Fisker Denies Ocean EV’s Debut Is Delayed By Software program Points

Fisker began buyer deliveries of its Ocean electrical SUV final week in Europe, with the primary automobile delivered to a purchaser in Denmark. 

The EV startup additionally delivered the second Ocean EV in Germany yesterday, and the shopper is none aside from Henrik Fisker, the corporate’s founder and CEO. Whereas the whole lot appears to be working as deliberate in the event you observe Fisker’s press releases and social media updates, a Bloomberg report paints a distinct image.

Citing unnamed folks aware of the matter, the publication writes that the EV startup is going through delays on delivering its debut electrical SUV to prospects due to software program integration issues.

Two folks talking on situation of anonymity mentioned the Fisker Ocean’s software program wants extra testing and troubleshooting. They mentioned the software program is presently vulnerable to glitches, estimating the problems might take months to resolve. Because of this, the sources mentioned some automobiles are solely utilizing a extra fundamental software program that limits the automobiles’ pace.

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Fisker strongly denied this declare in an emailed assertion to Bloomberg. “We categorically deny that the Fisker Ocean may be pushed at solely low speeds,” the corporate mentioned, including that the automobile’s “software program might be up to date over-the-air in the course of the 12 months” after launching with a fundamental superior driver-assistance system.

CEO Henrik Fisker ironized the low pace driving declare in a brief video he posted on his LinkedIn web page. Within the clip, he’s seen arriving in London for the corporate’s Q1 2023 earnings name in a Fisker Ocean with German plates – not his private automobile – and asking the motive force whether or not the automotive is fitted with the slow-driving software program. 

After the motive force replies negatively, Fisker says, “I assume we’re gonna need to make that in an OTA replace.”

Joking apart, it is value mentioning that one of many sources instructed Bloomberg the primary Fisker Ocean SUV delivered final week to a buyer in Denmark is already on its manner again to the Magna Steyr plant in Austria because the software program issues allegedly rendered it inoperable.

Apparently, Fisker didn’t refute this declare in its assertion. It could be simple for the corporate to dismiss these claims just by filming the primary Ocean buyer automotive driving at full pace and exhibit crucial features of the infotainment system.

Growing dependable EV software program is a problem not just for EV startups like Fisker but in addition for business giants like Volkswagen Group. The German automaker yesterday introduced the restructuring of its Cariad software program division and appointed a brand new chief.