FISKER AUTOMOTIVE PARTNERS WITH MAJOR EUROPEAN AUTO RETAIL GROUPFISKER AUTOMOTIVE PARTNERS WITH MAJOR EUROPEAN AUTO RETAIL GROUP

Fisker Automotive continues to attract an impressive list of auto dealers in North America and Europe.  Today, Fisker Automotive announces that they have selected the Emil Frey Group as a distributor in Europe, with locations in Switzerland, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.
Tesla Motors currently has three corporate owned “stores” for their vehicles in London, England, Munich, Germany and Principality of Monoco.  While Tesla Motors is keeping a tight grip on critical component assembly, final assembly and distribution, Fisker Automotive leverages old auto industry infrastructure for all suppliers, assembly (including UAW labor for its new plant) and distribution. 
It will be interesting to see which business model flourishes.  Leveraging the existing infrastructure will help Fisker Automotive rapidly ramp production and sales, but it comes with the same issues that hobbled the big 3 automakers.  Tesla Motors is free of the issues that plagued the big 3, but can only slowly ramp their production and sales.
Press Release:
IRVINE, CA – Nov. 4, 2009: Fisker Automotive will partner with the Emil Frey Group, one of Europe’s most established and prestigious auto groups, to import, market and service its premium plug-in hybrid cars on the continent.

The Emil Frey Group owns and operates more than 100 retail centers in six countries and handles multiple premium brands.  Locations in Switzerland, Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland will provide Fisker with a strong operational base in Europe. 

Founded in 1924 by 26-year-old motorcycle mechanic Emil Frey the Emil Frey Group has grown into a major European auto importer, retailer, parts distributor and financial service provider. Over 85 years the Emil Frey Group has established a solid reputation for quality customer service, commitment and financial stability. 

 “We are pleased to partner with the Emil Frey Group to bring advanced technology vehicles to the European market,” said Marti Eulberg, vice president, global sales and marketing.  “This partnership will allow Fisker to deliver the Karma to European markets through an established and proven retailer network.”

 “We are very excited of the new perspective Fisker is offering. The combination of an extraordinary design, high performance, beautiful materials and outstanding energy efficiency of the Karma Plug-In Hybrid is most convincing,” commented Hans-Peter Plüss of Emil Frey AG.

Fisker has already signed distribution deals with the Nellemann Group in Copenhagen and GP Supercars in Merano, Italy.

ABOUT FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
Fisker Automotive is a privately owned, premium American car company with a vision to lead the automotive industry into the next-generation of automobiles with high-end design expertise and eco-friendly powertrain technology.  Global headquarters are in Irvine, California, USA.

The company was created in 2007 to leverage the design capabilities of Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, founded by auto design veterans Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler, and the PHEV powertrain capabilities of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ-QTWW), a major Tier 1 supplier of clean vehicle technologies to the automotive OEMs.  Previously, Fisker, CEO, was design director for Aston Martin and president and CEO of BMW’s DesignworksUSA.  Koehler, COO, led operations for Ford’s Global Advanced Design Studio and created concept cars for Aston Martin, MINI and BMW.

Fisker Automotive’s first car is the Fisker Karma, the world’s first production Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV).  The four-door Karma will be followed by two variants and a second line of lower cost, high volume premium green automobiles by 2012.

View original artcle at:  “https://www.greencarreports.com//news/1037772_fisker-automotive-partners-with-major-european-auto-retail-group”