motors Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Service Jerome Guillen is being reassigned to a role in customer satisfaction. After struggling sales in California and China, Tesla is also seeking sales executives for its three major sales regions: North America, Europe and Asia. "Once they are on board, Jerome's focus will be on post- sales activity from delivery to long-term customer care, where he has done an incredible job," says Tesla. For 2014, North America made up about 55 percent of Tesla's sales, while Europe and Asia made up 30 and 15 percent, respectively. Tesla expects those numbers to eventually be distributed evenly, and aims to increase sales by 74 percent this year. Read more at Automotive News. David Noland of Green Car Reports wants Tesla to address a double-pedal problem in the Model S. Noland says that when both the accelerator and brake pedal are pressed at the same time, it can increase the stopping distance, creating unsafe situations. Noland, along with other drivers with large feet, are having problems with this due to the narrow spacing between the pedals. Elon Musk has stated that the Model S limits torque in a double-pedal situation, but Noland's own tests find some inconsistencies. Noland would like to see a change to the firmware to address this problem. Read more at Green Car Reports. Featured Gallery Tesla Model S View 10 Photos Related Gallery 2012 Fisker Karma: Second Drive View 30 Photos News Source: Automotive News, Automotive News, Green Car ReportsImage Credit: Tesla Motors Green Fisker Tesla Green Automakers Safety Electric recharge wrapup

Fisker bankruptcy auction scheduled for February 12

Will the long, twisted tale of Fisker Automotive and it bankruptcy assets finally end on February 12? It might, because that's the date a bankruptcy court has now set for an auction to let the bidders decide who will take home the plug-in automaker's goods. The auction will be held at the law offices of Kirkland & Ellis in New York, according to a new report in Reuters. As we know, China's Wanxiang Group and Hybrid Tech Holdings are the two companies who are most vocal in their desire for Fisker. After an initial bid of around $25 million, Hybrid Tech is now ready to start the bidding on the 12th at $55 million and basically called itself Fisker's best friend during this troubling time in a recent statement. The controllers of the Fisker assets say they prefer Hybrid Tech's bid to Wanxiang's. Fisker stopped making the plug-in hybrid Karma in late 2012 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year. Fisker's assets were supposed to be sold to Hybrid Tech Holdings in early January, but a last-minute stalking horse bid by Wanxiang set in motion the series of events that will lead to the auction next month.

Fisker Ocean goes prepper, teasing hardcore off-roader for 2021

Fisker Automotive's battery-electric Ocean crossover is a year away, with production scheduled for 2021. It's silly to think we won't hear any more about the Ocean until then, though. Eponymous honcho Henrik Fisker hit up Twitter to tease two versions of a much meatier Ocean. Both designs sit on gratuitously broad, knobby tires that require a widebody treatment in order to fit entirely under the crossover. On one design, the only other change is a spare tire placed in the roof rack. On the second version, the roof rack is empty, but the tailgate carries a shovel and contains a small door labeled "Charging Box." In the tweets, Fisker writes he's "found an amazing space for the spare tire, that could only be done with an EV!! Not the roof, in sketch! Will reveal next week."    This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Fisker tagged the tweets with "adventure" and "Extreme Rescues," indications of the individual, NGO, and military aspirations for the model. He told Top Gear magazine, "The low center of gravity and wide track brings added stability and makes the Fisker Ocean a perfect clean sustainable utility vehicle, that can be used by international organisations, which needs to deploy rescue vehicles in rural areas, it can also be used as a zero emission military version to transport military personnel, as oil is one of the largest expenses for the military." Back to the mystery of spare tire placement, the CEO wrote that the space is not in the cargo area nor in the frunk. This doesn't leave many EV-specific options, especially since it's crucial to keep spare tires where they can be easily extracted when off-road, but we'll wait for the big reveal for the answer. Should the Ocean off-roader get its debut next year, it will enter a segment that's picking up more competitors by the month, both EV and internal combustion. If Fisker can launch his standard Ocean for $37,000, and price the adventure Ocean not far off that, he'll at least have a clear value victory over other makers like Rivian, Bollinger, and the premium pricing we expect for a 1,000-horsepower Hummer EV. Related Video: