In September 2022, Fisker Motors announced a deal with home charging provider Wallbox, making the company the official charger for all the carmaker’s vehicles. These developments broke as Fisker gears up for a global electric vehicle (EV) launch. The American, Canadian, and European markets have first access to the devices.
Following the successful launch of the Fisker Ocean in November 2022, the firm needed a reliable partner as it still doesn’t have a centralized network. The Pulsar Plus charger will be available to North American consumers, while European buyers can buy the Pulsar Max — both can be purchased on the Fisker website. All of these Wallboxes will have Fisker branding on them.
Home installation services will be provided as well. In Europe, Wallbox will handle all sales and installation. The charging provider’s North American subsidiary, COIL, has the job in the U.S. and Canada. Pricing for the Wallbox has yet to be announced.
“Fisker is laser-focused on giving our customers simple and intuitive technology combined with clever design to make owning an EV easier,” said Henrik Fisker, chairman and CEO. “Together with Wallbox, we are providing class-leading, competitively priced chargers for Fisker owners.”
The Wallbox chargers are some of the most sophisticated pieces of EV technology on the market. It’s a compact, mountable station that can power all EVs, including Teslas.
The Pulsar Plus model can return 30 to 35 miles of range per hour. It has voice control, which can pair with an Alexa or Google Assistant to start, stop, and monitor charging. The WiFi and Bluetooth pairing allows the same remote accessibility. The charging rates will be tracked in the myWallbox app, and thanks to the Power Sharing setting, users can even power up two EVs at once.
Going as green as possible, Wallbox is promoting using renewable energy to power EVs. Eco-Smart Solar EV Charging allows users to connect the box to their home’s panels to charge their cars cleanly and lower their electricity bills astronomically. In the app, you can choose between Eco Mode and Full-Green Mode. The first minimizes the amount of grid energy used by combining it with renewables; the other uses clean energy only.
Home charging is touted as one of the best solutions to the charger network dilemma. Since public stations haven’t met public demand, studies have shown 84% of owners power up at home.
In the inaugural Electric Vehicle Experience Home Charging Study, J.D. Power found that Level 2 permanently mounted stations were the preferred option for homeowners. It may not be surprising to hear that Tesla ranked the highest in the study. However, the drawback of home charging is device maintenance and modifications needed to install them. While clearing space in your garage is a hassle, it may be well worth the cost for affordability and access.
“When upgrading to Level 2 charging, some home electrical upgrades may be necessary,” said Brent Gruber, senior director of global automotive at J.D. Power. “Making those changes will mean faster charging and result in a far more satisfactory EV ownership experience.”
Fisker and Wallbox’s deal follows the growing demand for the Ocean EV. The launch edition sold out, with 5,000 units bought in just 30 days. Factor in the 58,000 reservations the company claims to have, and the car certainly seems in demand. The cost and range may have something to do with it. Giving potential Fisker customers the option to order a Wallbox alongside their vehicle is a perfect way to drive future sales.
