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The Fisker Ocean's solar roof opens up in 'California Mode'

Henrik Fisker has pegged CES for the official unveiling of his upcoming Ocean SUV. The production prototype will make its public debut on January 7, 2020, with an intended launch in 2020. Leading up to the event, Fisker has been slowly dropping bits of information, and we've already seen nearly the entire vehicle. The most recent announcement showed off a new patented feature called California Mode, which at the press of a button can lower all the Ocean's windows and slide open its solar roof panels as well. In total, pressing the California Mode button moves nine different panels. The three windows on each side of the SUV go down, the rear hatch's glass drops into the body, and the two panels that make up the solar roof shift to open, as well. Fisker didn't release a video of the action, but it appears the front-most part of the solar panel overlaps the rear portion and both slide back. The photos take the opportunity to show that with the rear glass down, a surfboard could fit inside the car with only a small bit sticking out. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Fisker bills the Ocean as a pinnacle of sustainable automotive engineering. It runs purely on electricity and will have an estimated range of 250 to 300 miles. Parts of the SUV will use recycled materials and plastics, as well, to create a vegan interior. Fisker says the solar tech could potentially add up to 1,000 miles of range per year, although that really isn't much. The California-based company is also aiming to make the vehicle affordable and accessible. Fisker says the car will be available on a subscription basis with a starting price of $379 per month and no long-term contract. Reservations are open now for $250. We'll have more information and photos after the debut next month. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Fisker Ocean will start at $379 per month under subscription service

As promised, Fisker on Wednesday opened the order books for its forthcoming Ocean battery-electric SUV and announced pricing and other details ahead of its launch in 2022. Also as promised, the eco-luxury ‘ute will come in well below what Volvo is charging under its Care by Volvo subscription program. Fisker will make the Ocean available primarily through a monthly lease that starts at $379 per month through its mobile app, which is now live for iOS and Android platforms. That compares to $700 per month to get into Care by Volvo with the XC40, and mileage limits are twice those of the latter, at 30,000 miles per year, compared to 15,000 for Volvo. That makes good on founder Henrik FiskerÂ’s promises to be cheaper and more generous on mileage than its competitor. However, youÂ’ll need to put down $2,999 to trigger that price level, compared to just $500 to get started under Care by Volvo. And unlike its benchmarked competitor, insurance is not included, though Fisker says it expects customers will be able to access affordable quotes through its mobile app “due to a unique and proprietary low cost of service and maintenance model.” Similar to some other subscription services, the Fisker lease program eschews long-term contracts in favor of giving customers flexibility to return the vehicle any time, even after as little as a month. It also covers maintenance and service, with pickup and return of the vehicle included. Check out AutoblogÂ’s Complete Guide to Car Subscriptions. Fisker says there will be five option packages for the Ocean, available closer to the end of the year, that are designed to reduce the complexity of option configurators. Fisker will also set up what itÂ’s calling “experience centers” in shopping districts and airports where customers will be able to see the vehicles and spec packages. Starting in 2021, customers will also be able to schedule test drives through the mobile app. The company released some new details, including a “California Mode” — presumably a retractable sunroof feature — that will be standard on all trim grades above the base version, four-wheel drive versions with electric motors front and rear, and the promise of a five-star safety rating. Reservations cost $250 and are fully refundable.

Fisker electric SUV named Ocean, and it'll have an app-based lease

Veteran car designer and Fisker chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker has done much teasing of his new electric crossover, and now it has a name: the Fisker Ocean. We like it, if we’re being honest. In the Fisker brandÂ’s previous iteration, during the era of the Karma, it had at one point planned a vehicle called the Atlantic, and we dig the marine theme. WeÂ’ve also got a few clear photos of the Fisker Ocean showing off its front and rear, as well as a look at its solar roof. On the tailgate, we can now see the “Ocean” badge beneath the Fisker logo. Fisker also announced that the Ocean will get an app-based leasing program, which Henrik Fisker himself has promised will be priced “way, way, way lower” than the electric Volvo XC40 under the Care by Volvo program (which starts at $700 a month), with “way, way, way more miles per year” and “no minimum term.” “The future of mobility is about enjoying an electric vehicle without hassle, long-term commitment and the prohibitive high cost of ownership,” Henrik Fisker said in a statement. “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, weÂ’re introducing the future of hassle-free, fun and easy e-mobility.” Reservations of for the Ocean open through the app on November 27. We wonÂ’t see the full reveal of the Fisker Ocean until January 4, 2020, but Fisker has offered a number of details about what it claims is “the worldÂ’s most sustainable vehicle.” The EV will come standard with an 80-kWh battery pack, with Fisker targeting about 250 to 300 miles of driving range on a charge. It features a solar roof, which could provide 1,000 miles of free range per year, with eventual hardware improvements increasing those efficiencies. Fisker has also put a lot of thought into the materials going into the Ocean. In lieu of leather, the crossover will feature a vegan interior. The carpet is made from recycled nylon, sourced from abandoned fishing line pulled from the oceans and other aquatic habitats. Eco-suede materials are recycled from recycled polyester and other recycled plastics. The car will also use rubber repurposed from tire manufacturing waste. Fisker will unveil the working, production-spec prototype during a livestream on January 4, but donÂ’t be surprised if we got more teasers between now and then, especially around the launch of the lease app.

