However, the North American market has been the startup's priority from the beginning. The company did not respond to a request for comment. The internal figures help explain why the company announced Thursday that it's looking to partner with dealerships to sell its all-electric Ocean SUV in the U.S. — a change in strategy from the direct-sales-only model that Fisker had championed since going public in 2020. The documents also clash with the company's continued assurances of "increasing demand," which it claimed in Thursday's press release. The startup had plans to open showrooms across North America as part of its direct sales model, but has only opened two of its flagship "Fisker Lounges" to date. Henrik Fisker told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the lack of a physical footprint has harmed sales here. Fisker is not alone in struggling to find demand for its EVs. Establishing a brand and carving out market share has been a challenge for every new entrant to the market.