Fisker Owners Need Parts. The Company Planned On It Being ‘Perfect’ Instead

[mgk920]

The market for straight battery-electric vehicles has been tanking BIG TIME lately and those places that have made them mandatory will have to rethink those rules.

Mike

I guarantee you they won't rethink the rules, even if the EV market starts approaching zero.

Source: lives in one of said states and knows how it thinks

Remember "The market will out".

Mike

[epzik8]

Agree or disagree with Tesla and their products, but is truly one of the few brands to stick around.

I think somewhere down the road (no pun intended), Tesla will have a monopoly on at least the American EV market.

[Max Rockatansky]

Tesla more gets by selling tech bros and old 3 Series drivers nowadays.

[vdeane]

Agree or disagree with Tesla and their products, but is truly one of the few brands to stick around.

I think somewhere down the road (no pun intended), Tesla will have a monopoly on at least the American EV market.

Let's hope not.  Ignoring personal feelings regarding Elon Musk aside, I don't like Tesla's quality control issues or that they try to make the car an iPad on wheels.  They have many non-standard controls, don't even allow people to control the windshield wipers without using the tablet or voice commands, and many models have a yoke instead of a proper steering wheel.  They're a lot like Apple in that it's Musk's way or the highway.

The disparity between Tesla and other EVs in terms of ability to roadtrip is mainly the charging network, not the car (most non-Tesla EVs aren't the Nissan Leaf).  There was an effort underway to convert the other case to Tesla's charging port standard and allow full access to the Supercharger network, but there's some question as to what Tesla's layoff of the entire Supercharger team means for this.

[SectorZ]

They're a lot like Apple in that it's Musk's way or the highway.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/elon-musk-says-he-will-ban-apple-devices-if-it-integrates-os-with-openai-2024-06-10/

When my way or the highway bros clash.

[Scott5114]

Agree or disagree with Tesla and their products, but is truly one of the few brands to stick around.

I think somewhere down the road (no pun intended), Tesla will have a monopoly on at least the American EV market.

Let's hope not.  Ignoring personal feelings regarding Elon Musk aside, I don't like Tesla's quality control issues or that they try to make the car an iPad on wheels.  They have many non-standard controls, don't even allow people to control the windshield wipers without using the tablet or voice commands, and many models have a yoke instead of a proper steering wheel.  They're a lot like Apple in that it's Musk's way or the highway.

The disparity between Tesla and other EVs in terms of ability to roadtrip is mainly the charging network, not the car (most non-Tesla EVs aren't the Nissan Leaf).  There was an effort underway to convert the other case to Tesla's charging port standard and allow full access to the Supercharger network, but there's some question as to what Tesla's layoff of the entire Supercharger team means for this.

Not to mention that no consumer is under any obligation to put their personal feelings against Elon Musk aside when making purchasing decisions. My personal feelings about him is that he's a fucking ignoramus and I wouldn't trust a trash can his company designed to not try to lop my hand off when I go to throw something away, never mind trust a whole-ass car his company made. If he became the only provider of cars in the United States, I would ride the fucking bus.

[LilianaUwU]

They're a lot like Apple in that it's Musk's way or the highway.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/elon-musk-says-he-will-ban-apple-devices-if-it-integrates-os-with-openai-2024-06-10/

When my way or the highway bros clash.

Fuck AI, but fuck Elon Musk as well. This is the definition of a trash vs garbage type of deal.

[ZLoth]

From CNBC:

Fisker recalls thousands of Ocean EVs for safety and compliance issues

Electric vehicle startup Fisker
announced on Wednesday that it is recalling thousands of Ocean SUVs in North America and Europe due to issues with vehicle software and will roll out an over-the-air software update.

The company recalled 11,201 Oceans across the U.S., Canada, and Europe due to safety issues. The affected vehicles potentially had issues with the Motor Control Unit and Vehicle Control Unit software, which could make the vehicle lose motor power, the company said in a press release.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

[SectorZ]

I'm shocked that 11,201 people were brave enough to buy those things. They're probably America, Canada, and Europe's next Vinfast buyers once Fisker craps out.

[ZLoth]

All those who didn't see this coming, please raise your hands. Anyone? This is a chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

From CNN: Electric SUV maker Fisker files for bankruptcy
FULL ARTICLE HERE

From Electrek: The time has come: Fisker has filed for bankruptcy
FULL ARTICLE HERE

From TechCrunch: EV startup Fisker files for bankruptcy
FULL ARTICLE HERE

[SectorZ]

Reading the CNN story of that, I was kind of ignorant to the apparent fact that global EV sales are falling. I know they are kind of stagnating in the US but I feel on Facebook that I see high-and-mighty Euros trashing Americans for not buying them yet they apparently aren't as well.

