VIENNA: The new Fisker Ocean SUV, which its US makers claim is the most sustainable electric SUV ever produced, is entering showrooms in Europe.
The five-seater with its "fully vegan" interior made from up-cycled materials like reclaimed fishing nets, t-shirts and recycled rubber, goes on sale in Germany from €42,000 (RM210,000), Fisker announced in the Austrian capital Vienna recently.
The company set up by former Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker has pitched the Ocean against rivals such as Volkswagen's ID.5 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The 4.77-metre-long EV can be ordered either with front-wheel drive and 202 kW/275 hp or as an all-wheel-drive vehicle with two motors and up to 415 kW/564 hp on tap.
The dash from a standstill to 100kph takes 3.9 seconds and top speed is given as 205 km/h.
The energy for all this is provided by a battery with 106 kWh and Fisker is claiming the longest range in the segment at 707km between charges.
The base model uses a smaller battery pack, which is not specified in detail and needs replenishing after 440km.
In a crowded SUV market, Fisker has chosen to stress the sustainability of the Ocean which along with the vegan cockpit, has
a California "big sky" mode.
This feature lowers all the windows, including the rear window and the side windows in the boot, and retracts the roof to provide a convertible-style driving experience.
A Limo mode allows rear-seat passengers to control various vehicle functions and the rotating 17.1-inch infotainment touchscreen can be switched from portrait mode to landscape mode when the car is stopped.
The Ocean is set to be joined by an entry-level model for under €30,000 (RM150,000) within two years.
