Fisker seems to be crashing down and has started a damage limitation strategy. The latest plan is to sell the Ocean the mid-size crossover to employees at a special price.
The automaker has three trims of the Ocean available in its lineup: the Ocean Extreme, the Ocean Ultra, and the Ocean Sport. However, only the entry-level and the intermediate ones are available for the employees.
The most affordable of them all would normally start at $61,499. But that was long before Fisker joined the price-slashing bandwagon in a desperate attempt to keep up with other EV makers, which never actually happened, and, eventually, reduce loss. The latest price cuts made the Ocean, originally marketed as a luxury model, become the cheapest EV in America.
The company is obviously selling the Ocean inventory at a loss and has little or no chance whatsoever of ever returning to the pre-cut pricing. The company built 10,142 Ocean units in 2023, based on a contract with Magna International in Graz, Austria. Before the end of last year, it only sold 4,700 of them.
The original plan was to sell approximately 20,000 - 22,000 examples this year. But with only ten sold in Germany last month, there is still a very long way to go. The Ocean Sport starts at $24,999 in its Sport trim, the Ocean Ultra starts at $34,999, while the range-topping Extreme kicks off at $37,499.
Photo: Fisker
Earlier this week, the EV maker sent an email to its employees offering the Fisker Ocean Extreme and Lean Ultra at a special price. Whoever wants to drive one home will have to pay $20,000. Additional fees, such as delivery and document charges, may be associated with the purchase, according to the email.
The employees who are interested in the purchase must contact the company's Human Resources department. Fisker's Newport dealership will handle the transaction, as shown in the email published by Electric Vehicles (you can find it in our photo gallery).
"We are beyond excited to help you join the Fisker Ocean Family," the email reads. However, excitement is the last thing on carmaker's executives' minds right now, as the company seems to be inching closer to bankruptcy and has no chance of being rescued.
In order to avoid it, though, the company reduced its workforce in the US as well as Canada. Furthermore, amid financial instability and recalls, the Fisker Center+ in Rumst, Belgium, was closed on June 1.
Even though Fisker promises to fulfil warranty obligations for its customers, the company can't offer any guarantee when it comes to services, parts and/or updates. In the US and Europe, Fisker has already discontinued the roadside assistance service.
All this information, however, can't possibly be encouraging for the employees who were offered the impressive discount. Furthermore, selling the car in the near future would be next to impossible as the value of the model has come crashing down for the past few months, even before the announcement referring to services and parts.
Google News