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Fisker Ocean One-Year Owner Review: It Still Works Great After 11,000 Miles

With barely used Ocean EVs selling for under $30,000, would you be tempted to get a car from a bankrupt automaker?

Fisker Ocean one-year owner review

Photo by: YouTube

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Nov 16, 2024 at 12:00pm ET

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This Fisker Ocean has driven over 10,000 miles and is still going strong.
That's despite Fisker going bankrupt and selling its assets.

The Fisker Ocean was supposed to be one of the many “Tesla Model Y killers.” And while it was a promising EV, its fate was sealed after the automaker behind it went bankrupt. Roughly 11,000 units were ever made, and all of them are subject to two hardware-related recalls that are yet to be resolved.

That said, barely used Ocean EVs are selling for less than $25,000 online, making it a rather attractive option, albeit not one for the faint of heart. There are many owner stories of bricked cars. Servicing options are few and far between, and very few spare parts are available, so the prospect of owning an EV from an unproven and bankrupt automaker is daunting, to say the least.

But not all Ocean EVs are basket cases. Some owners, like the one in the video below, have driven their cars for over a year and have racked up over 10,000 miles with very few issues.

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This particular EV, limited-edition Ocean One, was delivered on October 26, 2023, and has since driven 11,380 miles. Before I get into the details–including some interesting mods–I’ll get this out of the way: the car has never stranded its owner, which is reassuring.

Now, for the issues. On delivery day, the car’s small rear quarter windows did not roll down and there were several paint defects. The air conditioning system vents and module also went a bit crazy and the Bluetooth connectivity was lackluster. All these problems were fixed, though, with some requiring a visit from a mobile technician–back when Fisker was still a functioning company–while others went away with software updates.

Speaking of software, the car is running the latest software version 2.2. This is the last iteration supplied by Fisker before its liquidation case was approved, and it means that owners will never benefit from features like Adaptive Cruise Control, which was promised by Fisker but never delivered.

There is some hope, though. The Fisker Owners Association, a volunteer group, was a big part of the bankruptcy case and it gained access to the car’s core software, as well as the diagnostics tool needed to fix issues. Volunteers may step up and add new features to the cars, but at this point, it’s too early to tell what will happen.

Some rather creative mods were added to this Ocean EV, such as a 12-volt battery tender cable that’s accessible from under the windshield. This is used to keep the low-voltage battery topped up because if it dies, the whole car becomes a brick. The door handles don’t pop out and even if you get inside, the car will not turn on.

Another mod is a hidden switch installed under the dashboard. When used, it essentially cuts power to the infotainment system just like you would by removing the appropriate fuse and then putting it back. As it turns out, the central screen in the Fisker Ocean tends to go blank or freeze and the quick and dirty fix is to remove the fuse. this modification means the owner doesn’t have to access the fuse panel anymore, which is pretty smart.

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When it comes to efficiency, the average after 11,380 miles is 0.32 kWh/mile or 3.1 miles/kWh. The Ocean EV also has a solar array on the panoramic glass roof. In this case, the photovoltaic cells added 20 kWh of energy in a year, but that’s because the car was mostly parked inside a garage or in the shade.

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Following Fisker’s bankruptcy, it’s unclear what will happen with the internet connectivity of the Ocean EVs and with the navigation services provided by TomTom. The owner of this car said he has never received a map update and that the internet connection is still going strong, though.

There’s a lot to digest, that’s for sure. But for the right price, I sure would be tempted to get one, knowing all too well what the consequences may be. What about you?

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