Fisker Ocean Must-Haves, After Driving a Tesla for Nearly a Year

After owning a Tesla Model 3 for about a year, it is clear to me what my must-haves are for my Fisker Ocean.

As I mentioned earlier this week, I reserved a Fisker Ocean back in September 2020. What I didn’t share was I bought my first electric vehicle about 8 months later. I kept hearing in the media about prices of used cars on the rise. Due to the pandemic and factory shutdowns, supply chain issues have impacted the auto industry. This has limited production of new cars being made. As a result, this has caused used car prices to surge and they seem to keep going up.

In Summer 2021, I had a sporty 2015 BMW 3 Series. My wife drove a 2016 VW Jetta. We checked online to see what our cars were worth. Believe it or not, Carvana and CarMax both offered to buy my used car for practically the same price I paid for the vehicle back in 2018. The same was true with my wife’s 2016 VW Jetta. Since working from home, our driving habits changed during the pandemic, we no longer needed two vehicles. Even though EV car prices to me are insane, we both decided to sell our used cars and get an electric vehicle.

My first electric vehicle, but not my last!

Used car prices on the rise, especially for Tesla electric vehicles

Even though I reserved a Fisker Ocean, I purchased a Tesla Model 3 on May 25, 2021. According to Tesla, the wait time was 3-months. I chose to get the Long Range Model 3 so it has the same range as my old gasoline powered car. I also bit the bullet and upgraded the car with Full Self Driving Capability and Acceleration Boost. While waiting for the car to arrive, I installed a Tesla Wall Connector in the garage. Surprisingly, the Model 3 was delivered in less than 30 days on June 20, 2021.

After owning the Tesla Model 3 for nearly a year, it has been an all-around fun driving experience. We’ve driven the car just over 6,600 miles (see photos below). The Acceleration Boost makes the car feel super sporty like my old BMW. And the Full Self Driving Capability seems pretty futuristic (when it works and doesn’t disengage when the vehicle approaches a semi-truck).

The best part about owning an electric vehicle so far, every mile driven is emission-free and we no longer need to stop at a gas station. Those high gas prices don’t seem to matter anymore. There is a lot to like about the Model 3 EV. I could write countless posts about it, but this site is focused on my Fisker Ocean journey and the company that makes the vehicle. Overall, the Tesla Model 3 has set the bar for me to evaluate and review my Fisker Ocean when it arrives. Owning one electric vehicle will give me something to compare the Fisker Ocean to better help educate you.

Selling the Tesla when the Fisker Ocean arrives?

As I mentioned earlier, my wife and I currently work from home. Depending on a return to the office and life in corporate America, we may only need one car. While we wait for the Fisker Ocean to arrive, the current plan is to keep the Tesla electric vehicle, otherwise we’d have nothing to drive! If the Fisker Ocean checks all the boxes we may sell the Model 3.

And another caveat, depends on timing of when our reservation number is called. How long will our wait time be until we are able to purchase our Fisker Ocean? If we can get a Fisker Ocean One, we will likely sell the Tesla Model 3 to help fund the purchase of the Fisker Electric SUV. If we have to wait until mid-2023, we’ll likely get a Fisker Ocean Ultra or maybe an Ocean Sport and keep the Tesla Model 3. Our employment situation may have changed by then too.

Nevertheless, in our opinion, the Ocean Ultra is the best value among all EVs on the market including each of the Fisker Ocean trims. Now, the Ocean Sport is pretty incredible too at a price of $37,499 while it lasts. C’mon, who can argue with the price like that? Big Sur Blue happens to me a favorite in this household (pictured above)!

First must-have, easy to use software

As a product manager of consumer software products, I expect the Fisker Ocean to have a simple and easy to use digital user interface on the Central Display and in the mobile app. I should be able to get everything I need in the UI with no more than two taps. The Tesla has so many features, many of them are buried in the user interface. At times, they are difficult to get to when you need them right away (e.g., adjusting cabin temperature, windshield wipers, glovebox). I’m really looking forward to the haptic buttons on the Fisker Ocean to manage cabin temperature.

Second must-have, more space would be nice

As our family grows, we have a lot more stuff that we take with us on the go (e.g., stroller, toys, bicycle). We have a hard time putting everything we need into the trunk of the Tesla. Sometimes the overflow ends up in the back seats. We also have a difficult time getting two adults seated in rear next to a children’s car seat. Not to mention, the stuff rarely fits that I buy from The Home Depot for my weekend DIY projects (e.g., lumber, windows, Christmas tree). I’m expecting the Fisker Ocean to seat everyone comfortably in the rear seats and have enough room in the trunk for anything we want to store.

Third must-have, of course performance

Another must-have for me is performance and handling. The Model 3 with Acceleration Boost replaces the need for speed with the BMW I previously owned. The Fisker Ocean Ultra should hit 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds. We can’t wait to test and compare that to the Model 3. As far as handling goes, I expect the Fisker Ocean to outshine since it is 4-inches wider than the Tesla Model 3. Seeing Henrik Fisker test drive the Fisker Ocean on the test track was exciting.

Lastly, ease of charging the Fisker Ocean electric SUV

Last but not least, ease of charging the electric vehicle is important to me. Tesla has made charging the electric vehicle extremely easy. The charging software in the car works seamlessly with the Wall Connector and Tesla super chargers. It’s nice that the software shows me the best path to take on a road trip with chargers along the way. The Fisker software needs to provide me options to take advantage of super off peak energy and show me where to charge my Ocean when I’m out and about (e.g., nearby super chargers).

And we wait…

As I await my Fisker Ocean and you await yours, I’m sure I will think of other must-have features. Below are some photos of my Tesla Model 3 at my home. Until then, stay tuned!