Fisker Puts Super Sedan Plans on the Back Burner, Hops on the SUV Bandwagon

Everyone’s favorite Danish designer has put his plans for an electric performance sedan on hold, turning his attention instead to an affordable, mass-market electric SUV.

Half a century ago, the foremost automotive trend was ordinary family cars stuffed to the gills with huge, fuel-sucking V8s. Today, if you’re not planning a bland, long-range EV with a liftgate and a somewhat sensible price, you’re nobody. Henrik Fisker doesn’t want to be a nobody.

On Monday, the CEO of L.A.-based Fisker Inc. (and past CEO of Fisker Automotive, creator of the ill-fated Karma) announced his company will offer an all-electric SUV in the latter half of 2021, stickering for “less than $40,000.” It’s a promise Fisker made in the recent past.

“Standard battery +80kWh. 4WD. Around 300 mile range. Direct Sales. Franchised Service,” Fisker tweeted.

Sounds a lot like Tesla’s MO, and in terms of product, a lot like Tesla’s Model Y. Interestingly, the cheaper variant of the model Tesla launched last Thursday is also expected to arrive in 2021 — in $40,200 (after destination) Standard Range form.

Previously, the news coming out of Fisker was all about solid-state battery technology and the creation of an EV luxury sedan called the EMotion. That vehicle, revealed at 2018’s Consumer Electronics Show with very interesting doors, is now on the back burner, Fisker said, and won’t launch until after the SUV’s arrival.

All promises made by startups carry a grain of salt, and Fisker’s announcement comes with a list of caveats, the largest being the unnamed SUV’s production site. At this point, there isn’t one.

In response to online questioning, Fisker said he anticipated a U.S. build site, adding “we are looking at several sites right now.” The vehicle will make its way to customers in such markets as Europe and Australia, he told curious social media denizens.

Time will tell if Fisker Inc has the finances and manpower to pull off its lofty promise by the target date. In a January interview with Automotive News Europe, Fisker addressed the assembly question, saying, “We are currently looking at some existing manufacturing plants. There are quite a few available.”

It was implied that Fisker might pull a Rivian and set up shop in a soon-to-be-shuttered General Motors facility, saving the upstart automaker scads of money while bringing new economic life to, say, Lordstown, Ohio. Again, time will tell.

[Images: Fisker Inc.]