After a bankruptcy filing from EV automaker, Fisker, the company’s former Southern California headquarters was abandoned and has reportedly become a magnet for squatters.
The luxury electric carmaker was founded in 2016 by Danish designer Henrik Fisker. Initially headquartered in Manhattan Beach, Fisker Automotive opened a facility more recently in La Palma in Orange County.
Reports say in early 2024, the company experienced major financial difficulties. Fisker laid off most of its employees and shuttered its headquarters. On June 17, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Since then, landlords said the facility was left in complete disarray as the building is filled with trash, auto parts, office equipment, potentially hazardous waste and even life-size clay model vehicles.
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Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
A full-size clay model of a vehicle was left behind along with auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials at Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
A full-size clay model of a vehicle was left behind along with auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials at Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware) -
Abandoned auto parts, office equipment, trash and possible hazardous materials were left abandoned in Fisker Automotive’s former Orange County headquarters. (The United States Bankruptcy Court For The District Of Delaware)
The landlords said they shouldn’t be responsible for cleaning up the mess which would reportedly cost them “tens of thousands of dollars in cleanup costs, damage repairs and what appears to be hazardous waste removal,” according to a legal document filed on Oct. 4.
According to TechCrunch, Fisker reportedly sold some of its onsite assets to an auction house, but it remains unclear who actually owns the abandoned items.
Lawyers for the building’s landlords said in addition to the ongoing issues, squatters have been breaking into the building.
Before filing for bankruptcy, Fisker attempted to raise funds by forming a partnership with a major automaker, rumored to be Nissan,” the Associated Press reports. The company had also slashed prices on its under-performing Ocean SUV in an attempt to reduce the building glut.
“Beyond the funding issues, Fisker has also suffered from cooling demand for EVs, as well as supply chain issues that delayed a ramp-up in production of the Ocean,” AP reports.
On Oct. 7, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it would be investigating the automaker’s bankruptcy.
In a court filing, the SEC said multiple subpoenas had been sent to Fisker as part of the investigation with more to possibly come. The filing did not disclose the cause of the investigation, but noted it could result in “future actions alleging violations of the federal securities laws.”
Fisker Automotive is the second automotive venture led by Henrik Fisker to fail. His first endeavor, founded in Irvine in 2007, debuted the company’s first vehicle, the Karma, to industry acclaim in 2011.
The Karma was one of the world’s first production luxury plug-in hybrids on the market. However, financial and technical troubles mired the company over the years which eventually folded in 2013.
KTLA has reached out to Fisker Automotive and La Palma city leaders for comment but has not heard back.
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