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The brand Fisker will launch into the U.S. auto market with a competitively priced, all-electric SUV that you can order today. This is what we know about the Fisker Ocean.
It really does exist! After a long tease of partial images of the vehicle, Fisker showed a real-world Ocean SUV in Los Angeles this weekend to a crowd of early vehicle reservation holders and media. Production of the Fisker Ocean starts in late 2021, with high-volume deliveries in 2022. You can reserve yours today for $250.
SUVs are still the primary new vehicle purchased in the U.S., and Fisker is aiming to get a big slice of that pie. The all-electric Fisker Ocean luxury SUV should hit U.S. roads in 2020 with an impressively low starting price, 250-plus-mile range, and unique ownership experience.
Much of that experience will happen through the Fisker Flexee app and include things like at-home pickup and return when the vehicle needs maintenance.
Fisker plans to have a few Experience Centers across the country later this year as well. These locations will allow you to see the vehicles in person, as well as the different options available.
Through the Fisker mobile app, you’ll be able to schedule a test drive at one of these Fisker Experience Centers in 2021.
EV Pricing
You can buy the Ocean outright for a starting price of $37,399 — for a “limited number of vehicles.” That works out to $29,999 after current U.S. tax credits for electric vehicles.
If you read between the lines, this is also most likely an introductory price on the base vehicle and will not amount to a large volume of the vehicle’s overall production numbers. We’ll have to wait and see the full scope of the Fisker Ocean’s pricing structure.
For comparison, $38,990 is the starting price on the Tesla Model 3. Tesla also currently has about 80 percent of overall EV sales in the U.S. With that said, the EV market only makes up about 2 percent of the total U.S. new vehicle sales currently.
You can also lease a Fisker Ocean for $379 a month, with $2,999 down, with all maintenance and service included. This is an industry first: A lease that does not require a long-term contract.
Lease customers can decide to return the Ocean in as little as a month or up to several years. The lease terms include 30,000 miles per year.
To secure a Fisker Ocean for yourself in 2022, you can put down a $250 deposit today. This deposit will get you a reservation to either buy or lease the Ocean. You can make your reservation through the Fisker mobile app via the App Store, Google Play store, or the Fisker website.
Fisker Flexee App
Fisker is banking hard on consumers wanting their vehicle ownership experience to be largely app-based. The Fisker Flexee mobile app is the hub for all things Fisker.
The app will allow you to make a deposit for a vehicle, connect with the brand, get vital vehicle information, purchase vehicle insurance, schedule maintenance, make payments, refer friends, and a lot more.
“The human concept of freedom has evolved with instant access to everything through our smartphones. Fisker is the world’s first all-digital car company. We are producing electric vehicles with an increased sense of sustainability while creating an immersive experience built around our mobile platform.
“Managing a Fisker vehicle and engaging directly with the company will be fun, hassle-free, and at your fingertips — anytime, anywhere,” said Henrik Fisker, chairman and CEO of Fisker Inc.
Fun With Electricity
Fisker is trying to differentiate itself from the ever-growing EV market with fun vehicle features. So far, it has announced a karaoke feature through a heads-up display and unique open-air motoring experience called California Mode.
While I’m sure the karaoke feature will be entertaining, diver distraction is a real road safety problem that I can’t image this feature will help.
California Mode, named after Fisker’s company roots in Southern California, offers a one-button open-air experience. Nine glass windows/panels all open electronically.
However gimmicky, this feature was no small accomplishment. The vehicle’s safety cage around passengers is somehow maintained, even while the rear quarter glass is electronically opened.
The rear hatch glass drop also allows for transporting longer items without having to drive with the tailgate down.
Eco-Friendly Initiatives
The Fisker Ocean is designed to be “the world’s most sustainable vehicle — from the inside out.” What that amounts to is impressive, environmentally conscious initiatives throughout the vehicle’s life.
The most obvious, and highly touted, is the Ocean’s full-length solar roof, which comes standard. This skylight solar panel feeds the vehicle with power, and the brand claims it offers “1,000 free, clean miles per year.” That’s a bold and pretty vague claim.
So far, no panel specifications have been revealed, and Fisker has already said that as the solar technology evolves it will feature “integrated hardware solutions for better energy yields.” We expect the solar roof to be a cool and talked-about feature, but, based on current solar panel efficiencies, it isn’t nearly as useful as it sounds.
Materials used throughout the Ocean help with the company’s environmental initiatives. The inside of the Ocean will see such things as fully recycled carpeting (from fishing nets pulled from the oceans) and “eco-suede” interior fabric made from recycled polyester fibers (like those derived from T-shirts and recycled plastic bottles).
Fisker also touts the interior as being “vegan” and says it will repurpose rubber waste from tire manufacturing. It doesn’t, however, elaborate on those claims much.
Go Big or Go Home
Fisker is aiming big with its new line of all-electric vehicles, which starts with the Ocean. The brand is projecting to produce “more than 1 million vehicles” between 2022 and 2027. It has a global manufacturing strategy that sees production and supply chains across the U.S., Europe, and China.
Besides the Ocean, Fisker is already working on two additional models based on the same platform. This automaker claims that this platform, which underpins the Ocean, is a “fully engineered, production-ready platform” today.
While so far we’ve just seen a rolling prototype, the Fisker Ocean is an attainable, compelling vehicle poised to give Tesla and other electric-vehicle players a run for their money.
Fisker has also partnered with Electrify America. Electricity America is the largest open DC fast-charging network in the U.S. This helps position Fisker well against the massive Tesla charging-station network.
More From Fisker Soon
More info should be coming out tomorrow about the Fisker Ocean from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. We’ll be onsite to bring you the latest and will update this story when we find out more.
Fisker has also promised to reveal more platform and vehicle technical specifications at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show.