FYI: As Fisker navigates bankruptcy, Fisker Ocean owners unite to ensure the continued support and functionality of their electric crossover SUVs.
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## Fisker Ocean Owners Rally Amid Bankruptcy
Even as Fisker battles through bankruptcy, owners of the restructured organization’s electric crossover, the Fisker Ocean, are banding together to safeguard their investments and tackle existing vehicle issues.
### Challenges Facing Fisker Ocean Owners
Fisker ceased Ocean production in May and declared bankruptcy in June. Despite this, more than 6,000 crossover SUVs were delivered between May 2023 and June 2023. Although reviews highlighted numerous flaws, Fisker attempted to rectify software issues through over-the-air (OTA) updates.
However, the bankruptcy filing endangers future OTA updates, vehicle servicing, and spare part availability. Many owners recognized the potential in the Ocean’s unique experience, despite its initial shortcomings. This led over 3,000 owners to form the Fisker Owners Association, aiming to secure resources for the vehicle’s longevity.
### Fisker Owners Association: A United Front
As per the Los Angeles Times, the association’s primary goal is to maintain a steady supply of service parts, ensure continued access to crucial cloud software, address any recalls, and honor vehicle warranties.
“Our number one priority is to make sure that these vehicles that people paid big bucks for just a few months ago aren’t just hunks of very expensive metal a year from now,” said Daniel Shama, a lawyer for the group.
### Financial Developments and Future Outlook
Fisker’s remaining inventory of 3,321 Oceans was sold for $46.25 million to American Lease, a New York-based ride-sharing vehicle leasing firm. This company will gain access to Fisker’s cloud software, though it is not yet available to the general public.
The LA Times mentioned the association would work independently to manage most issues but would collaborate with the lease company to ensure a steady parts supply from suppliers.
### Innovative Solutions and Tech-Savvy Owners
Owners are also tackling practical issues. “We are working on allowing people to use their mobile phone as a key to overcome the drawback of only being able to buy one key fob for their car,” commented Gute, a former JPMorgan Chase & Co. international banker.
Many Fisker owners, noted for their tech-savvy nature, have the knowledge and resources to keep the Ocean running smoothly, filling the gaps where Fisker fell short at the showroom.
### Conclusion
With a dedicated and technologically enthusiastic group of owners, there seems to be enough drive and innovation to uphold the Fisker Ocean’s promise, despite the challenges that come with the automaker’s bankruptcy.
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Donald Smith, Editor of Automotive.fyi
