American electric vehicle (EV) startup Fisker has confirmed its first model will offer range of over 700km.
The Fisker Ocean five-seater SUV has a combined WLTP range of up to 707km, making it the longest-range battery electric SUV sold in Europe today.
It bests the Tesla Model X, for example, which has up to 576km of range on the WLTP cycle, and even edges out the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV which has up to 660km.
The Ocean’s all-electric range figure, based on an Extreme fitted with the standard 20-inch alloy wheels, is a decent increase on Fisker’s initial expectations.
The nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery in the Ocean Extreme was initially expected to provide 629km of range.
Fisker says the Ocean could make it from London to Glasgow or Paris to Frankfurt on a single charge.
“This achievement is a major milestone for everyone at Fisker, and we are delighted the range exceeds our initial calculations,” said CEO Henrik Fisker.
Fisker is expecting final homologation of the Ocean from European authorities by April 28, 2023, after which it will begin customer deliveries.
The SUV has already garnered significant interest, with two of the three permanent trim levels sold out in the US for 2023.
The Ocean will be available in three trims including the entry-level Sport, followed by the Ultra and the range-topping Extreme, as well as a special launch edition called the One which will be limited to 5000 vehicles.
The entry-level Ocean Sport features a front-axle electric motor producing 205kW of power, while the Ultra, Extreme, and One all have a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing 410kW.
Fisker claims the Ocean Extreme can do the 0-60mph (97km/h) sprint in 3.6 seconds.
The pricing of the Ocean opens with the Ocean Sport at US$37,499 (A$56,439) followed by the Ocean Extreme and Ocean One editions for US$68,999 (A$103,849).
Fisker has enlisted Magna Steyr to produce its vehicles in its carbon-neutral factory in Graz, Austria.
The company says production of the Ocean will begin with 300 units this quarter, ramping up to 8000 units in Q2, 15,000 in Q3, and a total of 42,400 units by the end of 2023.
It touts the Ocean as the “world’s most sustainable vehicle”, manufactured with more than 50kg of recycled, biodegradable, and eco-conscious materials, such as recycled fishing nets, old t-shirts, and renewed rubber.
The Fisker Ocean SUV will be the first model the brand will launch, but it already has several other projects in the pipeline which it may reveal this year, including the entry-level Fisker Pear and the Project Ronin four-door convertible.
Fisker has confirmed it will produce the Ocean in right-hand drive as it’ll be sold in the UK, though it has yet to officially confirm Australian launch plans.
