Photo: Fisker
Owners of Fisker Ocean electric SUVs have reported that their Launch Control simply stopped working. The carmaker has an explanation for it, but customers are not going to like it.
The Fisker Ocean has a Boost function, which can be engaged when the driver selects the Hyper out of the three available: Earth, Fun, and, of course, Hyper. Unless we count that Boost. Earth is the most efficient of them all, as it prioritizes regenerative braking and driving as far as possible before the vehicle needs to be plugged in again. Energy is stored in a 113-kWh lithium-ion battery pack for an EPA-estimated range of 360 miles (579 kilometers).
The Fun mode is supposed to be, as the name implies, fun. Fisher claims it is the ideal mode for everyday driving but also for long journeys along the highway or quick maneuvers.
And then there is the Hyper mode, which is designed for those who would rather go for a sporty driving style. When the Boost and Hyper are engaged, the car can do 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) in just 3.7 seconds. That is because the Boost brings an additional 94 horsepower (95 metric horsepower) and 30 pound-feet (41 Newton meters) of torque to the standard 468 horsepower (474 horsepower) and 514 pound-feet (697 Newton meters).
Those are supercar figures. But the owners can't enjoy them much because their car suddenly refuses to Boost. The car manufacturer has finally come up with an explanation. The use of the launch control in the Ocean is limited to just 500 times over the entire lifetime of the car.
Normally, the automaker would do that to protect the components of a vehicle, especially when it comes to an EV. But apparently, there is no such strategy. In a conversation with Carbuzz, a Fisher representative explained that the limitation is imposed because this is how far testing went: 500 activations. The menu includes a small-font indicator that counts down how many drivers have left.
Fisker will continue to test the Ocean over the 500 activations and see if it holds up. If it does, the carmaker might roll out an over-the-air update to allow customers to engage the extra oomph again. They, too, will have to notify customers using paper letters, just as Tesla did.
Therefore, the limitation might be just temporary. It remains to be seen if the customers will have to pay extra for the extra launch control getaways. A subscription plan would not be out of the ordinary, but it has been proven that customers hate it. Following the backlash steered its way, BMW decided to ditch the heated seats monthly subscription, for instance.
If Fisker sticks with 500 activations, it will be interesting to see how the resale value of the Ocean on the used car market will be determined by the number of activations left.
The Fun mode is supposed to be, as the name implies, fun. Fisher claims it is the ideal mode for everyday driving but also for long journeys along the highway or quick maneuvers.
And then there is the Hyper mode, which is designed for those who would rather go for a sporty driving style. When the Boost and Hyper are engaged, the car can do 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) in just 3.7 seconds. That is because the Boost brings an additional 94 horsepower (95 metric horsepower) and 30 pound-feet (41 Newton meters) of torque to the standard 468 horsepower (474 horsepower) and 514 pound-feet (697 Newton meters).
Those are supercar figures. But the owners can't enjoy them much because their car suddenly refuses to Boost. The car manufacturer has finally come up with an explanation. The use of the launch control in the Ocean is limited to just 500 times over the entire lifetime of the car.
Normally, the automaker would do that to protect the components of a vehicle, especially when it comes to an EV. But apparently, there is no such strategy. In a conversation with Carbuzz, a Fisher representative explained that the limitation is imposed because this is how far testing went: 500 activations. The menu includes a small-font indicator that counts down how many drivers have left.
Fisker will continue to test the Ocean over the 500 activations and see if it holds up. If it does, the carmaker might roll out an over-the-air update to allow customers to engage the extra oomph again. They, too, will have to notify customers using paper letters, just as Tesla did.
Therefore, the limitation might be just temporary. It remains to be seen if the customers will have to pay extra for the extra launch control getaways. A subscription plan would not be out of the ordinary, but it has been proven that customers hate it. Following the backlash steered its way, BMW decided to ditch the heated seats monthly subscription, for instance.
If Fisker sticks with 500 activations, it will be interesting to see how the resale value of the Ocean on the used car market will be determined by the number of activations left.
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