Fisker, the California-based EV startup founded by car designer Henrik Fisker, plans to open a showroom and delivery center in China this year, as it looks toward increasing the production numbers of the recently launched Ocean EV SUV.
Deliveries of China-bound battery-electric Fiskers are expected to begin in the first quarter of next year, with the brand’s founder and CEO saying that sales in the region have the potential of reaching 75,000 units per year.
“After beginning deliveries in Europe and with first vehicles coming to our US customers on June 23, we are excited to move into the Chinese market later this year,” Henrik Fisker said. “We expect China to be an important growth market for EVs in the future and believe our vehicles will be very appealing. That is why we established an office there and intend to open a delivery center this year. I believe we can get production up and running in China as early as next year, potentially adding capacity of 75,000 Fisker Oceans annually.”
The Californian EV maker recently announced that deliveries of its first product – the Ocean SUV – will begin next week in the United States with an EPA-rated driving range of up to 360 miles (579 kilometers) on a single charge for the Extreme variant with 20-inch wheels and the 113-kilowatt-hour (106 kWh usable) Hyper Range battery pack.
Gallery: Fisker Ocean Production Model
In Europe, deliveries of the Fisker Ocean began last month, with the battery-powered crossover getting a WLTP-rated range of 440 miles (707 km) on 20-inch wheels and 436 miles (701 km) on the optional 22-inch wheels.
"China represents a third of global vehicle sales, which is roughly 26 million cars in 2022, of which electric vehicles represent 6-7 million, around a 25% share,” China board member Daniel Foa said. “In 2023 year-to-date, that has grown to around 27%. Secondly, the premium and affordable luxury segment is growing faster than general segments. Fisker fits right in that segment with its unique history, features, and design.”
The company’s leadership team recently visited China and met with Shanghai officials and business leaders to discuss potential collaborations and opportunities in the region, with discussions between the parties focusing on automotive supply chains, logistics, warehousing, and future product development.
The Fisker Ocean has a starting price of $37,499 for the base Sport trim level, which has an estimated range of 250 miles (not yet rated by the EPA), while the 360-mile Extreme variant starts at $68,999 and comes with a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup.
For 2023, Fisker aims to produce roughly 42,000 units of the Ocean EV at the Magna factory in Austria.
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Source: Fisker