Plenty of electric pickups will appear soon, including those from relatively unknown automakers. Fisker doesn’t have any beloved nameplates like the Ford F-150 or GMC Hummer, both of which are slated to have EV versions. However, the upcoming Alaskan pickup looks promising.
Judging from its teaser image, Fisker Alaska doesn’t exactly look like a traditional truck. It feels like a pickup truck you see in a science fiction movie, which is probably what the Tesla Cybertruck was trying to emulate. The only difference? Fisker Alaska is not ugly (in person, of course).
History of Fisker Automotive and Inc.
As we’ve learned from AutoWise, the Fisker Alaska pickup truck isn’t the EV maker’s first foray into the automotive world. Fisker Automotive was founded in 2007 by Henrik Fisker, who was an Aston Martin designer. He started building aftermarket parts for luxury cars until he started developing Fisker Karma.
The Karma futuristic sports car was eventually released, but it only ran into problems after that. The car was produced only due to a loan issued by the Department of Energy, which was subsequently withdrawn. Karma’s reputation has also been muddled by testing issues with Consumer Reports.
Subsequently, 2013 shook the company to the core, as Henrik Fisker was removed from his position, and several employees were laid off. Fisker nearly filed for bankruptcy, but was eventually bought out by the Wanxiang Group and turned into Karma Automotive.
Finally, in 2016, Henrik Fisker launched a successor company called Fisker Inc. With the upcoming release of Fisker Ocean, it looks like Fisker is finally ready to start producing new electric vehicles.
What we know about Fisker Alaska
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Henrik Fisker reported dropping the first Alaskan teaser out of nowhere. He tweeted a picture of the end of the truck in February 2020, with no context other than the phrase “Electric pick up!”
When the tweet began to gain attention and comments, Fisker quickly removed the photo. A Fisker spokesperson later confirmed that the tweet was made in error but that Fisker was actually making an electric pickup truck.
Fisker gave us more details about the truck last year, including a teaser for the vehicle’s profile. Fisker also said that this was just a prototype, which raised his concern that the consumer version would be “more radical.”
Fisker Alaska promises to be the most efficient electric pickup because it will have the lowest weight of all cars. It also appears that Fisker Alaska won’t be utility-oriented: Fisker describes it as more of a “lifestyle” truck. No powertrain specifications, range estimates or the project’s towing capabilities have been revealed yet.
Like the Tesla Cybertruck, the Fisker Alaska has plenty of sharp corners. However, drivers are likely to be more tempted by its traditional body shape, which is somewhat similar to Hyundai Santa Cruz, as shown on CarBuzz. In contrast, drivers may feel claustrophobic when looking at the Cybertruck’s relatively small windows and narrow body.
When will Fisker Alaska be released?
Green Car reports, the next Fisker (possibly Alaska) will be available in late 2023. Fisker also said that the company is working on a few other designs along with the new pickup, including the under-$30,000 Pear EV. The price of the Alaskan pickup truck isn’t known, but it could fetch around $40,000 or more (using Fisker’s surroundings as a reference point).
As for the Tesla Cybertruck, Elon Musk recently stated that production won’t start until early 2023. The release of the Cybertruck has been delayed several times, mainly due to a shortage of semiconductor chips. If deliveries can begin by the end of that year, Fisker Alaska will face some direct competition.
Even die-hard Tesla fans can admit that the Cybertruck’s design is somewhat polarizing. In contrast, Fisker Alaska looks familiar enough to confidently bring out futuristic flair. Only time will tell if its final prototype is as extreme as the Cybertruck.
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