[ZLoth]

I'm shocked that 11,201 people were brave enough to buy those things. They're probably America, Canada, and Europe's next Vinfast buyers once Fisker craps out.

You are always going to have those "early adopters" of any technology, and first releases are usually more expensive and needs improvements versus more mature versions of the technology. I remember seeing the first Phillips flatscreen telelvsion commercial in 1998:

I remember seeing that television displayed at a Good Guys, and the price tag was $10,000 for a set that displayed 720p. Nowadays, you can get bigger, better, and smarter televisions that are very much cheaper than that so that a household may have multiple televisions hanging on their wall.

Same thing with DVD players. The 1997 models were very basic and somewhat glitchy compared to the models released just a few years later (The Matrix was a killer title that everyone had to have), and was a significant improvement over VHS in many years. Now, it's considered obsolete in the face of streaming which was made possible by high-speed broadband.

The list goes on and on. The concerns that I have with electric vehicles is the range of the vehicle, the charge time, and the availability of chargers. Even with high-speed chargers, it still takes significantly longer than to fill up at a local gas station. It was easier in the 1970s to convert a fuel pump to use unleaded gasoline, including the adjustment in nozzle size to fit the slightly smaller filler tube. One of my primary concerns is the mandating of EVs by a certain year rather than letting the market decide.

[kwellada]

You are always going to have those "early adopters" of any technology, and first releases are usually more expensive and needs improvements versus more mature versions of the technology.

I've been doing software QA for over a decade and that makes me extremely leery of being a first adopter of a lot of technology for precisely the reasons you point out. First iterations, or minimally viable products, are just not going to be as impressive as what comes down the line later. I have zero issues with EVs and assume at some point I'll finally get one, but for me that date is a long time from now. My current cars are in great condition and should last me through 2030, if not longer. I'll reevaluate at that point if the charging infrastructure is robust as well as the ability to charge to full power within 10 minutes...and a range of 400+ miles.

The EV market is a bit soft for a number of reasons, but I think we've gone through the first adopters and the second round of enthusiasts. EV prices are awfully high and that precludes many buyers.

[Road Hog]

Reading the CNN story of that, I was kind of ignorant to the apparent fact that global EV sales are falling. I know they are kind of stagnating in the US but I feel on Facebook that I see high-and-mighty Euros trashing Americans for not buying them yet they apparently aren't as well.

I don't know about that. Almost every fifth car I see on the highways now here is a Tesla. It's not the bros, it's the growing population of South Asians.

If Tesla made a run-of-the-mill pickup and not that Elmo jackass creation of the Cybertruck, I might be in that market.

[Scott5114]

If Tesla made a run-of-the-mill pickup and not that Elmo jackass creation of the Cybertruck, I might be in that market.

Doesn't help that the asking price is equivalent to a down payment on a house in Las Vegas, either.

[Thing 342]

On the positive side, getting parts doesn't seem like it'll be a major issue, since Fisker reportedly only sold around half of their inventory. I'm curious to see who buys them at the inevitable bankruptcy auction.

[ZLoth]

You are always going to have those "early adopters" of any technology, and first releases are usually more expensive and needs improvements versus more mature versions of the technology.

I've been doing software QA for over a decade and that makes me extremely leery of being a first adopter of a lot of technology for precisely the reasons you point out. First iterations, or minimally viable products, are just not going to be as impressive as what comes down the line later. I have zero issues with EVs and assume at some point I'll finally get one, but for me that date is a long time from now. My current cars are in great condition and should last me through 2030, if not longer. I'll reevaluate at that point if the charging infrastructure is robust as well as the ability to charge to full power within 10 minutes...and a range of 400+ miles.

The EV market is a bit soft for a number of reasons, but I think we've gone through the first adopters and the second round of enthusiasts. EV prices are awfully high and that precludes many buyers.

I disagree with one of your points. The Fiskar Ocean was essentially a first generation product from what would be considered a brand new manufacturer. That's enough to be wary from my perspective. Having the EVs be more expensive that ICEs not to mention the length of charging is also enough to put me off on considering a EV for now... not to mention that I have two perfectly good vehicles and a desire to pay off my home before financing a new vehicle.

