Meet Fisker, the Cool New EV Company You Need to Know About
New car companies are starting to hit the Canadian market, driven by the auto industry’s transition to electric vehicles. Lucid and Rivian are some good examples, but do you know about Fisker? Well, you should.
Headed by renowned car designer Henrik Fisker, the brand was founded in Manhattan Beach, California seven years ago, rising from the ashes of bankrupt automaker Fisker Automotive (later known as Karma). It turned heads at Las Vegas’ CES in 2018 with the introduction of a new four-door luxury sedan called EMotion, but that car never made it past the concept stage.
Ocean
Fisker’s first production vehicle is the compact-sized Ocean crossover, which aims to take on the likes of the Tesla Model Y and Hyundai IONIQ 5. Unveiled at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, it began pre-orders in Canada in July of 2022 and entered production in November at Magna-Steyr’s factory in Graz, Austria.
Deliveries will start this fall through a personalized concierge service. Fisker says that the Vancouver and Toronto areas are leading in customer interest so far. It intends to establish retail and service locations in both cities, as well as Fisker-certified collision-repair centres. Fisker also plans to provide comprehensive sales and service support in Canada, including mobile service with Fisker-trained technicians.
The Ocean is available in four trim levels with prices ranging from $43,999-$89,999. The base Sport model will be eligible to a $5,000 EV rebate from the federal government in addition to provincial incentives where applicable. EV range is 402-563 km depending on the model.
The interior has a number of distinctive features, too, like a California mode that lowers nine windows and panels for an open-air driving experience. It also allows users to load long items through the rear and haul them around without having to drive with the tailgate open. Elsewhere, there’s a cool head-up display system with a karaoke function and a 17.1-inch touchscreen that can pivot for navigation or watching movies.
PEAR
A few more vehicles are already planned and due to launch by 2026. Fisker’s long anticipated and delayed PEAR (Personnal Electric Automotive Revolution) is scheduled for a 2025 release. An entry-level model, this boxy hatchback will start at just $29,900 USD, or about $40,000 CAD.
Why so inexpensive? Well, the PEAR is said to use 35 percent fewer parts than a comparable electric car. The interior can still accommodate up to six people across two rows, while the so-called “Houdini” rear hatch automatically disappears under the cargo floor.
Alaska
Hailed as “the Ferrari of pickups,” the Alaska promises to be the most lightweight electric truck on the planet. Beyond its exotic paintwork, highlights include a low-slung and sporty silhouette combined with sharp-looking headlights and taillights.
The cargo bed is just 4.5 feet long, but similar to the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV’s Multi-Flex Midgate, a “Houdini bed divider” can be removed to create 9.2 feet of space. It also slides back if desired. Range is estimated somewhere between 370-550 km, so roughly on par with the Ford F-150 Lightning. Deliveries of the Alaska should begin in 2025.
Ronin
Finally, performance and luxury enthusiasts will love the Ronin, a five-seat, four-door GT convertible to be produced in very limited numbers. The retractable top and butterfly doors are all made of carbon fibre, at least on the concept that was revealed weeks ago. Will they remain on the production model? We’ll see.
Fisker claims a range of nearly 1,000 km and output of more than 1,000 horsepower thanks to a trio of high-capacity electric motors. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h should be achieved in under two seconds. These are numbers that Tesla is claiming about its next-generation Roadster, which still hasn’t arrived despite years of buzz.
In the longer term, Fisker intends to produce the world’s first climate-neutral vehicle by 2027 and redefine mobility through software-based innovations. Bold plans, for sure.
