What does Henrik Fisker see that the others don't?
The Fisker Karma has been rebuilt and rebranded as the Karma Revero by an entirely different company, but the car's original creator remains very much a part of the EV scene. The talented designer is set to launch a $40,000 electric vehicle, called the Emotion, that'll be sold globally by 2021 and built right here in the US.
Speaking with Automotive News Europe, a specific location has yet to be decided upon but Fisker did confirm some other details about the vehicle. For starters, it will be half the weight of today's current battery systems despite offering the same output.
As previously reported, this will be made possible with the use of solid-state batteries that weigh significantly less than those with liquid electrolytes. They're also much more power dense and can offer twice the power and a 400-mile range. But that's not the most interesting part of the interview. This is: Fisker is convinced established automakers like BMW will soon have to completely reinvent themselves and his reasoning does make sense.
BMW, for example, is well known for its internal combustion engines. They sound great and have smooth power delivery. Because EVs are silent, how will BMW continue to stand out in a world dominated by EVs?
"You will not hear a difference between one electric motor and the other," Fisker said. "They are all quiet. So, what are the differentiators? Why will I buy a BMW electric car in the future? That is going to be one of the big challenges: rebranding and telling the customer what the brand is about."
And you know, he's got a point. This must be one main reason why he feels his new company is in a prime position to establish itself as a leader in EVs. Of course, he'll have to contend with the current EV champ, Tesla, but in his opinion, a new era is about to unfold. His company also has 15 patents and its own lab that's currently building and testing battery cells. That R&D and design will soon combine to a new EV that could not only give Tesla a hard time but also the likes of BMW, too.
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