Unraveling the Mystery of Fisker's 'Graveyard' of Preproduction Vehicles

In a move that has left many scratching their heads, electric vehicle manufacturer Fisker has been unearthing parts from preproduction vehicles to meet customer demand. But why are these cars being cannibalized, and what does this mean for the company? Let's take a closer look at the situation.

As reported by Business Insider, some of the vehicles in question are actually Fisker Oceans that were returned by customers. Preproduction cars, as their name suggests, are essentially beta versions of the vehicle not intended for customer use - just testing and demos production vehicles are the final product that customers receive. Typically, the parts are pulled from a back area at the La Palma site, where there is a lineup of preproduction vehicles dubbed the 'graveyard' by some.

In an effort to address a backlog of customer-service requests and a shortage of available parts, Fisker technicians have been taking parts off these 'donor cars.' But why are they doing this? According to several sources close to the issue, including two current employees and one former worker, the mentality is: If we have parts available, let's use them. This means that technicians are simply trying to help customers by using spare parts from preproduction vehicles.

However, not everyone is convinced of Fisker's motives. A spokesperson for the company told Business Insider that no parts have been taken off these vehicles for customer cars, and that any parts used were likely taken off engineering vehicles for analysis or retrofitting other engineering vehicles. But photos viewed by Business Insider suggest otherwise - several Fisker Ocean cars with missing parts are said to be being used as 'donor' vehicles.

So what does this mean for the company? On one hand, Fisker is taking steps to address customer demand and meet their needs. On the other hand, cannibalizing preproduction vehicles raises questions about the quality control process and whether customers can trust that they are receiving a final product rather than a prototype.

Ultimately, only time will tell if Fisker's decision to unscramble the jumble of parts from preproduction vehicles is a successful one. But for now, it seems clear that the company is willing to think outside the box (or in this case, the graveyard) to meet customer needs.

Unscramble jumble