Written by Cláudio Afonso |LinkedIn | X
Fisker, the U.S. startup founded by the renowned automotive designer Henrik Fisker, has reportedly closed its showroom at The Grove in Los Angeles, just three weeks after shutting its New York store.
Earlier this week, the company has decided to halt direct vehicle sales to customers in states where it lacks dealership locations.
The Los Angeles showroom, a two-story facility located in a popular outdoor shopping and entertainment area, opened in August last year. It served as a venue for potential customers to view and test drive Fisker‘s Ocean EV model.
Previously, U.S. customers could order vehicles directly from Fisker and have them delivered to any state. Now, potential buyers based in states where the EV startup has no dealership partners are displayed with a message saying “Looks like there are no vehicles near you”.
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As Fisker continues to cut costs and transition from direct sales to a dealer partnership model, the only remaining U.S. facility is a “Fisker Center+” near San Diego. This location combines a showroom, service, and delivery center, according to Fisker’s website.
In January, the company announced a shift from direct sales to a dealer partnership model. Six weeks later, Fisker reported that over 250 dealers in North America and globally had expressed interest in selling its first production model, the Fisker Ocean.
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The company now has a total of 24 dealer locations, including 12 in Europe, up from nine dealer locations four weeks ago. In its recently filed annual report, Fisker stated that it selects its dealers based on multiple criteria, including the ability to deliver a high level of customer satisfaction.
In the recently filed annual report, Fisker said that was “selecting its dealers based upon multiple criteria, including a dealer’s ability to deliver a high level of customer satisfaction”.
NEVER MISS AN UPDATE
Earlier this week, EV learned that Fisker has initiated a new round of layoffs, affecting its IT organization, Purchasing department, and Customer Relations.
In recent months, the company has faced challenges securing new investments, leading to a production pause with its manufacturing partner Magna and multiple rounds of layoffs. As part of a strategic shift, Fisker is transitioning to dealer partnership sales.
One week ago, the company sent an email to its U.S. customers, informing them of the discontinuation of the roadside assistance service. This decision mirrors the earlier announcement to halt the service in Europe earlier this month.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
