Fisker

Fisker Inc.'s story begins with a biography of its eponymous founder, Henrik Fisker.

Fisker began his career in the automotive industry designing some of the most exotic cars of the late 1990s and early 2000s, including the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin DB9. His first taste at helming a company of his own came when he launched Fisker Coachbuild in 2005. The company introduced coachbuilding to the modern automotive landscape by reskinning high-end Mercedes and BMW models.

Fisker Automotive was created just a few years later and eventually produced the 2012 Fisker Karma, a plug-in hybrid sports car that existed in a time when electrification was almost solely synonymous with dorky econoboxes. While the Karma carried the shapely body style you'd expect from one of the world's most accomplished designers, its unrefined powertrain, cramped interior and high price tag limited its appeal. This was also the same time the Tesla Model S debuted, which stole the attention of early adopters with its all-electric powertrain, long-range battery pack and unrivaled acceleration. Fisker Automotive folded not long after, and its assets were sold to a Chinese conglomerate that eventually revived the company as Karma Automotive.

Henrik Fisker continued in the automotive space, launching the newly formed Fisker Inc. in 2016. The company spent years developing an electric vehicle at an affordable price point before officially unveiling the Ocean SUV at 2020's Consumer Electronics Show. The company says the Ocean will have a starting price of $37,499 and a targeted 300 miles of range from its 80-kWh battery pack. After solidifying a partnership with automotive industry supplier Magna International in late 2020, Fisker further announced a long-range version capable of driving 350 miles on a full charge will be available on the range-topping Ocean Extreme.

Fisker isn't content to stay to a tried-and-true formula — the Ocean takes its eco-cred seriously. A full-length solar panel adds a few miles of driving each day using renewable, clean energy, while the vegan-friendly interior makes ample use of recycled materials in a nod to sustainability. Sales models include outright purchases alongside an open-ended lease program with no fixed term, allowing customers to choose the ownership experience that makes the most sense to them. Fisker is set to deliver the first Ocean models at the end of calendar year 2022.