[Max Rockatansky]

Rivian seems to be handling the whole "new car brand" thing way better.  The RT1 got a couple awards and doesn't seem to be getting many complaints.  It took them forever to bring a vehicle to market and I'm not well versed on their financial status.

[ZLoth]

From Notebook Check:

Tesla Cybertruck owner's ordeal while towing 4,000 pound boat proves just how impractical it is over long distances

Tesla's Cybertruck is undeniably a very powerful and capable machine. However, although the truck can tow 11,000 lbs pretty effortlessly, it does so while losing range quite rapidly. This, along with the long charging times, makes towing using the Cybertruck a rather stressful ordeal, as depicted in a recent YouTube video.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

[Rothman]

From Notebook Check:

Tesla Cybertruck owner's ordeal while towing 4,000 pound boat proves just how impractical it is over long distances

Tesla's Cybertruck is undeniably a very powerful and capable machine. However, although the truck can tow 11,000 lbs pretty effortlessly, it does so while losing range quite rapidly. This, along with the long charging times, makes towing using the Cybertruck a rather stressful ordeal, as depicted in a recent YouTube video.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Heh.  Maine State Police were begging people not to tow with electric vehicles around this past eclipse.

[ZLoth]

From InsiddeEVs:

Fisker, Amid Bankruptcy, Recalls Every Single Car In U.S.
The recall includes a mandatory stop sale as the availability of parts and service is as questionable as Fisker's future.

It's official: every Fisker Ocean sold in the U.S. is being recalled.

Fisker issued a recall and stop-sale of all 2023 Fisker Oceans produced through May, when Magna officially paused production, over door handles that "may stick" and prevent passengers from opening the door to enter or exit the vehicle. With Fisker currently in bankruptcy proceedings that will likely result in liquidation, the timing couldn't be worse.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Can one or two of these vehicles be relegated to the Museum of Failure?

[mgk920]

From InsiddeEVs:

Fisker, Amid Bankruptcy, Recalls Every Single Car In U.S.
The recall includes a mandatory stop sale as the availability of parts and service is as questionable as Fisker's future.

It's official: every Fisker Ocean sold in the U.S. is being recalled.

Fisker issued a recall and stop-sale of all 2023 Fisker Oceans produced through May, when Magna officially paused production, over door handles that "may stick" and prevent passengers from opening the door to enter or exit the vehicle. With Fisker currently in bankruptcy proceedings that will likely result in liquidation, the timing couldn't be worse.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Can one or two of these vehicles be relegated to the Museum of Failure?

Well, there are no 'H' engine railroad locomotives in the industrial wing of that museum.

 

Mike

[ZLoth]

From Quartz:

Electric cars just aren't working for Hertz and other rental companies
Sky-high repair costs and an increased likelihood of crashes have made it hard for rental companies to electrify their fleets
FULL ARTICLE HERE

[ZLoth]

From AutoBlog:

Judge OKs Fisker plan to liquidate its Ocean EVs for $14,000 apiece
Would you buy at that price?

Fisker has been given the green light by a bankruptcy judge to sell more than 3,000 of its Ocean SUVs to a vehicle leasing company, a deal that will net the defunct EV startup a maximum of $46.25 million, or about $14,000 apiece. The approval of the sale clears the way for the rest of Fisker's bankruptcy process to play out as it continues to liquidate what's left of its failed business.

The judge's decision, issued in a hearing late Tuesday afternoon, comes after Fisker and its legal team received only one major objection to the sale. The Department of Justice's office of the U.S. Trustee had argued Fisker's lawyers and its chief restructuring officer, John DiDonato, hadn't done enough work to show it properly shopped the inventory around for the best deal. The Trustee's office also said Fisker did not properly explain how it reached the valuation for the vehicles, and was unhappy with how fast its lawyers tried to get the deal done.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

At that price, only the brave and the adventurous should apply. Hopefully, even the foolhardy will stay away from this.

[formulanone]

6-12 months until the vehicle software needs an update and potential brickery ensues.

The best thing that can happen is it becomes an open-source car. Buy the vehicle and you get the plans to do whatever you can with it; it not like Jeep owners aren't doing the same thing in many states. It's a kit car and hobbyists can do what they please with it, unlike any other modern vehicles today.

But I'm not getting anyone's hopes up...doubtful anyone buys millions in assets just to turn around and effectively make the business model where you aren't obligated to return to the dealer.