Imagine pressing a single button and having nine windows open all the way. That's what Fisker calls ‘California Mode', where a single gesture makes its up-coming Ocean model ‘open itself to the sea breeze'. While full blown production isn't likely to begin for more than a year, the company has received a significant boost to its fortunes with the receipt of an order for 700 units from all-inclusive car subscription service, Onto. WhichEV looks a little closer at the details.
As we reported last July, at least one version of the Fisker Ocean will combine a 0-62 acceleration time that's close to 3 seconds with a range of up to 300 miles. The chunky SUV shape is about the same length as a Tesla Model 3, at 4.6 metres, but with a lot more windows. While there is a top-of-the-range version with 225kW of power in a four-wheel drive configuration, we're still waiting to hear exactly which specification Onto has settled on.
This deal marks a few significant milestones for both companies. For Fisker, the promise of a single/large corporate order for hundreds of vehicles to be delivered in 2023, means good news for company's chief financial officer. Earlier this week, Fisker released its latest financial statement, which said that the company has close to $1 billion in cash and we know that they are presently recruiting for almost 140 specialists.
In exchange, Onto will get the first right-hand-drive versions of the Ocean – as they become available – as well as an exclusive deal on rental/subscription options for the car. Right now, Onto has more than 3,000 vehicles on subscription in the UK with ambitious plans to expand that figure. The key elements of Onto's proposition make it easy to see why it is so attractive for electric vehicles. For example, you only have to commit for a minimum of one month and there is no deposit, no insurance or road tax to pay and you also get free servicing and 1,000 free miles of power a month with cards for two of the top charger networks. At the time of writing, bp pulse, Shell Recharge, Instavolt and the Tesla Supercharger network were all partnered with Onto.
“We are seeing the rapid growth of innovative companies like Onto that are enabling the transition to electric mobility,” said Fisker Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Henrik Fisker. “Our focus for business-to-business reservations is on high-quality companies that share our commitment to deliver an outstanding customer experience. Our partnership with Onto is a significant step in rapidly building our presence in the UK electric vehicle market.”
Rob Jolly, CEO and co-founder of Onto said, “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Fisker to offer our customers even more choice when it comes to driving an Electric Car. Fisker’s impressive goals for electrification, coupled with their reputation for always introducing the latest technology, match our own and we are excited to go on this journey with them. Onto subscribers will be able to enjoy all the benefits of the impressive Fisker Ocean together with our hassle-free service.”
The full retail price of the Fisker ocean could be close to £30,000 so, on that basis, the largest possible value for this order would be £21 million. You'd have to hope that Onto has negotiated some kind of deal.
Right now, the Onto price for a Renault Zoe GT Line R135 is £399 a month. That car has a recommended price of just over £32,000 – so there is every possibility that the Fisker Ocean could be close to £400 a month – all included.
Alongside its mainstream consumer offering, Onto also gives business users a different way to fund cars. The Fisker Ocean will be available for all users.
In December 2020, Fisker announced a partnership with Cox Automotive and Rivus for delivery, servicing, fleet management and reselling programs in the United Kingdom.
UK deliveries of the Fisker Ocean from Onto are expected to happen before June 2023.