American electric car manufacturer Fisker has announced its plans to soon start selling (and possibly manufacturing) its flagship electric SUV, the Ocean, in China. Executives from Fisker recently visited Shanghai and discussed collaboration opportunities in the country, making it possible for the company to establish a delivery center in China this year. By 2024, Fisker aims to start delivering cars to the Chinese market.
Fisker is slowly but steadily expanding its global electric vehicle business, leveraging the wave created by its Ocean SUV. The flagship electric vehicle began deliveries in May this year, six months after production commenced in Austria.
China is the world's largest electric vehicle market and is leading innovation in many aspects of electric vehicles. Chinese consumers are adopting zero-emission vehicles at a faster rate than consumers in other countries, which is why American car startups like Lucid and Fisker are eager to enter the Chinese market.
During their visit to Shanghai, Fisker's executive team discussed supply chain, logistics, storage, and even future localization of production. In fact, at Fisker's annual shareholders' meeting last week, Danial Foa, a member of Fisker's board in China, revealed the intention to enter the Chinese market. He stated, "Firstly, China accounts for one-third of global automobile sales, with approximately 26 to 27 million cars sold in 2022, out of which 6 to 7 million were electric vehicles, representing about 25% market share. Since 2023, this proportion has increased to around 27%. Secondly, the high-end automotive market in China is growing faster than the overall market, and Fisker, with its unique history, features, and design, is well-positioned to cater to this segment."
"The acceptance of high-quality traditional international automotive brands in China has always been high. Currently, both government policies and consumer behavior are rapidly shifting towards electrification. Fisker, as one of the only two international companies solely focused on pure electric vehicles, offers an alternative choice to traditional automotive brands, which puts us on the shortlist for consumer purchasing decisions."
It seems that Fisker is placing itself in the same league as Tesla. However, Fisker still has a long way to go to penetrate the international market. Nonetheless, Fisker believes in the potential of the Ocean and will seek to sell this SUV in China, starting with the establishment of a distribution center based on its existing offices.
It is currently unclear where Fisker will build the delivery center in China, but the company has disclosed its plans to launch the delivery center in the first quarter of next year. Additionally, Fisker expressed its desire to commence production in China next year, with an annual output of 75,000 Ocean vehicles.
