The Fisker Ocean EV Is Dirt Cheap. Don’t Buy One.
Andrew Moseman
Wed, Mar 27, 2024, 12:25 PM EDT • 5 min read

{snip}

Then came the testing. YouTube super-reviewer Marques Brownlee titled his video about the Ocean, “This Is the Worst Car I’ve Ever Reviewed” and spent 20 solid minutes outlining the weirdness of his driving experience, including the company asking him to hold off reviewing the car until it could rush out a software update. More than a decade after its disastrous experience with the Karma, Consumer Reports reported that the Fisker Ocean was “unfinished,” with a “bizarre delivery experience” and “disappearing safety features.”


This disastrous narrative arrived alongside reports of Fisker’s financial ruin. Fisker suspended production of the Ocean and tried to raise $150 million to keep the startup afloat, however a rumored last-second deal with Nissan fell apart and now, despite Henrik Fisker’s promise to press on, it appears the company has no clear lifeline to stave off oblivion.

Given the relatively high cost of current EVs, some buyers might be tempted by the fire-sale Fiskers. As The Autopian says, “the Fisker Ocean is a good car when it’s functional,” and if the company can manage to push out a software update, then perhaps it will be functional more often than not. The 231-mile range of the base model isn’t impressive by 2024 standards, but the Ocean Extreme’s reported 360-mile range is a steal at its steeply discounted price.

Still: This is a capital case of caveat emptor. Given Fisker’s long history of poor build quality and software bugs, it’d be a big risk to pony up even the clearance sale price of an Ocean. Not to mention the huge uncertainty of living with one. It can be hard enough to schedule service for a Tesla; now imagine trying to deal with hardware for software problems for an orphan EV whose company bit the dust.

{snip}

First Drive: 2023 Fisker Ocean Electric SUV Proves to Be Unfinished Business
A bizarre delivery experience, disappearing safety features, and takeout tacos already mark the Ocean as one of the strangest cars we’ve ever encountered

By Keith Barry
Updated March 22, 2024

{snip}

The company says it has delivered about 6,000 vehicles, but 4,700 Oceans are sitting unsold. If you’re a consumer who is still considering buying an Ocean, or if you’re an auto industry exec who is considering purchasing Fisker in its entirety, we encourage you to read about our early experiences with the Ocean first.

{snip}