Fisker's forthcoming luxury crossover to get a name this week

Automotive designer and entrepreneur Henrik Fisker has been busy teasing his upcoming luxury electric SUV on social media, promising more information including a name this week and releasing a slew of new images, a short video clip and a few juicy new details. The big news is the promised reveal of a production-intent prototype version in January, not December as was once promised, and that it will be made available exclusively via a “no hassle” subscription that Fisker says will be flexible with no long-term contract and a full warranty. When asked by a Twitter user whether the subscription plan would be similar to the Volvo XC40 under the Care by Volvo subscription program, Fisker said the cost would be “way, way, way lower,” with a higher annual mileage allotment and no minimum term. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. For comparisonÂ’s sake, Volvo makes the XC40 crossover available starting at $700 per month under its Care by Volvo subscription service, with a 15,000-mile annual cap. Fisker promised more details about the subscription plan on Nov. 27, when he will also launch a mobile app and open up reservations. Along with the official unveiling in January will come word of a partnership for an EV charging network, Fisker said in response to another Twitter user. He also revealed plans to launch production in late 2021 with high-volume ramp up in 2022. We also are treated to a brief video clip of the SUV in front three-quarters view, highlighting the slim LED headlights and another strip below them on the bumper, plastic cladding around the wheel wells and seven-spoke wheels. It also appears that the door handles are illuminated. When we last checked in on Fisker Automotive it was to show you an overhead view of the crossoverÂ’s solar panel rooftop, an idea borrowed from the 2011 Fisker Karma. Fisker at the time also teased a new battery-electric pickup truck, one of two new additional models to come after the SUV. We also know to expect a range of around 300 miles from the at least 80 kWh lithium-ion battery and a turn signal that wraps around from back into the D pillar for added notification when you change lanes. Total price has been pegged at just under $40,000.

Henrik Fisker again teases new EV crossover — and maybe a pickup

Henrik Fisker, founder of the eponymous luxury EV company, is looking to make a grand comeback with some new models alongside his EMotion EV. The renowned automotive designer and entrepreneur has been teasing two new models on his Twitter feed while divulging some quick details about some additional new cars. On Thursday he tweeted about his new all-electric crossover from Fisker Automotive. He's been talking about this crossover, at "close" to a $40,000 price point, since spring, and just a few days ago he tweeted about its "enhanced +80 KWh lithium-ion battery pack" and 300-mile range. The latest tweet is accompanied by an overhead picture of the crossover, showing a photovoltaic solar panel built into its roof, a design once pioneered by the Fisker Karma from several years ago.   This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.   A tweet from Wednesday previews what looks to be a new all-electric pickup truck, one of two additional new models that will accompany the new crossover.   This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.   That tweet's digital rendering appears to be of a pickup's tailgate. The look is Ford F-150-esque, and with Tesla rumored to be working on a new EV pickup along with rivals such as Rivian and Workhorse, Fisker’s proposal doesnÂ’t seem too far-fetched. Though the rear view could also be of a more rugged SUV, also potentially aimed as a direct competitor to RivianÂ’s offerings. Fisker is reviving Fisker Automotive after it went bust back in 2013 and a Chinese parts conglomerate, Wanxiang, purchased the manufacturing, design and rights to make the Karma. Wanxiang rebranded as Karma Automotive, and Fisker took the sale money to start anew. News Source: Twitter Auto News Green Green Fisker SUV Electric

