Nissan could invest USD 400 million in ailing Fisker brand

Luxury EV brand Fisker is in financial trouble and Nissan is reportedly in talks to invest USD 400 million (about Rs 3,315 crore) in the company. Fisker recently announced that it has paused the development of its affordable compact EV, the Pear, having made a loss of USD 463.6 million (about Rs 3,840 crore) during the fourth quarter of 2023.

1. Fisker Ocean currently on sale in many markets
2. Fisker was in talks with Foxconn earlier
3. Fisker Pear, to go on sale by late 2025, is now on hold

Fisker actively seeking collaboration

CEO and founder Henrik Fisker added that the company was seeking to collaborate with another car brand to generate cash or reduce costs. He said: “Fisker is in negotiations with a large automaker for a potential transaction, which could include an investment in Fisker, joint development of one or more electric vehicle platforms and North America manufacturing.”

Bloomberg and Reuters have now reported that the manufacturer in question is Nissan, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter. Reuters added that the talks concern a USD 400 million cash injection from Nissan, in exchange for access to the platform underpinning the Fisker Alaska pickup truck. Nissan would also produce the Alaska at one of its US-based factories, alongside its own model built on the same architecture.

Fisker chief financial officer Geeta Gupta-Fisker said on Thursday's earnings call that continued development of the Alaska depended on a successful tie-up with an unnamed car firm. Henrik previously said that the “large automaker” the company was in talks with was not contract manufacturer Foxconn, with which Fisker has previously negotiated with about manufacturing cars in North America. The negotiation effectively ended Fisker's relationship with Foxconn, said Henrik.

The company is currently focusing its remaining cash reserves on ramping up production of the Ocean SUV, which is being built by contract manufacturer Magna Steyr in Austria, as well as rolling out further software updates for the car, he added. It produced 10,193 Ocean SUVs and delivered 4,929 units across 12 countries in 2023. It expects to deliver between 20,000 and 22,000 in 2024.

“We are not planning to start external expenditure on our next projects until we have a strategic OEM [manufacturer] partnership in place," said Henrik.

Work continues on the Fisker Alaska electric pickup truck, but Geeta said its development depends on the successful tie-up with the carmaker. “Any programmes which are beyond the Ocean would only incur expenses if there's a strategic collaboration," she said.

Pear prototypes were planned to hit the road later this year, ahead of the first customer cars being handed over at the “very end” of 2025, Fisker said earlier this year.