Tesla rival Fisker in talks with Nissan on lifeline

The development comes a day after Chief Executive Officer Henrik Fisker said his eponymous company is discussing a capital infusion from a rival carmaker and issued a going-concern warning. It’s the latest sign of stress in an electric vehicle market plagued by slowing growth and questions over consumer demand.

Fisker, which plans to cut 15% of its workforce, reported weaker-than-expected earnings results Thursday as it struggles with production issues, technical glitches and criticism from short sellers. EV makers of all sizes are also grappling with an industrywide slowdown in sales growth as consumer demand wanes.

Nissan may invest as much as $400 million in Fisker’s truck platform and building a planned pickup starting in 2026 at one of its US assembly plants, Reuters reported earlier Friday.

Word of a potential rescue from Nissan stemmed losses in Fisker’s shares, which had plunged as much as 48% in early trading. The stock closed down 34% in regular New York trading to a record low of 48 cents. It had fallen 76% last year and trades well below its 2021 peak.

The company said in a statement Thursday that its current capital may not be enough to sustain it over the next 12 months without additional funds. It reported cash and equivalents of $325.5 million as of Dec. 31, well below a $502.3 million average analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

With the capital challenges, Fisker said, there is “substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.”

Fisker estimates it has about $500 million split between its vehicle and parts inventories, with current sales generating more cash.

It recorded $200.1 million in fourth-quarter sales, short of analyst estimates for $272.9 million. The company projected deliveries of between 20,000 and 22,000 EVs this year. It delivered 4,929 for all of 2023.

— With assistance from Chester Dawson