Consumers know Fisker Automotive as the niche company behind the stately Karma sedan. After a tumultuous restructuring and heavy investment from private equity firms, the Los Angeles company moves its second product into production, the Ocean.
Note: While we wait for official word from consumers on the upcoming Ocean SUV, HotCars' 'Costs, Facts, And Figures' rating defaults to 1 out of 10. Once we start fielding what owners think of this upcoming vehicle, we'll be sure to update the score to reflect what drivers think.
The Fisker Ocean is an all-electric luxury SUV that targets a market well below that of the original six-digit Karma. With pricing that aims directly at the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4, Fisker is betting everything on the Ocean's success. There are reservations for the first 32,000 Fisker Oceans, and with a production commencement ceremony happening in the coming months, excitement isn't waning.
2023 Fisker Ocean
- Solar Roof
- Rotating Center Screen
- Roll-Down Tailgate Glass
- Engine/Motor: 403/418 KW Single/Dual Electric Motors
- Horsepower: 275-560
- Torque: TBA
- Drivetrain: FWD/AWD
- Transmission: Direct-Drive
- Range: 250-350 Miles
- Decent Range
- Competitive Pricing
- Powerful Performance Variant
- Poor Dealer Network
- Long waitlist
A Powertrain For Everyone
The design of the Fisker Ocean intends to be an extremely flexible product for potential buyers. The Ocean launches first in the top trim, the "Extreme." The "Extreme" features an 80 kWh battery which produces 550 horsepower and allows for 350 miles of range. A torque-vectoring dual-motor AWD system is standard on the Extreme. The first quarter of 2023 will see the release of the "Ultra" and "Sport" variants of the Ocean. The Ocean Ultra features 540 horsepower and a slightly shorter 340 miles of range.
The base Ocean Sport is only available in a single motor FWD configuration. It also utilizes a unique, slightly smaller battery pack. The Sport produces 275 horsepower with a respectable 250-mile range. Perhaps the most impressive feature of the Ocean's powertrain is its charging capability. The battery pack can safely charge at 150 kWh, which uses the full capability of DC fast chargers. An 80% charge takes less than 30 minutes.
Surprising Performance
Fisker is aiming the Ocean at young professionals seeking an eclectic and fun everyday car. Many brands that do this, especially with SUVs, miss the mark when it comes to performance and handling. That is not the case with the Fisker Ocean.
The Ocean is a supremely engaging vehicle to drive, specifically in the top Extreme trim, which reaches 60 in only 3.6 seconds. The Ultra is also relatively quick, with a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds. The base model Sport does it a more mundane but still peppy 6.9 seconds. Cornering is a forte of electric SUVs. Despite its height, more than 1/3 of the car's weight is the battery pack that lies flat inside the floor, keeping the center of gravity low. Electronic torque-vectoring is another feature consumers rarely see in this class.
Comfort And Technology For The 21st Century
The Fisker Ocean is a technology-heavy SUV with all the latest driver assistance features. The material inside the cabin feels instinctively modern, with an abundance of salvage materials that find new life from headliner to carpet. The driver rests their hands on a unique flat-bottom two-spoke steering wheel that provides a clear view of the digital gauge cluster. However, most drivers prefer to direct their site to the full-color head-up to display.
The 17-inch center screen is the entertainment hub of the car. With the press of a button, the screen turns from a horizontal mode to portrait viewing mode. In portrait mode, passengers can stream media from services such as Netflix, browse the internet, and play games. Taking the car out of park will automatically reorient the screen horizontally and restrict some features to prevent driving distractions. But while charging, the Ocean's center screen is perfect for passing the time. Another button opens all windows at once, including the cargo area quarter windows and rear tailgate windows, for a full airy experience.
The Fisker Ocean forgoes a sunroof in favor of a solar panel. The "SolarSky" panel doesn't generate enough electricity to charge the car fully, but it passively adds several miles of range while the vehicle is sitting idle for a few hours in a parking lot or driveway. On average, Fisker estimates the roof will generate a total of 1500 extra miles of range each year in regular driving.
The Fisker Ocean is also a mobile power bank. The Fisker home charger design allows the Ocean to power the consumer home in a power outage. The battery of the Ocean can power the normal operation of a standard American home for seven days - more than enough for emergency services to restore power.
Competitive Pricing
While Fisker defines the Ocean as a luxury vehicle, pricing depending on trim is very affordable in comparison to its direct competitor, the Tesla Model Y. The base Fisker Ocean Sport starts at $37,499, the Ultra at $49,999, and the flagship at $68,999. The base Tesla Model Y begins at just over $58,000, the Ultra trim level is $8,000 less and features a greater range than the base Model Y. The VW I.D.4 features a similar starting cost with less performance.
Overall, the Fisker Ocean is a phenomenal electric SUV with moderate pricing. It is still unclear if this is the car that will finally make Fisker a household name, but it is sure that if Fisker can meet production targets, the Ocean will find success.