News: 2023 Fisker Ocean Introduced

Swimming with the Big Boys        

The production-ready 2023 Fisker Ocean debuted at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show to an interested group of industry insiders and journalists. Henrik Fisker revealed his plans to shake-up the electric SUV category with the all-new, all-electric Ocean. This five-passenger SUV offers some interesting technology and a starting price that will make the competitors take notice.

The 2023 Fisker Ocean will offer electric car buyers choices, although most of the specs are estimates at this point.

Fisker Ocean One (Launch Edition: 5,000 Units)

350-mile driving range (est.)

All-wheel drive

Dual motor, 550 horsepower (est. hp)

0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds (est.)

Lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery

4,000-pound tow rating

$68,999 plus the destination charge, which has not been released

Fisker Ocean Sport

250-mile driving range

Front-wheel drive

Single motor, 275 hp

0-60 mph: 6.9 seconds

Lithium-ion phosphate battery (LFP)

2,040 pound tow rating

$37,499 plus the destination charge

Fisker Ocean Ultra

340-mile driving range

All-wheel drive

Dual motor, 540 hp

0-60 mph: 3.9 seconds

NMC battery

4,000-pound tow rating

$49,999 plus the destination charge

Fisker Ocean Extreme

350-mile driving range

All-wheel drive

Dual motor, 550 hp

0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds

NMC battery

4,000-pound tow rating

$68,999 plus the destination charge

Technology and Charging

Developing its own driver assist system (ADAS), Fisker Intelligent Pilot is a suite of proactive automated electronic sensors and software processors that anticipate and prevent accidents. The list of safety systems is quite extensive; the proprietary safety system utilizes radar, ultrasonic sensors and cameras.

Charging speeds have not been released, but Fisker did say the Ocean will be able to charge at 250 kilowatt speeds. As with all battery electric vehicles, expect three plug-in options plus regenerative braking to fill the battery. The top trim levels of Ocean Extreme and Ocean One will be equipped with the SolarSky roof, which Fisker estimates could supply annually up-to 2,000 miles of driving range through solar charging that feeds the battery. The actual number will be determined if you live in a sunny area and park outside all day. Fisker has also partnered with Electrify America to include a yet-to-be announced amount of complimentary charging.

The Fisker Ocean is also a power source. It will have the ability to directly recharge other electric vehicles, send power back into the grid, and act as a backup power source for a home.

The Ocean will come with four drive modes–Earth, Fun, Hyper and Off-road–depending on which model you get. The aluminum chassis and steel-bodied Ocean will have electric power steering, and Smart Traction, Fisker’s version of torque vectoring.

Ocean Design

To no one’s surprise, the Ocean looks great. Company CEO and founder Henrik Fisker has had a hand in designing the BMW Z8, the Aston Martin DB9 and the V8 Vantage, and the Fisker Karma. A key design element is the rear quarter panel and the small Doggie Power Window. With the push of a button you enter California Mode, where the sliding panoramic glass roof, rear lift back window, and the Doggie Windows all open, making the Ocean nearly a convertible.

Available in seven exterior colors, the sleek front and rear ends have the narrowest of narrow LED lighting treatments, mere slits for most of the design. The wheels, shod with eco-designed Bridgestone tires, are either 20-inch or 22-inch, with a few designs to choose from.

Inside, the interior is fully vegan, using recycled materials, from fishing nets, t-shirts and rubber, according to Fisker. Three can fit in the rear seat, where they can control the audio and climate systems.

The 17.1-inch high-resolution Revolve screen rotates from a default vertical position when driving, to landscape or “Hollywood” mode when the Ocean is parked. Watching videos will never be the same, Fisker said because the video will be supported by a premium sound system with 16 speakers, a subwoofer and 500 watts.

Observations: 2023 Fisker Ocean

Clean Fleet Report has found, after driving many electric vehicles for thousands of miles, that once you make the leap (which isn’t all that big anymore) into eschewing gasoline to propel your car, SUV or truck, you will wonder why you didn’t do it earlier.

The entry-level 2023 Fisker Ocean is so well-priced (under $30,000 after tax credits and/or incentives) for an electric SUV getting 250+ miles of driving range, the only thing left is seeing it in people’s driveways a year from now. Make no mistake, the competition for the Fisker Ocean is already stout and getting stronger, as the Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID4, Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Tesla Model Y are already available and the Toyota BZ4X, Subaru Solterra and Nissan Ariya are coming next year as well, plus many more are getting ready to come to market in the next two or three years. It’s going to make this an exciting time for consumers wanting to go electric.

The question is: Will consumers wait a full year for an electric SUV from a company they have never heard of?

Things are getting interesting, folks. The pandemic created an opportunity for automobile manufacturers to get serious about designing and producing all-new, all-electric vehicles. Expect in the next few years to see at least 50 new models being released for sale. This is a monumental moment for the auto industry, with the consumer and the environment being the winners.

To get your name on the reservation list, you will need to lay out a refundable $250 deposit to get in line to purchase or lease the Ocean. The Fisker Flexee Lease, $2,999 down and $379 per month, has no contract. Your Ocean will be delivered directly to your door–or if there is one near you, at a Fisker delivery center. The Ocean comes with a 30,000-mile annual driving allowance and can be returned at any time.

Fisker says if an Ocean is returned, it will be refurbished and leased again. This process will go on for up to 12 years, at which point the entire Ocean will be recycled. As we said in the opening sentence, Fisker is planning on shaking things up in the electric SUV market.

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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by Lex Adams and John Faulkner.

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