The softness that normally accompanies urban drive settings (the Ocean has Earth, Fun, and Hyper modes) is still there when you slip into the sportier ones, and that's disconcerting in the bends, to say the least. But how it handles the corners is not great. It is plenty quick in a straight line, with a zero-to-60 mph time of 3.7 seconds and a peak of 564 horsepower in Boost mode. How the Ocean drives is perhaps the main reason why WIRED has decided not to score this EV yet. In the coming months Fisker will likely be working on attempting to bring the rest of the Ocean's unfinished UI up to this level. It's simple, intuitive and clever, and others will no doubt copy it. You'll see a representation of the dash with vents and little fan symbols: Simply use your finger to pull those fan symbols, and in one movement you determine not only the strength of the fan but also the direction of airflow. The fan-control screen, though, is an interesting example of fresh thinking. This would be fine if CarPlay or Android Auto were available, but they aren't right now, and no formal decision has been taken yet, Henrik says, on whether these services are coming. And it looks like a UI that has not been made by a motor company, which means some functionality is overcomplicated, or wordy, and requires delving into too many menus. Of course, this boon will only work with the in-house user interface, which is, well, OK. Adjusting the air? Maps and audio move to the top and bottom but are still controllable. In portrait mode it is so large that, unlike in many other EVs, you have space to have your main apps open all the time: Open the satnav, and there's the music and climate info still on screen at the bottom, for example. The optional 17.1-inch Revolve rotating center touchscreen will be a boon when waiting while recharging as it swivels from portrait to landscape view, so you can watch 16:9 widescreen films. When you get inside the Ocean, however, that's when things start to stray from “superb.” ![]() The effect is that it practically converts the Ocean into a convertible, and I suspect many will buy the EV for this feature alone. The brilliantly simple idea from Fisker is that, at the touch of a button on the Ultra and Extreme models, every single panel of glass except the windscreen, including the rear windscreen and huge sunroof, open all at once. Then you have the Ocean's not-so-secret weapon: California Mode. Even the “Slipstream” wheel design for the launch edition is winning. The Magna build quality looks good, too, with pop-out door handles, sharp lighting, and flush panels. It's a definite success from a design view, conveying all its attributes at a glance. It somehow manages to look sporty but not too male-friendly, almost. You'd expect this electric SUV to look good, and it does. ![]() This is hardly surprising when you factor in Henrik's considerable design experience-this is the man responsible for the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin V8 Vantage, after all. I'd argue the Fisker's exterior looks better than all these alternatives. The result? The top-spec Ocean has a claimed range of 440 miles (on WLTP) or 360 miles if you're using the more conservative EPA standard. Indeed, in an exclusive deal, the Ocean's Hyper Range power pack is the first to use CATL's next-gen efficiency tech, while other auto manufacturers will have to wait a year or so to get their hands on it. The Ocean's battery comes from CATL, China's formidable battery giant. ![]() Notably, Magna made the I-Pace for Jaguar. The big difference this time was that Magna would be making the Ocean, in one stroke solving production issues as this is the company that makes components and even cars for car companies, including General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, as well as BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Toyota, and Tesla. The midsize crossover SUV design was an instant hit. Three years later he revealed this car, the Ocean, to be the company's first offering. He bided his time, waited for the world to catch up with his electric automotive vision, then in 2016 announced the formation of Fisker Inc. Production was suspended in 2012 due to the bankruptcy of its battery supplier and, in 2014, Fisker Automotive's assets were purchased by a Chinese conglomerate, with Henrik retaining the Fisker trademarks and brand.
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