Fisker Ocean is entering the growing electric SUV market With the Tesla Model Y already on the market and the Mercedes EQC and Porsche Macan EV on the horizon, it won't be easy to win the hearts and minds of drivers

However, the Fisker has many great things going for it, including a solar-powered roof, extensive use of recycled materials, a range of up to 350 miles, and a price tag of less than $40,000 The automaker has not revealed many details, but here's what you need to know about the Fisker Ocean

The first Fisker Ocean model was expected to arrive in late 2021 or early 2022 at the latest Apparently, Fisker expects to produce more than 1 million cars between 2020 and 2027, ensuring a "strategic global and localized supply chain"

However, the situation has now changed, and after the announcement at the LA Motor Show in November 2021, it was confirmed that production will not begin until November 2022 Deliveries are expected to begin by the end of next year

Given that getting these cars ready by the end of this year was an impossible order, waiting may be a good thing

In terms of price, they appear to be quite reasonable The Fisker Ocean starts at $37,499 for the base Ocean Sport trim The mid-trim Ocean Ultra starts at $49,999, and the more premium Ocean Extreme starts at $68,889

Fisker will also offer Ocean through a flexible leasing program for a $2,999 "initiation and activation fee" The lease offers 30,000 miles per year and includes maintenance and service Registration is open now and requires a $250 refundable deposit

From the outside, the Fisker Ocean looks much like a standard SUV While specific dimensions are not yet known, it has room for five people comfortably From the outside, there appears to be plenty of room inside, which hopefully translates to trunk space as well

Fisker also claims that the car has the "highest five-star safety rating" thanks to its prominent side impact protection beams However, there has been no official statement from the US Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or any other regulatory agency responsible for crash testing vehicles

As is the case with many modern electric vehicles, the dashboard will feature a large 171-inch touchscreen control panel alongside a digital meter cluster

This screen, first unveiled at the LA Auto Show, can be rotated between landscape and portrait orientation at the push of a button However, this special feature will only be available on the $68,889 Fisker Ocean Extreme

The Fisker Ocean will also feature a heads-up display and some sort of state-of-the-art infotainment system Details are scarce, but the company has hinted at a karaoke mode similar to Tesla's "Careoke" feature

The Ocean is also made from a variety of recycled materials, which Fisker claims will make the car "the most sustainable car in the world" Whether that will happen remains to be seen, but one can expect an interior that is "100% vegan" and made from recycled fishing nets, bottles, tires, and worn-out T-shirts

The Fisker Ocean will have a fairly heavy battery pack of at least 80 kWh Charging can be done through the Electrify America network at speeds of up to 350 kW, restoring a range of 200 miles in about 30 minutes

According to Fisker, the entry-level Ocean Sport has a range of 250 miles and uses the same type of lithium-ion phosphate battery that Tesla uses in its own low-range vehicles This battery, while lacking in energy density, is considerably cheaper and more stable than alternatives and does not require nickel or cobalt

The Ocean Ultra and Ocean Extreme, on the other hand, offer 340 and 350 miles, respectively It uses lithium manganese-cobalt-oxide batteries

Fisker also promises to add 1,000 miles of range each year (an average of 27 miles daily) by installing solar panels on the Ocean's roof This equates to an average of 27 miles daily However, the amount of electricity generated obviously depends on the weather and climate of the area This is because people living in New England do not get as many hours of sunlight as those living in Southern California

Fisker has previously discussed his work on solid-state battery technology, essentially the Holy Grail in the EV world Fisker claims that if this battery is successful (and it is a big success), it could restore 500 miles of range in a minute That's a pretty bold claim, but don't expect this to happen anytime soon

The Fisker Ocean is a pretty solid performer for a car of its size All models are powered by two motors, one on each axle, with two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive variants

The most powerful model is the Ocean Extreme, with 550 hp and a 0-60 acceleration time of 36 seconds While this is not a record-breaker, it is an impressive time nonetheless It is slightly faster than the performance model Tesla Model Y, which clears 60 mph in 35 seconds

The Ocean Ultra does it in 39 seconds with 540 hp, and the entry-level Ocean Sport does it in 69 seconds with 275 hp

The Ocean Sport has only one front-wheel motor, while the Ultra and Extreme have dual-motor AWD

Currently, no details are available on the Fisker Ocean's autonomous driving capabilities However, given that they are common in electric vehicles, especially high-end models, it is likely that some driver assistance features will be included

At the very least, we can expect autonomous cruise control and blind spot detection I would also be surprised if limited autonomous steering and lane change assist are not included Anything more than that may be a tall order, and we certainly shouldn't expect anything close to true driver-free autonomy Especially for under $40,000

All automakers seem to have their sights set on the electric SUV market, including premium car makers like Porsche and Bentley So can newcomer Fisker compete with brands that have spent decades establishing themselves? That is not yet clear

And until we hear more about the car, we can't say for sure But from what we know now, the Fisker Ocean meets all the requirements Long distance Check Affordable price Double check Luxury Certainly seems to be the case

It is definitely a car to keep an eye on as the year progresses In particular, the fact that it will be launched in late 2021 or early 2022 means that it will be on the market ahead of many well-known cars Let's hope Ocean has what it takes to stand out