Fisker, the American EV start-up, has officially announced the development of a high-performance variant of its electric hatchback, the Fisker Pear. This version, known as the Pear Extreme, is expected to deliver impressive performance due to its dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain.
Although specific performance targets have not been confirmed by Fisker, it is highly anticipated that the Pear Extreme will significantly improve on the regular Pear’s claimed 0-60mph sprint time of 6.3 seconds.
For comparison, Fisker’s larger SUV model, the Fisker Ocean Extreme, features a total power output of 564bhp and 544lb ft, thanks to a 275bhp motor on each axle. This allows the 2434kg SUV to accelerate from 0-60mph in an impressive 4.0 seconds.
Industry experts at Autocar believe that the Pear Extreme will be positioned as a direct competitor to the £36,495 MG 4 XPower. The MG model is equipped with a dual-motor powertrain capable of delivering 429bhp, enabling it to sprint from 0-60mph in just 3.7 seconds. This makes it faster than the entry-level Porsche Taycan and on par with the Taycan GTS.
The Pear Extreme is also expected to feature a larger battery than the regular Pear, which currently offers a claimed range of 348 miles. However, the increased power and performance of the high-performance model may result in a reduced range compared to the standard variant.
Additionally, high-end versions of the Pear will include a solar-panelled roof, similar to the Fisker Ocean, enabling passive charging to extend the range. On the other hand, the cheapest variant of the Pear will come with a smaller battery pack, offering a claimed range of 198 miles.
Fisker predicts that the entry-level variant, a rear-wheel-drive model, will be the most popular option. It will be priced from $29,900 in the US (before incentives), approximately £23,500. However, the UK price is expected to be slightly higher due to local taxes and shipping costs from the factory in Ohio, US, operated by Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn.
Fisker Inc founder, Henrik Fisker, believes that in the next two years, people will realize that they do not necessarily need long-range capabilities, especially if they have a second car. He cites the slow sales of cars with 100- to 150-mile ranges as proof of this changing mindset.