Fisker teases electric crossover again and a high-vis turn signal

Elon Musk turns to Twitter when it's time to spread the Tesla news. Henrik Fisker perfers Facebook. The Danish-American designer took to FB once more to tease his coming electric crossover, this time showing a slice of the rear three-quarter. The feature he wants to highlight is the turn signal set into the D-pillar, which "will provide extra safety when you change lanes." There are a fair few other details to glean as well. Starting from the top, a sunroof opening appears mounted quite a bit rearward. The aperture appears small in view of Fisker promising us that pressing a button will open the roof to create "an extended open-air atmosphere;" so we expect there's another opening over the front seats. The belt line catches the eye; we'll see what it does for rear three-quarter visibility from the driver's seat. The pop-out door handles look to be illuminated by thin LED strips, and more such strips look to define the CHMSL on the tailgate spoiler and taillights. And note the curve of that seriously punched-out rear fender, designed to fit the optional 22-inch wheel. Fisker says the full-on reveal comes this December. From that point, it'll be around an 18-month wait for the production version, planned for the latter half of 2021. Many headlining features have been promised, from the "vastly spacious" and "innovative interior with new utility features," the "captivating design touches that have been traditionally reserved for supercars," and an as-yet-unidentified "new radical feature." Beyond the teasers, what we're expecting is a 300-mile range from a lithium-ion battery pack of at least 80 kWh, a single electric motor standard, two when optioned with all-wheel drive, and a price of under $40,000 to start. The electric mover will be one of three affordable EVs coming from Fisker gathered under the $129,000 EMotion flagship electric sedan. Expect more teasers before December.

Fisker teases electric crossover, considers 11 states for production

We have some new breadcrumbs to follow on Fisker's affordable battery-electric crossover planned for 2021. The company released a new teaser image, said it has hired a veteran executive who formerly oversaw manufacturing at Volkswagen and Toyota, and said it is considering at least 11 states for a production location. First is the new teaser image, showing the still-unnamed 'ute in front three-quarters view. It gives a better sense of the crossover's raised stance and swept-back front glass than the previous frontal view, and it shows off the squared front wheel well, framing a seven-spoke wheel. There's also the slightest of definition of the rear hatch, courtesy of the dim brake light. Fisker said it has appointed Don Jackson as its senior advisor of manufacturing to spearhead strategy and site selection. Jackson has more than 40 years of manufacturing leadership, having worked most recently as president of manufacturing at Volkswagen of America, overseeing VW's Chattanooga, Tennessee plant from 2008 to 2012. He previously as senior vice president of quality and production for Toyota's Texas operations and also oversaw Toyota's manufacturing operations in Kentucky. Since leaving VW, he has worked as a consultant on lean manufacturing and other best management practices. He'll presumably continue to ply his trade in the United States, as Fisker says it's finalizing the selection of a location to build the SUV via an RFP process with at least 11 states. The company says California, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia are all in the running. "I share Fisker's vision of driving mass electrification forward by producing more desirable EVs for the global market here in the United States, and I look forward to building a disruptive strategy that combines Fisker's unique business model with the very best manufacturing processes that assure unparalleled results and outstanding, reliable products," Jackson said in a statement. "The Fisker team is committed to exceeding customer expectations globally." Fisker announced the new crossover last month, saying it would be priced below $40,000, will feature an 80-plus kWh lithium-ion battery pack and is targeting a range of about 300 miles in a bid to take on Tesla and its own forthcoming Model Y crossover. Final pricing and a drivable prototype is anticipated by the end of 2019. The vehicle is expected to launch in the second half of 2021.

Fisker teases $40,000 electric crossover with 300 miles of range

Henrik Fisker has been at the drawing board for some time, and we've enjoyed following along. We don't know what to do with this latest one, though, because we know almost nothing about it. Fisker, Inc., Henrik's electric vehicle company, promised "a teaser picture and some tech details" on a new EV priced "close" to $40,000. We have the teaser pic, but the tech details are mostly the same EV future-tech buzz every non-traditional player loads up on. It is a crossover, it looks like a Fisker, and it has a front-mounted radar unit behind glass. Those are the exterior concretes. As for the rest of the look, it's "Dramatically sculpted" with "futuristic, elegant muscular look" and there are "captivating design touches that have been traditionally reserved for supercars," By pressing a button, the roof opens in some way to create "an extended open-air atmosphere." An "enhanced +80 KWh lithium-ion battery pack" will provide power, not the solid-state batteries we know Fisker's working on and thought would make their first appearance here. The EMotion sedan will debut the solid-state units. Sounds like the standard version will use a single electric motor, but optional all-wheel drive puts another motor on the front axle. An optional wheel spans 22 inches, but we don't know what size the stock rims are. There's a luxurious, "vastly spacious interior" with "a modern aesthetic and high-quality materials." A "large heads-up display and unique, intuitive user interface... will control some of the latest emerging in-vehicle technologies." All of which could mean anything, so ends up meaning practically nothing. Closer to firm ground, this will be the first of three affordable EV models coming in well below the $129,000 EMotion flagship electric sedan. Fisker, Inc. says the crossover's price will come in below $40,000. The target range is 300 miles when this as-yet-unnamed SUV goes on sale in the second half of 2021. That's a long way off to be shooting for 300 miles. Come 2.5 years, 300 miles could be the baseline distance to be taken seriously. The Tesla Model Y is already there and the Germans are loading their EV cannons with compact offerings right now, led by Volkswagen's ID onslaught. Fisker won't open dealerships, planning to sell direct to consumers and service owners with a "nationwide concierge service model." More details to come, hopefully ones with more specific detailing. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.

