2023 Fisker Ocean on 2040-cars

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Fisker Ocean goes prepper, teasing hardcore off-roader for 2021

Fisker Automotive's battery-electric Ocean crossover is a year away, with production scheduled for 2021. It's silly to think we won't hear any more about the Ocean until then, though. Eponymous honcho Henrik Fisker hit up Twitter to tease two versions of a much meatier Ocean. Both designs sit on gratuitously broad, knobby tires that require a widebody treatment in order to fit entirely under the crossover. On one design, the only other change is a spare tire placed in the roof rack. On the second version, the roof rack is empty, but the tailgate carries a shovel and contains a small door labeled "Charging Box." In the tweets, Fisker writes he's "found an amazing space for the spare tire, that could only be done with an EV!! Not the roof, in sketch! Will reveal next week."    This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Fisker tagged the tweets with "adventure" and "Extreme Rescues," indications of the individual, NGO, and military aspirations for the model. He told Top Gear magazine, "The low center of gravity and wide track brings added stability and makes the Fisker Ocean a perfect clean sustainable utility vehicle, that can be used by international organisations, which needs to deploy rescue vehicles in rural areas, it can also be used as a zero emission military version to transport military personnel, as oil is one of the largest expenses for the military." Back to the mystery of spare tire placement, the CEO wrote that the space is not in the cargo area nor in the frunk. This doesn't leave many EV-specific options, especially since it's crucial to keep spare tires where they can be easily extracted when off-road, but we'll wait for the big reveal for the answer. Should the Ocean off-roader get its debut next year, it will enter a segment that's picking up more competitors by the month, both EV and internal combustion. If Fisker can launch his standard Ocean for $37,000, and price the adventure Ocean not far off that, he'll at least have a clear value victory over other makers like Rivian, Bollinger, and the premium pricing we expect for a 1,000-horsepower Hummer EV. Related Video:    

Fisker sues Aston Martin for $100M over The Force 1

We were expecting Henrik Fisker to bring The Force 1, his next vehicle design, to next week's Detroit Auto Show, but that might not happen. In December an attorney for Aston Martin sent Fisker a letter asking the Danish designer to either not show his car in Detroit or to change the design. Fisker responded to that letter by filing $100-million civil extortion lawsuit against Aston Martin in a California Federal court, naming company CEO Andy Palmer, chief spokesman Simon Sproule, and chief creative officer Marek Reichman as defendants. Based on the overhead-view sketch, the English carmaker believes that The Force 1 is "strikingly similar to several of Aston Martin's cars, including the DB10" from the movie Spectre. At the same time the carmaker's letter to Fisker admitted that it doesn't know what the final design will look like, but it appears that the carmaker's intent to "protect its valuable rights if necessary" could not make way for patience. Or perhaps Aston Martin is trying to prevent another Thunderbolt episode before it starts. That incident last year involved the carmaker suing Fisker over his reimagined Vanquish, with the two settling the matter out of court. Fisker says The Force 1 has isn't based on an Aston Martin, and as part of the lawsuit submitted a design breakdown of both the DB10 and The Force 1. Fisker's latest is apparently in partnership with VL Automotive, the company that's been threatening to release a V8-powered Karma sedan for years now, and the Detroit show organizers say they've been working with VL, not Fisker. The lawsuit seeks the $100 million for punitive and compensatory damages and court costs, alleging that Aston Martin's actions "would subject [Fisker] to public humiliation, embarrassment in the industry, and significant financial losses." The public allegations go even further, Fisker's lawyer Jonathan Michaels saying that the English brand, "In an effort to protect itself from further market erosion... conspired and devised a scheme to stomp out Henrik Fisker's competitive presence in the luxury sports car industry." News Source: Wall Street Journal Design/Style Government/Legal Detroit Auto Show Aston Martin Fisker Coupe Luxury Performance lawsuit Henrik Fisker spectre aston martin db10

Fisker Ocean shows its Revolve infotainment screen

Fisker Automotive is finally spotlighting a feature that got talked about at the global debut of the Ocean SUV at last year's L.A. Auto Show, but we didn't see in action. It's called Revolve, and does just that to the Ocean's 17.1-inch infotainment screen. Vertical orientation is called Control Mode, when occupants are using the screen for all of the typical infotainment purposes. At what we imagine is the press of a button, the screen rotates 90 degrees clockwise to enter what's referred to as Hollywood Mode, wherein its 16:9 aspect ratio would make it ideal for watching movies and playing games. Screen sounds get piped through a 16-speaker audio system. The cinematic rotation can only be had while parked, we're told. Buyers who want the presto-change-o viewing options might need to step to the top of the Fisker Ocean range; we know Revolve will come standard on the top Extreme trim. It will also be included with the Ocean One, but that model is limited to the first 5,000 units built. The series production Extreme starts at $68,999 before destination, comes with a dual-motor AWD powertrain putting out 550 horsepower, and is expected to get more than 350 miles on a charge. It's unclear at the moment whether the entry-level Ocean Sport and midgrade Ocean Ultra will offer Revolve as an option. When in Control Mode, the screens will be running a custom infotainment software Fisker is developing with Japan's Sharp Corporation, running on screens developed just for Fisker's line of vehicles. The company said, "Our collaboration with Sharp is set to create exciting new automotive display systems, featuring innovative backlight solutions to improve illumination without increasing power consumption – in addition to class-leading resolution, bezels, and design." The Ocean is slated to enter production at a Magna Steyr facility in Austria in November. If history is a guide, initial deliveries will prioritize more expensive reservations.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Henrik Fisker interview, and driving the Polestar 2 | Autoblog Podcast #643