Orphans of Fisker: How a Small Bronx Shop Keeps Them Moving Forward

The Fisker Ocean is being repurposed as a ride-sharing vehicle in New York City. Discover the workshop that manages the biggest collection of these vehicles around.

These are among the most sophisticated vehicles on the roads today, yet they can be traced back to an unassuming old brick structure located on a side street in the Bronx. Fisker Oceans proceed with getting serviced to become part of New York City’s for-hire vehicle fleet.

In 2024, when electric vehicle company Fisker faced bankruptcy, an aircraft leasing company named American Lease noticed a chance to cater to the ridesharing industry as it swiftly transitions towards electric vehicles. The firm acquired the leftover fleet of its cars, approximately 3,000 Oceans UVs.

American Lease invested approximately $42.5 million to acquire vehicles at a fair market price of about $13,000 per unit, based on bankruptcy records. They subsequently lease these cars to Uber and Lyft drivers starting from just $399 monthly. At this very moment, those same vehicles could be seen ferrying passengers across New York City.

However, the existence of a taxi in New York City comes with challenges, as potholes, harsh road conditions, and negligent motorists pose potential calamity at each juncture. So where do these Fiskers end up for repairs? They cannot return to Fisker; the company has ceased operations. Rather, assistance can be found nearby at the BHP Service Center just off the American Lease’s Hunts Point depot.

In 2023, the city established targets similar to those for Uber and Lyft, mandating that all rides must either be electric vehicles (EVs) or accessible to wheelchairs by 2030. This transition has been underway since then, resulting in an increased number of such ride-sharing options available. Toyota bZ4Xs , such as Tesla Model 3s, and so forth. BHP is staying abreast of this trend by managing these Fisker vehicles.

"I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to work with American Lease," says shop owner Ronen, known as Roni to everyone. With 25 years of experience in the field, he has witnessed significant changes in New York City's taxi fleet. Mentioning the Nissan NV200 "Taxi of Tomorrow" prompts a wince from him, whereas reminiscing about the Ford Crown Victoria brings back more pleasant memories; this model stopped being produced in 2012 and was banned from legal taxi services around seven years after that. Although the Fisker cars provided by American Lease to BHP are currently brand-new, they're gradually becoming commonplace.

Currently, just a handful of racks at BHP contain parts for Fiskers. Most are designated for Highlanders, Priuses, and various other Toyota models. Return after a year, Roni informs me, and this entire area will stock exclusively Fisker vehicles. According to Roni, they have already begun hiring experts to manage the higher volume of electric car service requirements.

He has begun preparing for their expected problems and minor collisions. In June 2024, American Lease revealed plans to acquire Fisker’s stock, yet they have only recently been deploying cars around the streets of New York City. This initiative is still quite new, so I am taken aback seeing damaged and battered Oceans lined up along the side parking area beside BHP’s main entrance.

There’s no cause for concern, according to Roni. The Oceans he acquired were not damaged by Uber drivers; they were purchased specifically for use as donor vehicles. These cars are designated for scrapping, with their panels and components removed so that American Lease can keep their other Ocean models operational on the roads.

BHP has also acquired spare parts directly from Fisker and started producing components independently. This involves fabricating molds for body panels and parts such as bumpers, despite Ronen retaining an inventory of new spares at his facility and in another storage location. Currently, he possesses sufficient stocks, yet he remains prepared for the moment when American Lease’s vehicle fleet begins encountering routine problems and minor collisions.

There haven't been any incidents so far," states Roni, who owns BHP Service Center, located in an industrial section of the Bronx. "Thank God.

Nonetheless, certain components become a bottleneck when handling these abandoned cars. He feels compelled to guarantee zero downtime for American Lease’s vehicle fleet and aims to maintain sufficient inventory levels as more of their Oceans start hitting the streets. "Individual car owners have approached me seeking spare parts, but I've had to refuse them," Roni explains. Prioritizing American Lease comes before everything else.

It's wonderful to observe how ordinary these Fisker vehicles appear as they come and go from BHP’s brick structure. This scene seems quite distant from the shiny setting of the Los Angeles Convention Center, where the Ocean was first unveiled back in 2021.

However, if this was meant to depict an inspiring glimpse into the world of electric vehicles as our tomorrow, then today’s truth looks quite different. The reality unfolds in a modest garage located in the Bronx, where some of the most sophisticated electric cars on Earth receive their maintenance, finding a renewed purpose that surpasses all expectations.

Raphael Orlove is a freelance writer and editor, whose writing has likely appeared in various publications. Defector, Road & Track , and Jalopnik He still recalls visiting the California Fuel Cell Partnership during his middle school years, and he even took the time to lecture a Tesla engineer about the appropriate size for the Model S at a picnic event.

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