Fisker teases $40,000 mass-volume EV to be revealed on March 18

Fisker news hasn't washed across the transom in a while, but Danish designer Henrik Fisker has been making waves. In one week, his latest venture, Fisker Inc., will debut a new battery-electric vehicle that will cost "close to $40,000." Based on the teaser photo and Fisker's comments about the car, we're expecting a small crossover. To be built in the U.S. and expected to launch in 2021, this will be the company's volume model eventually aiming for several hundred thousand sales per year. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. It will compete somewhere around the BMW X3 ICE category and Tesla Model Y EV segment. The only thing we know about its looks beyond the A-pillar and side mirror is Fisker's desire "to make it really futuristic-looking." At the same time, "it has to be very versatile because we obviously want to get into a certain high volume with the vehicle." Everything's still in flux, and Fisker has learned not to promise hard dates, so we won't be surprised if dates and specs change even after the March 18 reveal. A year ago, when the Fisker EMotion debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show, we wrote that it's "set to launch by the end of 2019, with a starting price of $129,000. The company is currently taking reservations for $2,000 at its website." That's changed due to focus on the volume model. In an interview with CleanTechnica last September, Fisker said "we will go faster to the affordable, high-volume vehicle and the EMotion could come out either simultaneously or even after the high-volume vehicle." No doubt one timetable issue is the battery — Fisker wants a solid-state battery for the $40,000 car and the EMotion. In-house R&D has advanced to building small test units by hand. By the end of the year he wants batteries large enough to test in a car, and to have found a manufacturing partner to produce the batteries, followed by on-road testing throughout 2020. Fisker Inc has secured 15 patents so far for solid-state battery technology with 2.5 times the energy density of current lithium-ion batteries. The goal is 400 miles on a full charge and a full recharge in 10 minutes or less. We'll know more in a few days. Whatever waits under the covers will be judged against this standard: " We have to be so radical that we take the people who's maybe jumping ship from the big car makers.

There's a new Karma Revero called the Aliso, and it costs $145,000

There's a slightly more luxurious version of the Karma Revero now, called the Aliso. The name comes from a California beach, and the appearance of the car does a decent job of emulating the aesthetic of a beach as well. On the exterior, you get what Karma calls Laguna Pearl white paint made with layers of glass flakes to give it a shimmering appearance. Carbon fiber wheels are standard with orange brake calipers giving a bit of contrast to the otherwise beach-like colors elsewhere. The interior is beige, or sand-colored if you ask Karma. It's unique from other Reveros in its red burl wood treatment all around. You'll be able to find scripted "Aliso" badging in various spots on the car, but that's pretty much it as far as differences between this and a normal Revero. We can safely classify it as an appearance package, although the carbon fiber wheels are pretty cool. For the car and all the extra goodies you'll pay $145,000. That's $15,000 more than a base Revero with all the same performance metrics. As a reminder, the Revero is a plug-in hybrid vehicle (based off the original Fisker Karma) with a pair of electric motors and 2.0-liter gasoline engine. In total, the system outputs 400 horsepower and 900 pound-feet of torque, shoving it to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. So is having a unique Revero Aliso worth the extra cash on top of an already expensive vehicle? You may not even be able to choose, because Karma is making 15 Alisos with deliveries set to start in November and go into December. Meanwhile, since we mentioned Fisker: Something we're still waiting on is Fisker's solid-state battery tech it debuted at CES last year. Fisker says it'll be coming to EVs for 2020. Caterpillar seems confident of that too, as the construction equipment company just announced it's investing in Fisker, hoping it can one day take advantage of the electrification tech Fisker manages to develop. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Karma Revero Aliso Green Fisker Hybrid Luxury Performance Sedan karma revero