EV startup Fisker files for bankruptcy | Hacker News Reader

EV startup Fisker files for bankruptcy

techcrunch.com

18 pointsbookofjoe14 comments

They fumbled the bag so bad with their Ocean launch.

They basically released a beta car and people reviewed it poorly because it was buggy. You might think Tesla does the same, and they do, but if you see the reviews of this car specifically some of the stuff was REALLY bad.

Let it be a lesson, don't release products that aren't ready. Even if you're feeling pressure to do so

I think they knew what they were doing. This is the second time for this founder, though technically separate companies. They were launched in the middle of EV hype bubbles both times, they got govt subsidies the first time at least, and buyers paid in advance. It's easier to hype an EV than it is to make one actually better than Tesla, Kia, BMW, etc.

How far behind are Rivian and Lucid? All these niche EV companies are too far from profitability, they have no secret sauce making them useful acquisitions for a legacy carmaker or tech companies. The Chinese might want their established manufacturing sites though but I bet we'll see domestic BYD plants instead.

idk about Lucid but I see a ton of Rivians driving around in the city I live. If that's not enough to keep them afloat then what sort of unrealistic expectations had been set and financed against?

Lucid has so much Saudi money behind them that it’ll keep them afloat forever

I feel so confused about Rivian, on one hand I hear they're experiencing issues with profitability. On the other all Amazon vehicles in my city are now rivians and I see more and more of their trucks on the roads. I only see Lucid when I'm driving around the bay area.

Rivian seems a lot more feasible than Lucid to me. For starters, Rivians look nice and have a purpose that isn't really covered by other car companies.

Amazon has a vested interested in Rivian's success, they are Rivian's largest shareholder.

The Ford Transit is widely used as the basis for fibre splicing labs. However, Ford has a problem with the e-Transit: the batteries aren't big enough, even in the extended range version. Charging time doesn't matter, but there needs to be enough range to handle a typical work day without charging as charging time is an expensive way to be forced to pay an employee to sit around doing nothing.

Fisker did this in 2012: released a lemon car (the Karma) then went bankrupt, taking some federal loans down with them. The only reason I can believe anyone preordered another car named "Fisker" is because the first time was long enough ago that maybe they didn't know.

I just started seeing these on the road - what happens to existing owners? Any sort of maintenance needed and they are screwed?

not even childish gambino ref saved it.

Thanks, MKBHD

frantically searches for MKBHD take on Rivian

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