Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
In the same week that Fisker filed for bankruptcy protection, the chief executive Henrik Fisker made his first public appearance of 2024 on Thursday, delivering a keynote speech at the ET Auto Summit in India.
Speaking virtually, Henrik discussed the engineering of sustainable vehicles and cleaner mobility just a few days after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware.
In the only quote provided by the event, the automotive designer commented on the difference in the sensory experience between internal combustion engine vehicles and electric ones saying “we will figure out how to replace the experience of ICE”.
“EVs do not bring the same sensory experience as ICE vehicles did. As we continue to develop them, we will figure out how to replace the experience of ICE too,” Henrik remarked, according to the event organizers.
Noticeably, the chief executive did not address the current situation of his company. This silence comes just 48 hours after Fisker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware, listing estimated assets between $500 million and $1 billion, and liabilities ranging from $100 million to $500 million.
NEVER MISS AN UPDATE
This marks the second time Henrik has faced bankruptcy with an automotive startup, following the closure of his first company in 2013.
Fisker, his second venture, emerged in 2016 and went public in 2020 through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) backed by Apollo Global Management having reached a record market value of $8 billion.
Henrik’s comments at the summit underscore his commitment to the EV industry and suggest he intends to be around, even as his current company navigates bankruptcy proceedings. By not addressing the bankruptcy, Henrik focused attention on his broader vision for the future of EVs, rather than the immediate financial challenges.
The company has recently issued two voluntary recalls affecting more than 11,000 vehicles in North America and Europe due to software-related issues.
The first one affects 11,201 vehicles across Europe, U.S. and Canada while the second one impacts 6,864 in the U.S. and 281 in Canada. The startup will send out an over-the-air update to version OS 2.1 to address both issues until the end of the month.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
