So it's a car called the Pear, being built by a company which is famous for making Apples which has a froot and is designed to swallow pizzas. That’s quite a lot to digest, but if it’s left you hungry for more then read on to hear more about the new, smaller Fisker.

That unusual name is an acronym of Personal Electric Automotive Revolution, and it does have some pretty impressive and innovative design features. How about a ‘Houdini’ hatch, bench seat, insulated frunk? Or maybe 320 miles range and a starting price which undercuts a Corsa Electric? 

Something else to make you sit up and take notice is the fact that Pear is being in the US in collaboration with a company called Foxconn. You might not have heard of them, but you’ll have used some of the things they make - Foxconn is best known for its huge iPhone assembly factories in China.

Fisker Pear styling

Teaming up with Foxconn means that Fisker has been able to keep costs down, the company has been involved in the production process to help keep costs down and work with Fisker to make sure its production is as sustainable as possible. 

The Pear uses a lightweight steel body structure which Fisker claims uses 35% fewer parts than a conventional electric car. But that doesn’t mean it's a small car, at 4,550mm it’s actually longer than a Nissan Qashqai. 

Its design is simple with its designer Henrik Fisker saying he took inspiration from glider planes and it features a wraparound windscreen to give plenty of visibility, while it has some nice features like the retractable door handles you’ll find on the Ocean and that illuminated Fisker badge.

To us it looks a little like a beefed up Kia Soul - which is no bad thing in our eyes. There may be some elements that don't make it through to production, for example we can't see the sense in having massive ​20-inch wheels as standard and 22s as an option. It may look bling but pushes up the cost and causes drag, making the car less efficient.

Fisker Pear tech and features

The most interesting and innovative parts of the Pear are the fun stuff and ‘Houdini’ boot. Fisker has committed to giving each of its cars four unique features - like the dog windows on the Ocean. 

In the Pear's case the clever bits include the boot lid, which disappears into the rear bumper. Fisker has done away with the hassle of hauling open the tailgate, so the glass and the tailgate roll down and disappear out of sight. That's not just for the sake of it - the lack of tailgate means it will be far easier to load stuff in the boot when you are in a tight parking spot.

At the front the Pear has a front boot, but instead of having an opening bonnet it slides out like a drawer. It can even be insulated for keeping takeaways warm - could be handy for pizza deliveries.

Fisker Ocean Interior and practicality

The cabin itself is practical rather than posh, with no fragile moving parts. This is said to make it better for car-sharing applications and parents with clumsy kids. We love the idea of making things simpler and tougher, but we do wonder if the Fisker is a little too pared back for our tastes - it feels like the sort of quality you'd find on public transport rather than a £31,000+ car. But given that this is a nowhere near a production car we’ll wait until we see the real thing to deliver our verdict.

There are some clever ideas, like moving the stereo speakers to the dashboard so you don’t need wiring in the doors, which saves cost and weight. It's something we’ve seen in Volvo's new EX30. 

There’s loads of storage space too and the van-like bench front seat turns it into a six-seater. Three in back and three in the front. Which, considering that the UK price will be £30,900 is a lot of seats for your money.

Fisker says it thought about how people will use the Pear , so the front seats fold flat into something called Lounge Mode to give more space to rear passengers - considering it also has the rotating 17-inch screen from the Ocean you could have movie nights from the comfort of your car.  And feast on takeaway pizza keeping warm in your froot! I wonder if they’ll offer a popcorn maker too….?

Fisker Ocean battery, range and charging

You’ll get two battery options with an estimated range of either 198 or 348 miles. The smaller battery model is aimed at city-dwellers and as a second car. 

The bigger battery model will be offered with both rear wheel and all-wheel drive. The car is expected to deliver a base 0-60mph time of 6.3 seconds, but a high-performance variant, the Extreme, will also be in the line up. 

There is no word on charging speeds or the exact battery capacity yet.

Fisker Ocean pricing and availability

You can reserve a Pear now but production isn’t due until 2025 so you’ll have a while to wait. And that’s assuming that Fisker can overcome its rather precarious financial situation.

Verdict

The Pear looks like a really attractive car on the outside, with plenty of space and range. It also has some really clever features which will delight drivers. But we have a couple of concerns - firstly, the interior will be hard wearing, but it doesn't feel special in any way. Then there's Fisker's financial situation, which means it would be brave to leave a deposit. We really hope the Pear comes to fruition.