Fisker Ocean affordable electric SUV detailed

American start-up company Fisker has revealed that its upcoming electric SUV will be called the Ocean and unveiled in production-ready guise on January 4, 2020. 

The company is claiming to have designed "the world’s most sustainable vehicle", with recycled, vegan and other natural products used throughout. 

Its American-Danish founder, Henrik Fisker, recently confirmed that the production model will only be available via a 'flexible lease' plan, with no long-term contract necessary. It's now emerged that this scheme will operate through a bespoke smartphone app that will also allow owners to book servicing and maintenance visits. 

Final pricing, specification and performance details will be detailed when order books for the new model open on November 27, 2019, with full-scale production set to get underway at the end of 2021. 

Preview images shows that the Tesla Model Y rival rides high and has modern, utilitarian styling. Flared arches hint at its performance potential, while narrow headlights and chrome detailing are a nod to last year's Fisker Emotion concept. 

Like the Model Y, the Ocean will be priced from less than $40,000 (Rs 28 lakh) in the US. It features what the firm calls “captivating design touches that have been traditionally reserved for supercars in the past”.

Prominent styling details include a front-mounted radar in place of a grille, a large front air intake, flared wheel arches and a futuristic headlight design. 

The Ocean also features a targa-style removable roof section with an inbuilt solar panel that boosts the capacity of the car's 80kWh lithium ion battery pack. Fisker states: “With the touch of a button, an extended open-air atmosphere will be made possible without compromising the rugged and safe structural integrity of an SUV.” 

The battery is claimed to provide of a range of up to 300 miles (483km). The Ocean will be available in four-wheel drive form, with an electric motor mounted on each axle. 

Fisker also claims that the SUV's interior will offer class-leading space, a large head-up display and an intelligent user interface. It's not yet confirmed where the Ocean will be produced, but Fisker says prototype testing will begin before the end of this year.

Henrik Fisker, chairman and CEO, Fisker Inc said: “For the past two years, we have been working quietly on an emotionally appealing and affordable luxury electric vehicle that will serve as a flagship for driving positive global change – from the most sustainable materials possible across the supply chain to practicality that will change the perception of what an EV can be. The Fisker Ocean features dramatic sculpture – with a wide stance and a luxurious SUV silhouette. I wanted to combine maximum usability with an unprecedented driving experience. The interior is spacious and extremely modern, bringing a luxury feel and timelessness that has never been seen in a vehicle before. The future of mobility is about enjoying an electric vehicle without hassle, long-term commitment and the prohibitive high cost of ownership. Driving the Fisker Ocean will be easy: through a flexible lease via a mobile app. And we take care of all the service and maintenance. Simply put, we’re introducing the future of hassle-free, fun and easy e-mobility.”

The company is also at work on developing solid-state battery technology, which it says would allow future vehicles to gain 500 miles (805km) worth of charge in as little as one minute. 

Fisker Inc. was formed in 2016, succeeding the bankrupted Fisker Automotive company that launched the Karma range-extender electric luxury saloon – now re-engineered and on sale as the Karma Revero – in 2011.