Fisker, the electric vehicle (EV) startup, provided further details about its $29,900 Pear electric urban lifestyle crossover vehicle during its Product Vision Day. The company confirmed that Foxconn, the renowned consumer electronics manufacturer primarily known for producing Apple iPhones, will be in charge of manufacturing the Pear at its Lordstown, Ohio facility. This confirmation comes after Fisker’s CEO, Henrik Fisker, previously mentioned that the deal with Foxconn was still being finalized. Although Fisker is optimistic about the outcome, there are still some unanswered questions, particularly regarding supplier costs.
Key Takeaway
Fisker’s partnership with Foxconn to manufacture the Pear EV at their Ohio facility raises uncertainties due to Foxconn’s previous unreliability with other companies. Fisker’s ability to deliver a sub-$30,000 electric vehicle and overcome production and delivery challenges will heavily depend on finalizing the agreement and addressing supplier costs.
Fisker’s Sub-$30,000 EV Challenge
Fisker’s goal of building a sub-$30,000 electric vehicle presents a unique challenge, as no other EV manufacturer has successfully achieved this feat. General Motors’ $26,595 Bolt reportedly incurred significant losses, while Tesla had to discontinue its sub-$30,000 Model S before production even began in 2022. Fisker has already faced difficulties in meeting its own delivery and production targets, falling short of expectations by several hundred vehicles this year.
The Unsettling Track Record of Foxconn
While Fisker and Foxconn have not officially confirmed the finalization of the deal, the announcement of the Pear suggests that common ground may have been reached. However, Foxconn’s history of broken promises raises concerns. The company recently faced a lawsuit from Lordstown Motors, filed after the automaker filed for bankruptcy. Lordstown Motors accused Foxconn, which purchased the Ohio factory from them, of failing to fulfill its commitments in manufacturing the Endurance pickup truck. Foxconn also withdrew from a $19.5 billion agreement with Vedanta and failed to deliver on its promise to build a factory in Wisconsin, resulting in the loss of 13,000 potential jobs.
Innovations in the Fisker Pear
The Fisker Pear combines innovative design elements with cost-saving strategies. The vehicle features a light steel body structure that reduces the parts count by 35%, resulting in easier and faster assembly. Fisker plans to build its own supercomputers for the Pear, introducing the “Fisker Blade” computer, which offers up to 6.2 TFLOPS of processing power and delivers enhanced power efficiency through an asymmetric processing architecture.
The Pear also boasts unique features such as a “Houdini trunk,” which slides down behind the rear bumper, allowing easy loading and unloading in tight parking situations. The drawer-like frunk, located in the front of the vehicle, can be insulated to keep food hot or cold, making it ideal for delivery drivers. The interior design prioritizes minimalism with no fragile moving parts, maximizing storage space for drivers. Additionally, the Pear offers a “Lounge Mode” that folds down all the seats to create a lying-down space, along with the option to seat an additional sixth person in the front using a two-seat bench.
The Pear will be available with two battery options, offering a range of either 180 miles or 320 miles, and can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 6.3 seconds.
