If you're in the market for a long-range crossover with electric muscle rather than a combustion engine or a hybrid setup, the Fisker Ocean is a good choice. However, the zero-emission crossover is currently under investigation for multiple complaints from owners alleging unintended vehicle movement. The federal watchdog's Office of Defects Investigation is aware of four incidents in total, of which one concluded with an injury.
According to the owner's written complaint, "I have noticed a number of times that when I push the stalk – which is supposed to move from Drive to Park – that it has gone from Drive to Neutral." The owner's complaint, which bears NHTSA identification number 11560184, further reads: "I have caught this happening probably six times in 150 drives."
The straw that broke the camel's back was the incident that occurred on December 12 of last year, when the owner was slammed by the door of the rolling vehicle, knocking them to the ground. Thankfully, the owner managed to get back in the vehicle immediately and press the brake pedal.
The other three complaints are listed under identification numbers 11560754, 11568937, and 11569568. As mentioned earlier, said incidents didn't result in any injuries. Bear in mind that unintended vehicle movement could also result in damage to nearby vehicles or properties. Although nothing appears to be wrong with the design of the Ocen's steering column-mounted gear selector, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration could not ignore the aforementioned complaints.
If preliminary evaluation PE24-005 results in a safety recall, Fisker will be required to fix an estimated 4,000 vehicles produced for the US market. In the meantime, the federal agency will determine the scope and severity of the alleged problem while assessing the safety-related issues.
Photo: Fisker
188 inches long, the Ocean is one inch longer than the segment-leading Model Y. Speaking of which, Tesla's entry-level sport utility vehicle also happens to be the world's best-selling production vehicle. According to JATO Dynamics, an estimated 1.23 million units were delivered in 2023 as opposed to 1.07 million Toyota RAV4s and 1.01 million Corollas.
Tesla makes the Model Y for the US market in Fremont, California. The folks at Fisker contracted Magna Steyr for the Ocean, meaning that the Model Y's rival is produced in Graz, Austria at the facility where Magna Steyr also produces the likes of the GR Supra, Z4, and – obviously – the G-Wagen.
Vehicles produced in Austria carry 17-character VINs beginning with the letters VA, VB, VC, or VE. Over at Tesla, vehicles produced at Fremont feature identification numbers stamped into the right side upper door pillar. To see the VIN, you'll first have to remove the B pillar's interior trim.
At the moment of reporting, the Ocean Extreme is listed by the Environmental Protection Agency with a driving range of 360 miles (579 kilometers). For the US-built Model Y, the rating is 310 miles (499 kilometers) in Long Range flavor. The Ocean's best-equipped trim level starts at $61,499, whereas Tesla wants $47,990 for the Model Y Long Range.
The longest-range sport utility vehicle on sale today, however, is the Rivian R1S Dual-Motor Max Pack. In this specification, the SUV-bodied sibling of the R1T promises 400 miles (644 kilometers).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News