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Fisker Ocean to be sold in India, Pear could be built there

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Fisker says it will begin selling its Ocean electric sport-utility vehicle (SUV) in India next July and could begin manufacturing its cars locally within a few years, the company's chief executive officer told Reuters. Sales of electric cars in India will increase by 2025-26, Henrik Fisker said in an interview in New Delhi, adding that the company wants to secure a first-mover advantage. "Ultimately, India will go full electric. It may not go as fast as the U.S., China or Europe, but we want to be one of the first ones to come in here," Fisker said. Electric cars currently make up just 1% of India's roughly 3 million annual car sales, with insufficient charging infrastructure and high battery costs partly to blame for the slow shift. The government, which wants to increase this share to 30% by 2030, is offering companies billions of dollars in incentives to build their EVs and associated parts locally. Tesla put its India entry plans on hold after failing to secure a lower import tariff for its cars. Like Fisker, it first wanted to import vehicles to test the market before committing to local manufacturing. While Fisker admitted it is "very expensive" to import vehicles into India, the company wants to use the Ocean to build its brand, with its premium pricing likely to limit numbers, he said. The Ocean retails at around $37,500 in the United States but importing it to India would add logistics costs and a 100% import tax. That would put it out of reach of most buyers in a market where the bulk of cars sold are priced under $15,000. "Ultimately, if you want to have somewhat of a larger volume in India, you almost have to start building a vehicle here or at least do some assembly," Fisker said. The company's next EV, the smaller Pear pictured in a rendering above, is being considered for production in India but not before 2026, he said. "If we can get that vehicle just below $20,000 locally in India, that would be ideal. Then I think we'll get to a certain volume and market share," he said, adding that if they find the right local partner the timeline could be shorter. To set up a plant in India would require volume of at least 30,000 to 40,000 cars a year, Fisker said. He did not directly comment on the size of investment the company considered necessary, but said that to set up a plant with an annual production capacity of 50,000 cars would likely cost $800 million in India.

Fisker Ocean takes to L.A. Auto Show

Fisker has brought the new Ocean EV to the L.A. Auto Show, with a public preview at Manhattan Beach and a presence at the show itself. You can watch the public show reveal above, and see more shots from the show floor below. Fisker says the Ocean will start at $37,499 before incentives. That entry model would be the Sport trim with a single, 275-horsepower motor driving the front wheels and 250 miles of estimated range. It also has a 0-60 time of 6.9 seconds. Moving up to the Ultra version at $49,999 gets dual-motor all-wheel drive, 540 hp, 340 miles of range and a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. The $68,999 Extreme trim gets AWD, 550 hp, 350+ miles of driving range and a 3.6-second 0-60 sprint. Fisker Ocean View 5 Photos Fisker also touted the previously announced lease program where customers can choose the length of the lease with a monthly price as low as $379 a month. The lease fleet would be in service for twelve years before being completely recycled by Fisker. The electric ute will feature eco-friendly materials (recycled fishing nets and T-shirts, for instance), a solar roof that can open in a "California Mode," a multi-link rear suspension to help bolster its sporting chops and an aerodynamic system that aims to balance minimizing drag with optimized cooling. We've also already seen a 'Force E' package that would turn the Ocean into a more rugged off-roader for interested fleets.   > More L.A. Auto Show coverage   Today, Fisker also showed the Ocean's rotating infotainment screen, which can be oriented in portrait or landscape mode. At a sneak preview near the company HQ in Manhattan Beach, Henrik Fisker said the company logo is inspired by an ocean sunset. "That's where the orange and blue come from," he said, "with the two vertical lines symbolizing thee designer's pencil and the engineer's ruler — the tools of our trade. My inspiration for the logo happened on a day very much like this one." The new affordable EV crossover is scheduled to begin production a year from today at Magna-Steyr's Graz, Austria factory, though Henrik Fisker said the company is moving fast and could possibly deliver units before then. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Fisker Ronin $385,000 electric convertible early details revealed

Announced in May 2022, the Fisker Ronin will be positioned as the young brand's flagship model when it goes on sale later in the 2020s. It's still under development, but Fisker released preliminary specifications such as range and pricing to give us a better idea of what to expect. New images of the Ronin show a low-slung convertible with two full-size front doors, a pair of smaller rear doors, and pronounced wheel arches that are reminiscent of the Karma. The front doors open in a butterfly fashion, like in many modern McLaren models, while the back doors are rear-hinged to facilitate the task of hopping in the back seats. And your eyes aren't deceiving you: the Ronin looks more like a sedan than a convertible in some of the photos. Fisker explains the model will come standard with a power-operated hard top. It describes the Ronin as "a sizeable vehicle" that's capable of seating up to five passengers and that offers "exceptional" cargo capacity. The driver will face a futuristic-looking steering wheel with what looks like an integrated instrument cluster, a digital dashboard that's not unlike the Hyperscreen fitted to some current-generation Mercedes-Benz models, and a 17.1-inch display for the infotainment system. Powertrain details are vague at best, and Fisker warns that the figures it's providing could change because the Ronin is a work in progress. As of writing, it plans to deliver a convertible with over 1,000 horsepower and approximately 600 miles of driving range from a battery pack integrated into the aluminum space-frame chassis. Composite parts, including carbon fiber wheels, will help offset the drivetrain's weight. If everything goes according to plan, the Ronin will reach 60 mph from a stop in 2 seconds flat and keep accelerating until 170 mph. Fisker claims it will build 999 units of the Ronin by hand, though there's no word yet on where production will take place. Pricing starts at $385,000, a figure that puts the convertible in supercar territory, and deliveries are tentatively scheduled to start in the second half of 2025. We're taking this date with a grain of salt: hitting deadlines isn't one of Fisker's strengths. It initially planned to deliver the Ronin in 2024. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Fisker Ronin, preview images Green Fisker Convertible Electric