Electric vehicle designer and manufacturer Fisker describes founder Henrik Fisker as an “EV pioneer” and a “world-renowned, American automotive icon.” Among his company’s highlights through the years is the Fisker Flexible Solid-State Battery, which the company says “is ushering in a new era in fast charging, safety and range.”

Now as part of its new development of “affordable, luxurious and technologically advanced electric vehicles,” Fisker plans another company highlight with the release of a new all-electric SUV design, priced below $40,000. The company noted in a news release that the SUV is Fisker’s first in an upcoming lineup of three all-electric vehicles that it promises will be affordable.

Using the phrase, #ReinventTheSUV, Fisker notes that the all-electric luxury SUV is “shattering old notions of what an SUV can be.” The company described the vehicle as “a futuristic, elegant muscular EV with clean surfaces and a dramatic shape.”

“The affordable mass market vehicle features captivating design touches that have been traditionally reserved for supercars in the past,” the company said in a news release.

The company added that it is developing a larger line-up of “affordable, luxurious and technologically advanced” electric vehicles. Launching after the SUV will be the Fisker EMotion luxury electric sedan, which the company describes as the brand’s low-volume flagship model. Fisker will introduce the EMotion to the market after an affordable model becomes available.

“As the ultimate symbol of future emerging technologies, the high-end EMotion will retake the stage as patented Fisker Solid-State Battery technology becomes ready for vehicle application and commercialization,” the company noted, adding that it will release more information and timelines at a later date.

“Our flagship, low-volume EMotion luxury electric sedan will be the first model to feature Fisker Solid-State batteries, targeted to deliver more than 500 miles of range with a single, quick charge,” Henrik Fisker said in a news release. 

For the SUV that will launch first, Fisker is touting what it describes as some of the vehicle’s “never-before-seen, high-tech user experiences," including:

—An extended open-air atmosphere is possible with the touch of a button, and Fisker says that will occur “without compromising the rugged and safe structural integrity of an SUV.”

—The vehicle’s spacious interior includes what the company describes as “a modern aesthetic and high-quality materials.”

—Dashboard features will include a large heads-up display and a user interface that will control what Fisker describes as “emerging in-vehicle technologies.”

Fisker also describes some of the vehicle’s “future-forward technologies” that it says are now integral to the design of the vehicle. A small, center high-mounted, behind-glass radar replaces a traditional grill. The company notes that a traditional grill is no longer a necessity on an EV.

A “parametric pattern” exists at the lower front of the vehicle. In that area, air cooling is directed only as needed. In addition, the company states that lower body aerodynamic features “add more stimulating visuals.”

The SUV will be available in four-wheel drive with two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear. An extended range (target of approximately 300 miles) will come standard, and an enhanced +80 KWh lithium-ion battery pack will make that range possible.

The vehicle will be available with optional 22-inch wheels.

Pricing is set at a base price below $40,000. The company anticipates final pricing and a drivable prototype to be revealed by the end of 2019.

Fisker plans to sell direct to consumers, and a nationwide concierge service model is also in development. The company also plans to begin accepting early deposits near the production start date. Fisker will share more information on timelines and a website link at a later date.