Fisker has been teasing us about its upcoming PEAR SUV for over a yr now, and we lastly acquired an opportunity to see the upcoming small SUV within the flesh at this time.

Fisker held its “Product Imaginative and prescient Day” at this time in Huntington Seashore, California, and confirmed us prototypes of some upcoming autos, and we acquired to see the PEAR within the flesh for the primary time.

The PEAR is Fisker’s second SUV, slightly smaller than the Ocean, however meant to have a a lot decrease base value – $29,900, earlier than tax credit. This implies $22,400 after tax credit, which is about as low a value anybody can ask for from a small SUV lately.

And Fisker does plan to supply the car within the USA, on the previous Lordstown plant, which can allow it to qualify for tax credit from the Inflation Discount Act.

To allow this low value, Fisker says that the PEAR may have 35% fewer components than the Ocean, making for easier manufacturing and subsequently decrease prices. It’s calling the platform “SLV1,” which stands for “Easy, Gentle, Quantity.”

As one instance, Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker said that each one 4 seats will use the identical armrest design, so as an alternative of creating 4 totally different components, Fisker solely must make one.

The PEAR can be made from metal, which is cheaper (however heavier) than aluminum, and Fisker wish to finally hit 1 million autos yearly – however that aspiration is clearly method off sooner or later.

Fisker nonetheless says that each car it makes should have a minimum of just a few distinctive options, and one among PEAR’s highlights is its distinctive “Houdini door.”

That is the corporate’s title for its rear hatch which vanishes into the automobile physique, leaving an enormous opening that received’t swing out and hit something or trigger you to bonk your head on it. You’ll be able to see it in motion in this portion of Fisker’s video (timestamped at 1:03:20).

Along with rear storage, the PEAR may have a entrance drawer-like storage space, which Fisker is attempting to name a “froot,” a portmanteau of entrance + boot, and which everybody else is simply going to name a frunk anyway. You’re too late on that one, Fisker.

However it’s totally different than lots of frunks we’ve seen – as an alternative of being below the hood, it slides out from behind the entrance grille space, probably offering a flatter area than most frunks do. Fisker mentioned that it was insulated, and thus may very well be used for transporting sizzling or chilly objects – although we didn’t hear whether or not it has its personal HVAC. We didn’t get to see it in motion, however you possibly can see a glimpse of it in this a part of Fisker’s video (timestamp 1:01:03).

The inside of the PEAR we noticed at this time is nothing like preliminary inside photos, with a way more spartan really feel to it. In fact, that is nonetheless a prototype (which, as we overheard on the occasion, was completed this morning), so nothing is last, however we might think about {that a} spartan inside is perhaps essential to get a value below $30k.

And admittedly, from what we noticed, it seemed fairly cool. It gave off Honda Aspect vibes, a car that was well-known for having a easy and usable inside that you simply didn’t thoughts getting slightly soiled, a characteristic which house owners actually favored. Extra targeted on utilitarianism than cushiness.

However Fisker additionally wished to spotlight simply how a lot inside area the PEAR has. It would have each 5- and 6-seat choices, with the 6-seat choice coming with a bench seat within the entrance. To show the PEAR’s capability, Fisker had 6 staff pile out of the automobile at the start of the presentation:

Fisker identified that you simply shouldn’t want an enormous, 3-row SUV to switch 6 folks round, together with all of the concomitant environmental impacts thereof (a message with which we wholeheartedly agree).

The PEAR may have a characteristic Fisker calls “Lounge mode,” which can reconfigure the seats (together with the entrance seats) to create a flat area inside the automobile for lounging round, and which can be giant sufficient to put down in. Must be nice for automobile tenting.

And all of that is supposedly coming in 2025. Between this automobile, the Alaska, and the Ronin, Fisker will go from having one automobile which simply began transport in 2023, to 4 automobiles in simply two years time. Fairly an enormous ask, notably from an organization with 1,000 staff, so we wouldn’t be stunned if we see some delays.

However if you wish to get in line for whichever yr the PEAR comes, reservations are open now on Fisker’s web site, at $250 a pop.

Electrek’s Take

As we said within the Take for the Fisker Alaska, these guarantees all appear nice, however we should think about that they could appear too nice.

We’d love a small primary utilitarian EV at an affordable value made in quantity, and the earlier it comes out the higher. However the mixture of creating this automobile, at this value, and this quickly, from a small firm, that isn’t simply specializing in one new car program however three new car packages, and attempting to scale a present car program… nicely, that’s lots to chunk off.

However as for the PEAR itself, in a yr the place everybody appears to be saying gigantic land yachts, we’re completely satisfied to see a small, sensible, well-priced electrical car within the combine. Now let’s hope it makes it to manufacturing with most of those guarantees intact (or a minimum of some? please?)