2023 Fisker Ocean One on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Fisker stops production, warns it may need to seek bankruptcy

Fisker Inc. is pausing production for the next six weeks as the electric-vehicle maker looks to rein in inventory and avoid possibly having to file for bankruptcy. The company didn’t make a required interest payment of about $8.4 million last week on its unsecured convertible notes due in 2026, according to a regulatory filing Monday. Fisker warned it may not be able to meet obligations to service its debt and “could need to seek protection under applicable bankruptcy laws.” Fisker shares fell as much as 14% shortly after the start of regular trading. The stock had plummeted 90% this year through last weekÂ’s close. Fisker also said Monday that it plans to raise as much as $150 million through a financing deal with the holder of its 2025-dated convertible notes. The Los Angeles-based EV maker didnÂ’t identify the existing investor and said the funding will be organized in four tranches and subject to certain conditions. The disclosures expound on the dire state of Fisker, which warned late last month that there was substantial doubt about its ability to stay in business. The company has said it will cut 15% of its workforce after struggling with production issues, software glitches and short-seller criticism. Fisker said it remains in negotiations with an unidentified large automaker about a potential investment and joint development partnership. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the company was in talks with JapanÂ’s Nissan Motor Co., citing people familiar with the matter. In its statement, Fisker said it has about 4,700 vehicles in inventory worth more than $200 million. ItÂ’s pausing production in Graz, Austria, starting this week to sell down its supply of already-built EVs.   Earnings/Financials Plants/Manufacturing Fisker

VLF Force 1 V10 is a rebodied Viper priced like a Lamborghini

It would appear that Henrik Fisker is done with hybrids. His latest project, called the Force 1, packs an oversized V10 engine with no electric assist in sight and all the environmental credentials of a herd of flatulent cattle. Alongside the Karma-based, Corvette-powered Destino, the Force 1 is the second product from VLF Automotive. Fisker has taken partnership in the new firm as chief designer alongside chairman Bob Lutz and CEO Gilbert Villarreal. The company isn't saying explicitly what the Force 1 is based on, but it doesn't take a CSI team to trace its roots back to the Dodge Viper. Never mind that it's being built in Auburn Hills – the same Detroit suburb where Chrysler is headquartered – or that it was jointly developed by Fisker and professional Viper racer and dealer Ben Keating. It also happens to be powered by an 8.4-liter V10, and there aren't many of those kicking around the industry. Instead of the Viper's 645 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque, the Force 1's ten-cylinder engine is optimized to deliver 745 hp and 638 lb-ft. That, according to VLF, is enough to send the coupe rocketing to 60 in 3.0 seconds flat, covering the quarter-mile in under 11 seconds on its way to a top speed of 218 miles per hour. The power is transmitted to the Pirelli PZero rubber through a six-speed manual, but VLF says it will fit it with an automatic at the customer's request. Around that massive engine and two-seat cockpit, Fisker designed a new shape that, for better or for worse, looks way more aggressive than the Viper's. The Force 1's proportions are tellingly super-snake, but the curves are replaced by some very angry-looking angles and vents. Its head- and taillights are ultra thin, and the deep-dish, split-four-spoke wheels seem to visually split the difference between the three-spoke wheels on the original Viper and the five-spoke alloys it wears today. If you doubted the Force 1's origins before, the interior ought to give it away, with its wide tunnel and familiar surfaces. Only VLF has refinished it in leather, suede, and Alcantara, all diamond stitched with contrasting thread to help position this as a more luxurious prospect than the Dodge. It even fit between the seatbacks place for two champagne bottles that we hope nobody would consider consuming before trying to handle that much power. Of course, none of this will come cheap.

Fisker starts taking reservations for urban EV developed with Foxconn

Fisker has started taking reservations for its second model, an enigmatic electric car known only as Project PEAR for the time being. Developed jointly with Taiwan-based software giant Foxconn, the five-seater will be manufactured in Ohio starting in 2024. PEAR stands for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution, according to the company, and it's presented as a compact model designed for urban environments. Fisker released a sketch to preview the car, though it stressed that it wants to keep full styling-related details under wraps until closer to the official unveiling. Pricing will start at $29,900 before taxes and various government incentives enter the equation. We're told that the PEAR will stand out with "intuitive controls, sporty driving, clever storage, and a focus on industry firsts," but the carmaker stopped short of providing concrete details. Foxconn's involvement should facilitate the task of bringing the PEAR to production; it notably builds the iPhone for Apple in China. The car will be built on a new platform called FP28 internally and designed by both companies. Customers can add their name to the waiting list by sending Fisker a $250 deposit, and the cost of a second reservation drops to $100. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2024, and more details about the Pear should be announced in the coming months. Fisker and Foxconn jointly plan to build about 250,000 units of the model annually, but keep in mind that Fisker has a habit of not sticking to the timeline it sets. Production of the Ocean crossover was scheduled to start in late 2021 (it should enter production in Graz, Austria, a year late with help from contract manufacturer Magna), and the Emotion sedan unveiled at CES in 2018 and due out in 2019 is still nowhere to be seen. Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Fisker Electric Future Vehicles