The past decade has been a turning point for the automotive industry as electrification became its epicenter, and every automaker has tried to take their fair share of it. With so many EVs turning up every day, Fisker has also stepped up its game to make the most of this trend. After the company’s reincarnation in 2016, the focus had solely been on developing smart electric vehicles and promoting sustainability. The all-new Fisker Ocean is the prime example of it, which is a compact electric SUV and is set to launch in late 2022 and hit the dealerships in 2023.
Trims and Pricing
Fisker plans to offer the Ocean in 4 different trims, with the flagship model being only the launch edition, limited to 5000 units. The car has been designed and built completely from scratch and possesses a strong road presence with its gutsy exterior design, complemented by optional 22’ wheels. The interior is all about minimalism and sustainability where the focus is quality vegan material and simplicity. The Ocean has some striking features unique to itself, that make it stand out from the crowd. The Fisker has announced the starting price of $37,000 after federal tax credit and aims to hit the mass market with the speculated range of 250-350 miles. Would all this hype and promises by Fisker make any waves in the EV market? only time will tell.
Model | Price (Est) |
Sport | $39,000 |
Ultra | $51,500 |
Extreme | $70,500 |
One (limited) | $75,000 |
Power-train and Performance
The youngest member of the Ocean family, the Sport model is powered by a single electric motor that sends all 275 horses to the front wheels. It is equipped with a Touring Range battery and has an estimated 0 to 60 time of 6.9 seconds. All the other variants are equipped with dual-motors, linked to each axle and produce 550 horsepower, thanks to the Hyper Range battery. The all-wheel-drive system ensures a dynamic driving experience and ultimate traction. The flagship model can go to 60 from a standstill in 3.2 seconds with the standard 20’ wheels and low resistance tires.
Electric Range and Charging
With Range anxiety being the major hindrance in the mass success of EVs, Fisker has to be at the top of the game, especially when some automakers are teasing 1000 Km/charge models.
With the Ocean still being in production phases, Fisker has only released some estimates. The base variant (Sport) equipped with a Touring Range battery would have an estimated range of 250 miles on a single charge. The other variants, including the limited production “One” model, would be capable of traveling 350 miles per charge, thanks to the Hyper Range battery pack.
As of now, Fisker has not announced the charging time figures or estimates but has ensured that the Ocean would be compatible with the majority of the public charging stations. Fisker has collaborated with Electrify America to offer their customers complimentary charging in the beginning.
*Keep reading to know about the exciting “SolarSky” feature
Interior – Ambiance, and Storage
The cabin of the all-new Fisker Ocean oozes minimalism and simplicity. Any surface or trim that you touch speaks of quality and the majority of parts are vegan, with the prime motive of sustainability. There is a slim digital cluster display that shows all the basic information and a projection head-up display. The most interesting item is the 17.1’ center screen that controls all the functions and the driver can choose between 3 driving modes, the Earth, Hyper, and Fun.
*The center screen is unique, keep exploring…..
There are plenty of storage bins and spaces inside and asymmetrically trimmed comfortable seats. The rear passengers have also been looked after with ample room and luxury features, to ensure that it serves the purpose that its predecessor lacked. Some important features include:
1. Panoramic roof
2. Rear-view mirror with the live feed
3. Electronically adjustable seats and steering column
4. Electronic tailgate
Although the trunk space looks ample and comparable to other EVs, the lack of a front trunk ("frunk") is a shame, given that the car has no engine.
Safety
The Fisker Ocean is equipped with all and the basic latest driver assistance features to ensure the safety of the passengers. It includes a unique aluminum-carbon chassis for stiffness and strength of the passenger cabin and extra crumple zones, ABS with EBD and brake assistance features, 10 Airbags, and various other features.
Smart tech includes adaptive cruise control, pre-collision warning with emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and active lane-keeping assist. The brand calls it the Fisker Intelligent Pilot and it includes a radar-based 360 camera setup as well. The smart traction system on the Fisker Ocean ensures safety on wet surfaces as well.
Some Unique Features
California Mode: With the push of a button, all four windows, rear doggie windows, rear lift gate window, and the panoramic roof retract, turning your SUV into an open-air convertible.
Limo Mode: The rear passengers can change the music and ambiance through a digital screen and electrically retract the rear seats for a more relaxing experience.
Solar Sky: The solar panel integrated into the panoramic roof adds a clean 1,500-mile range/year to your Ocean.
Revolve: The 17.1’ center touchscreen can “revolve” from a horizontal (portrait) position to a vertical position to enable maximum customization.
Comparison
Although the Fisker has stepped up its game and sculpted a vehicle with huge potential, it is still late to the party. Once propelled into the market, it would have to face fierce competition from all sides. Especially the EV market leader Tesla, the world automotive leader Volkswagen group, the American giants like Ford and GM, and the Koreans.
Not only do these rivals have a larger footprint, market, and media presence, but they also have decades and scores of automotive legacy and have tons of experience in manufacturing, and automotive trends. Let’s compare some models with the very promising Fisker Ocean and see where does it stand.
*For the sake of equality, only the mid-table trims would be compared in terms of price and electric range.
Model | Price | Range (miles) |
Fisker Ocean – Ultra | $55,500 | 350 |
Tesla Model Y | $61,000 | 330 |
Volkswagen ID4 | $42,000 | 260 |
Ford Mustang Mach E – CR1 | $54,000 | 270 |
Hyundai Ioniq 5 - SEL AWD | $50,600 | 265 |
Kia EV6 – GT line | $49,000 | 250 |
Although there are various other important things to consider while buying an EV, apart from price and range:
1. Time required for charging
2. Warranty of parts
3. Charging infrastructure
4. Battery technology
5. Real-life electric range
Final Thoughts
The Fisker has just resurfaced after going dark in 2013 and since its rebirth, it has shown promise and potential. The Ocean is one example of it and has a lot of prospects for the future, given that the company fulfills its promise and launch a product as good as it looks on paper. If everything goes according to plan, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a small, California based automaker giving the market giants a run for their money.
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