为生存而孤注一掷

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Fisker Inc. is closing its Manhattan Beach headquarters and relocating employees to La Palma, Orange County, as part of an effort to stave off bankruptcy. This move is coupled with a $3.5 million short-term loan to keep the company afloat while it seeks potential acquisition or strategic alternatives, reports the 洛杉矶时报.

金融风暴

Fisker’s financial troubles began in March when a proposed alliance with a major automaker fell through, costing the company $150 million in potential financing. This collapse led to a sharp decline in Fisker’s share value, resulting in delisting from the New York Stock Exchange and breaching another debt agreement.

搬迁和裁员

截至 4 月中旬，菲斯科裁员 15%，员工总数约为 1135 人。关闭占地 72,000 平方英尺的曼哈顿海滩办事处将整合菲斯科在拉帕尔马的业务，菲斯科在那里有一个工程和分销设施。这样做的目的是削减成本，精简业务。

斗争中的生命线

尽管面临财务困境，菲斯科仍获得了 $3.5 百万美元的贷款，并有可能增至 $7.5 百万美元。这笔短期资金对该公司继续销售中型 SUV Ocean 至关重要。Ocean 虽然因其设计和环保功能而备受赞誉，但却因软件问题而饱受批评。

The Ocean’s Challenges

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched four investigations into the Ocean SUV. Issues include the automatic emergency braking system activating unexpectedly, a door that won’t open, and loss of braking performance. Fisker is cooperating with regulators to resolve these problems.

扩张努力和降价

To bolster its sales network, Fisker has added three new dealerships in California and New Jersey. This expansion comes after a failed attempt to sell directly to consumers, a model successfully employed by Tesla. In a bid to attract more customers, Fisker slashed prices on its 2023 Ocean models by over 30%.

生产停顿与市场困境

Fisker paused production at its Austrian manufacturing plant, which produced around 10,200 Oceans last year. The company is not alone in facing industry challenges; Rivian Automotive, another EV startup, announced layoffs and significant value loss due to a slow domestic market and rising interest rates.

受加利福尼亚启发的愿景

该公司由著名汽车设计师亨里克-菲斯科（Henrik Fisker）于 2016 年创立，旨在通过 Ocean SUV 革新电动汽车市场。Ocean 的设计灵感来自加利福尼亚州，采用太阳能车顶、可回收塑料内饰和专为冲浪板设计的后窗。

EVXL’s Take

Fisker’s journey reflects the broader challenges faced by EV startups in a competitive and volatile market. The push for innovation, such as Fisker’s eco-friendly designs, must be matched with robust financial and operational strategies. The EV industry’s potential remains vast, but companies must navigate financial turbulence to achieve lasting success. Fisker’s struggle underscores the need for sustainable business models in the green technology sector.