Dubbed by some as a ‘mad genius’, Henrik Fisker is the designer behind such vehicles as the Aston Martin DB9, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the BMW Z8.
His first foray into vehicle building in his own right, as Fisker Automotive, was ‘somewhat’ unsuccessful, though – Fisker Automotive went into voluntary bankruptcy back in 2013.
However, the Fisker Karma PHEV didn’t die: Fisker Automotive was eventually sold, renamed Karma Automotive and now builds and sells limited numbers of the reborn Karma PHEV, now called the Karma Revero, in the US.
Undaunted, Henrik Fisker came back in 2016 as Fisker Inc and is now about to formally launch his first model, the Fisker Ocean, at the prestigious Mondial de l’Auto motor show this October 18 to 23.
World’s most sustainable EV?
The Fisker Ocean is an all-electric SUV featuring a solar roof, recycled materials throughout plus ‘a host of innovative features’. In fact, Fisker claim their vehicles will be ‘the world’s most sustainable electric vehicles’.
For instance, the solar roof on the Ocean is claimed to provide up to ‘2,400 clean, emissions-free kilometres per year’. (Or, to put that in more realistic terms: about 46km solar charged kilometres a week).
At the show, Fisker will display a production-intent top trim Fisker Ocean Extreme, which in the French market will retail at just under 70,000 Euros (Au$104,000).
Specifications of the top-of-range Ocean Extreme include a WLTP driving range of up to 630 kilometres, dual motor all-wheel-drive, three driving modes, a panoramic roof and a 17.1″ Revolve rotating centre screen. Full details and specifications are expected to be announced at the show launch.
Production of the Fisker Ocean will start on November 17, 2022, at a carbon-neutral factory in Austria. French customer deliveries are expected to begin next April, followed soon thereafter to launch in eight other markets.
Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector since 2008 and is currently working as EV electrical safety trainer/supervisor for the University of Melbourne. He also provides support for the EV Transition to business, government and the public through his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.