Henrik Fisker wants to boost the electric vehicle (EV) market and is partnering with American car dealers to do so.
Fisker, CEO of his namesake electric vehicle company, Fisker, took to the live stage at the NADA Show on Friday, February 2, to introduce the dealer partnership model of his newly launched electric SUV, the Fisker Ocean. explained.
Mr. Fisker explained that the dealer partnership model will provide dealers with an unprecedented opportunity: exciting, affordable EV products from independent American EV companies. Ocean’s price starts at $35,000. Fisker is also developing a mid-size electric pickup truck called the Fisker Alaska, which starts at $45,000.
Fisker said affordability will be “the next big moment in EVs,” but beyond that, his goal is to “come up with exciting cars that people want and can buy.” Toward that end, Fisker said his car will be more than just an EV.
“What has been forgotten is the excitement,” Fisker said. “Just making another regular car that is an EV is not the reason we are here. We are focused on differentiation.”
Fisker said there are about 200 dealers interested in the dealer partnership model, but Mills Automotive Group in North Carolina is the first to cross the finish line.
Fisker, whose career includes stints in the auto industry including stints at Aston Martin and BMW, designed cars around “unique features that make people pay attention to things they haven’t seen before.”
For example, Ocean has the longest range on the market today at 360 miles. This EV also features the world’s largest solar roof, which allows drivers to generate 2,000 miles of electricity from the sun each year for free. Fisker said the car is also the most sustainable vehicle on the market, made with approximately 110 pounds of recycled materials.
Another differentiator is Ocean’s popular California mode. It creates a convertible-like experience by opening all windows, including the rear lift gate window, rear quarter windows, and sliding roof.
But while all these differentiators are great, Fisker says he’s counting on the expertise and customer service of a network of franchised auto dealers to bring his EVs to market faster than a direct-to-consumer model. Stated.
“Why not go to the experts who have built these great dealerships, who know their environments, who know their communities, who know how to service their customers?” he said.
Watch live streams from the NADA Show 2024 live stage all week long.