2023 Fisker Ocean on 2040-cars

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New Fisker owner Wanxiang is a $23-billion-a-year auto parts company

If you thought early Fisker Karma buyers like celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio and Cee Lo Green had deep pockets, get a load of the company's new owners. China's Wanxiang Group, which earlier this year acquired the extended-range plug-in vehicle maker in a bankruptcy auction, generates more than $23 billion in annual revenue, Automotive News says. Billion with a "b." In fact, the company generates about $3 billion a year from US autoparts sales alone, so it's no stranger to the domestic automotive industry. That said, there's plenty of work to be done to revive the company. Wanxiang US chief Pin Ni said the Karma has "hundreds of issues" that need fixing before the sleek but troubled sedan is manufactured again. One hurdle cleared, though, is the fact that Wanxiang also bought lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems out of bankruptcy for $257 million. As for Fisker, Wanxiang beat out Hong Kong-based Hybrid Tech Holdings for the right to buy the automaker earlier this year for $126.2 million in cash and $8 million in assumed liabilities. And, while Wanxiang Group Chairman Lu Guanqui has recently been making the rounds with dignitaries such as US Vice President Joe Biden, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Delaware Governor Jack Markell, no details have been revealed about when Fisker will start making cars again.

The New Fisker website goes live, says Karma warranties limited to $2,000

If there's any question where Wanxiang hopes to take the remains of Fisker Automotive, just take a look at The New Fisker, a fresh official website for the bankrupt automaker. While the text available there hedges about just when and how the company will restart production, it is clear from the pictures that the company is ready to make the Atlantic PHEV concept a reality. The site even says, "Hello Future. Meet the Atlantic." But, for now, The New Fisker is more about the nitty-gritty details about how to convert the brand from a troubled mess into something people will want to spend money on again. Reassuringly, the site doesn't shy away from the automaker's disappointing past with this timeline, which includes the good and the bad from the past seven years. As for the future, Wanxiang is talking about restarting Karma production "as fast as possible," (maybe at Valmet, maybe Delaware, maybe somewhere else) as well as introducing new Fisker models, the Atlantic, Surf and Sunset concepts that we have seen before. The new Karma could be better than the old ones, since Wanxiang says it will use the long production break, "to improve on Karma and give the customers the outstanding experiences they deserve." The New Fisker says Karma warranties will only cover "a maximum of $2,000 per vehicle." If something goes wrong with an old Karma on the road (like, say, breaking down before you put 200 miles on it), will it be covered by warranty? Sort of. Wanxiang says it is bound by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware sale order to an Asset Purchase Agreement that limits the company to a total of $400,000 for warranty coverage, and a maximum of $2,000 per vehicle. The New Fisker apologies for the situation - "We understand if you are an owner and paid good money for your vehicle, $2,000 is not what you bargained for or expected. ... We are already hard at work discussing ways that we can make this a better experience for all current Fisker owners and hope to bring better news to each owner in the near future" - but that's all you can get today. We're reproduced The New Fisker's current FAQ below. Note that there is no mention of the Destino anywhere, despite the ties between Wanxiang and Bob Lutz's project. Are there any plans for new Fisker models? We are excited about the Karma and truly believe we can launch the Atlantic, Surf and Sunset in the future.

Fisker Ocean Extreme gets EPA-rated 360 miles on a charge

Two months ago, Fisker Inc. expected the U.S. EPA to declare that its dual-motor Ocean Extreme SUV possessed an estimated range rating of 350 miles. The verdict is in, with the government agency going even better by certifying the Ocean Extreme on the standard 20-inch wheels as able to go an estimated 360 miles on a charge. This version of the Ocean fits a 113-kWh battery and a dual-motor drivetrain making 550 horsepower. Fisker's press release touting the EPA result noted the Ocean "has the longest range of any new electric SUV under $200,000 sold in the United States today." That clunky specific is because Faraday Future attests that it's FF 91 SUV will go 381 miles on a charge with its 142-kWh battery.  After testing in Europe earlier this year, the Ocean Extreme on 20-inch wheels earned a range rating of 440 miles on the WLTP cycle. When tested on the optional 22-inch wheels, range only dropped to 436 miles. One hopes the same tiny difference will hold here. The automaker says it has received all of the necessary paperwork from the EPA, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to allow it to sell cars in every state and Washington, D.C. Each sale will also earn Fisker four Zero Emission Vehicle credits from CARB. The CEO said, "We plan to send out communications today to our first customers." With deliveries here commencing on schedule, all 5,000 examples of the Ocean One Launch Edition should meet their new owners by the end of September, around the same time the top-trim Ocean Extreme — the serial production version of the Ocean One Launch Edition without all the standard goodies — begins deliveries. Fisker expects to produce between 32,000 and 36,000 units in 2023, compared with its previous target of 42,400 cars. Some of those could be the Force E off-roading version that fits a stouter roof rack, new front and rear bumpers, tow hooks at both ends, and 33-inch tires on 20-inch wheels, plus optional grab handles, tiedowns, and rubber floors. If that happens, Henrik Fisker said the package can be retrofitted to the top two trims, the Ocean Extreme and Ocean Ultra.