Henrik Fisker wants to put the excitement into the electric vehicle (EV) market and he is partnering with America’s auto dealers to do it.

Fisker, CEO of his eponymous electric vehicle company, Fisker Inc., took to the NADA Show Live Stage on Friday, Feb. 2, to explain his Dealer Partnership Model for his newly launched electric SUV, the Fisker Ocean.

The Dealer Partnership Model will provide dealerships with an opportunity they’ve not had previously, Fisker explained – an exciting and affordable EV product from an independent American EV company. The Ocean starts at $35,000. In addition, Fisker is working on a mid-sized EV pickup truck called the Fisker Alaska that starts at $45,000.

Affordability will be “our next big moment in EVs,” Fisker said, but beyond that, his goal is to “come up with some exciting vehicles that people want and that they can afford.” Toward that end, Fisker says his cars will be more than just an EV.

“What was forgotten is the excitement,” Fisker noted. “We have no reason of being here if we just made another normal car that was an EV. We focus on differentiating.”

Fisker said there are approximately 200 dealerships who have expressed interest in the Dealer Partnership Model, but the first to cross the finish line is the Mills Automotive Group out of North Carolina.

Fisker, who’s automotive background includes stints at Aston Martin and BMW, had designed his cars around “unique features to get people looking at something they haven’t seen before.”

For example, the Ocean has the longest range currently on the market – 360 miles. The EV also has the world largest solar roof, which allows drivers to generate 2,000 free miles a year from the sun. Fisker said it is also the most sustainable vehicle on the market, made with approximately 110 pounds of recycled materials.

Another differentiator is the Ocean’s popular California mode, which creates a convertible-like experience by opening all the windows, including the rear lift gate window, rear quarter windows, and the sliding roof.

But while all these differentiators are great, Fisker said he’s counting on the expertise and customer service of the franchise auto dealer network to help get his EVs to market faster than he can with a direct-to-consumer model.

“Why not go to the professionals that have built up these amazing dealerships, know their environments and communities… and know how to do customer service?” he said.

Watch the livestream from the Live Stage all week at NADA Show 2024.