2023 Fisker Ocean One on 2040-cars

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Fisker electric pickup truck previewed in rendering

Fisker CEO and car designer Henrik Fisker has posted an illustration of an electric pickup, promising class-leading efficiency and radical design. The rendered truck features muscular flared fenders, a rooftop spoiler that doubles as a center high-mount stop light (CHMSL), and neat taillights that extend onto the bedsides. It's billed as a lifestyle vehicle rather than a workhorse, and does not wear any obvious name on the tailgate. The image was posted to Fisker's personal LinkedIn profile, as discovered by CarBuzz, along with the following caption: "Ok, yes, next vehicle might be a lifestyle pick up truck! But not just any truck! We want to create the lightest, most efficient EV pick up in the world! Making it, the most sustainable! image is just a teaser! Not the final: final will be way more radical!" While Fisker's excitement is conspicuous, and the truck does look cool, we can't help but question whether a production version is actually coming. About a year ago, Fisker tweeted an image of a pickup truck named the Alaska and then quickly deleted it. It had been captioned, "After our Fisker electric SUV, we have already decided on our next 2 EV’s on the same platform!" referring to what turned out to be the Ocean crossover. Perhaps it wasn't meant to be revealed just yet, or perhaps the timing was poor, considering that it came just days after a huge round of layoffs. In fact, Fisker has been bleeding talent, with one whistleblower claiming that the company is putting on a smoke-and-mirrors show to grab more cash from its Chinese investors. Whether or not the truck is vaporware, the projected timeline puts production sometime around 2025. It will be entering a very crowded marketplace, with 10 possible competitors coming to the EV pickup market, some coming from far more established players. As we said when Fisker showed the Ocean last July, it's proven it can talk the talk. Now it has to walk the walk. Related Video:

Almost $1 billion in claims filed against bankrupt Fisker

You may have scoffed when the US Department of Energy sold the rights to its $168 million outstanding Fisker Automotive loan to Hybrid Tech Holdings last December for just $25 million, or about 15 cents on the dollar. It turns out that might be the going rate for anyone with claims against the bankrupt extended-range plug-in maker, though. That's because Fisker, which declared bankruptcy in November, has generated $985.4 million in claims from 618 not-so-happy parties, Delaware Online says, citing a bankruptcy filing from last week. Fisker stopped making its sporty but troubled Karma in mid-2012. Wanxiang America won an auction for Fisker's assets, including its Delaware factory, for $149.2 million. That leaves $836 million, or about 85 percent of the collective value of the claims against the company. Naturally, Hybrid Tech Holdings, which was beaten out by Wanxiang in the bidding for the assets, has jumped in line to see if it can make good on what was formerly that DOE loan. The state of Delaware, where Fisker had acquired an old General Motors factory, is seeking $20 million stemming from some incentives it provided up front. And Finland's Valmet Automotive wants $8.5 million for its work with the company. Former Fisker employees say the company is on the hook for another $6 million, and none other than General Motors itself is claiming it is owed the same amount. Then there is the lawsuit we first heard about in December that was filed against Fisker and some of its executives who were collecting hefty paychecks while no cars were being produced. Add it all up and you get almost a billion dollars. Good times.

Fisker Ocean Extreme gets EPA-rated 360 miles on a charge

Two months ago, Fisker Inc. expected the U.S. EPA to declare that its dual-motor Ocean Extreme SUV possessed an estimated range rating of 350 miles. The verdict is in, with the government agency going even better by certifying the Ocean Extreme on the standard 20-inch wheels as able to go an estimated 360 miles on a charge. This version of the Ocean fits a 113-kWh battery and a dual-motor drivetrain making 550 horsepower. Fisker's press release touting the EPA result noted the Ocean "has the longest range of any new electric SUV under $200,000 sold in the United States today." That clunky specific is because Faraday Future attests that it's FF 91 SUV will go 381 miles on a charge with its 142-kWh battery.  After testing in Europe earlier this year, the Ocean Extreme on 20-inch wheels earned a range rating of 440 miles on the WLTP cycle. When tested on the optional 22-inch wheels, range only dropped to 436 miles. One hopes the same tiny difference will hold here. The automaker says it has received all of the necessary paperwork from the EPA, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to allow it to sell cars in every state and Washington, D.C. Each sale will also earn Fisker four Zero Emission Vehicle credits from CARB. The CEO said, "We plan to send out communications today to our first customers." With deliveries here commencing on schedule, all 5,000 examples of the Ocean One Launch Edition should meet their new owners by the end of September, around the same time the top-trim Ocean Extreme — the serial production version of the Ocean One Launch Edition without all the standard goodies — begins deliveries. Fisker expects to produce between 32,000 and 36,000 units in 2023, compared with its previous target of 42,400 cars. Some of those could be the Force E off-roading version that fits a stouter roof rack, new front and rear bumpers, tow hooks at both ends, and 33-inch tires on 20-inch wheels, plus optional grab handles, tiedowns, and rubber floors. If that happens, Henrik Fisker said the package can be retrofitted to the top two trims, the Ocean Extreme and Ocean Ultra.