The reborn automaker told some of its customers that they would have to gear up for a monthly payment plan. Fisker decided to make basic safety and driver-assistance features plus some cabin tricks part of a subscription-only pricing strategy. Here's the gist of it.
Fisker learned its lesson with the failed Karma. It is now a brand-new company with a completely different vision, a solid manufacturing plan, great partnerships, and a seemingly future-proof product strategy.
Besides the all-electric Ocean crossover SUV, Fisker recently presented the production-ready PEAR, the Alaska pickup truck, and the limited-edition Ronin GT. The brand is geared up for success with a portfolio of three mass-market vehicles, a halo car, and an off-road version of the Ocean.
But the path to becoming a key player in the North American and European EV market is challenging. Tesla became profitable in 2020 – 17 years after it was established. Rivian, another promising all-electric manufacturer, is still burning through its IPO pile of cash. Lucid, renowned for its engineering prowess, is struggling to secure more Air orders and with overseas expansion.
Thus, Fisker's plan is ambitious. But seeing it completed will take more than just launching cool-looking EVs and promising unique features that aren't found on any other production car. California Mode or PEAR's frunk are some neat little tricks that help the brand's products build their own identity in today's crowded and competitive automotive industry.
But the latest decision regarding the Ocean Sport and the Ocean Ultra might not benefit Fisker's innate desire for success. The brand told some of its early customers who wait patiently for their all-electric crossover SUV that the Ultimate Pack and the Fisker Intelligent Pilot Pack were moved behind a monthly paywall.
The young brand decided to remove the option of buying these packages outright. Customers will have to subscribe or not have access to the features.
The Fisker Intelligent Pilot Pack includes common advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like the Integrated Driving Assist, which is a fancy name for adaptive cruise control with lane change assist function. The Intelligent Pilot Pack also bundles together a 360-degree camera system, a self-parking system (similar to BMW's Parking Assist, meaning it must recognize a spot and the driver must confirm the maneuvering), and rear cross-traffic mitigation that applies the brake when the driver is reversing while an unnoticed car may approach too fast.
The Ultimate Pack adds all the cool connectivity features to the Ocean. It also includes the revolving 17.1-inch infotainment screen with integrated streaming services, Valet Mode, rain-sensing wipers, and a seat memory function.
A different approach
The packages used to cost $5,900 each for the Ocean Ultra and the Ocean Sport. But from now on, all these features bundled together will be available on the two abovementioned trims solely on a monthly fee basis.
Fisker didn't say how much the monthly subscription will cost, nor did it specify if the features will be unbundled and offered a la carte.
Moreover, not all the abovementioned features will work for those currently taking delivery. The automaker plans to activate the adaptive cruise control in late 2023 because the safety and driver-assistance system are reportedly still being evaluated by relevant government agencies.
Photo: Fisker
Some pre-order holders expressed discontent with Fisker's decision and described the move as a dealbreaker. Others, however, said they would gladly not spend $11,800 on the packages and just activate the feature when needed.
However, we must point out that adaptive cruise control and other safety systems like rear cross-traffic mitigation come as standard on some similarly-priced Kia, Hyundai, Mazda, or Toyota vehicles. Even the Polestar 2 includes them in the Pilot Pack, for which customers must pay once.
The solution at hand for Ocean Sport (starting at $40,599) and Ocean Ultra (starting at $58,099) pre-order holders is to upgrade to the Extreme trim ($68,999), which includes the now-paywalled features found in the Fisker Intelligent Pilot Pack and Ultimate Pack.
Fisker is probably going on the subscription path for Ocean Ultra and Ocean Sport models to convince people to either upgrade to an Extreme trim unit or to ensure it generates more revenue from those spending less on the all-electric crossover SUV.
Finally, this may be a controversial move, but it proves something important – Fisker has figured out how to tackle the streamlined production challenge. It may now follow in Tesla's footsteps and sell fully equipped cars from the factory with some features remaining behind a paywall. The future of all-electric vehicles is strongly bonded with software, even though not everyone will like it.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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