I’m not sure designer Henrik Fisker will laugh at the irony, but the man who nearly sunk his first go at a new electrified automotive brand, Karma, has now named his next electrified automotive brand’s first crossover the Fisker Ocean.
The name has a much better startup-sounding explanation, though. The Fisker Ocean is angling to be one of the most ecologically conscious vehicles on the road if it goes into production on time at the end of 2021.
The Ocean will use recycled carpeting in the cabin allegedly sourced from regenerated nylon, “which is made from abandoned fishing net waste—pulled from the oceans and aquaculture,” according to the automaker.
It will also feature a vegan interior that meets “stringent chemical emission limits for various VOCs,” or “volatile organic compounds,” and the “eco-suede” interior adornments will be sourced from recycled t-shirts, bottles and plastics that Fisker claims reduces energy consumption and emissions by 80 percent compared to “traditional petrol-based polyester production.” The news release also mentions repurposed rubber waste but doesn’t specify its application in the car.
On the surface (get it, because Ocean), it seems like part of this may be a clever marketing ploy that plays into Fisker’s theory about electric cars—that one day soon the only thing truly differentiating one EV from another will be their design. By taking the eco-friendly appeal of an electric car even further, maybe Fisker’s cars can gain some traction.
The Ocean is aiming for a range of 250 to 300 miles from an 80 kWh battery pack paired with a solar roof arrangement that the company claims could provide 1,000 additional miles of charge over a year.
Fisker also claims the Ocean uses the space under the fixed hood (there’s no frunk and no opening of any sort in the front) for various HVAC and electronic controls, which should mean a shallower dashboard and extended interior space for occupants, similar to what Jaguar tried to do with the I-Pace EV and its cab-forward design.
Pricing information will be released on Nov. 27 later this year, which will coincide with the launch of the brand’s phone application which will be used to accept reservations from prospective lessees—Fisker claims there will be no long-contract orders available for the car, just leases.
A full reveal is scheduled for Jan. 4, and the car is expected to begin production in late 2021 with full series production following in 2022.
At least this design won’t have an exhaust pipe that exits almost directly into the open driver-side window.