The Fisker Ocean EV Just Got A Humongous Price Drop Of Up To $24,000, Now Starts At Just $25,000

The EV startup Fisker has been going through some challenges over the past few months, and, to make some quick cash to combat some of those challenges, the company is offering discounts — monumentally huge discounts. Like, discounts bigger than the cost of some economy cars.

Also in today’s The Morning Dump: The fallout is yet to settle from the Baltimore bridge disaster, with multiple casualties resulting from the collapse. The loss of the critical span and disruption to port infrastructure is already causing a ripple effect for other industries.

There’s a story about an alleged street-racing police officer, and there’s news about a Chinese automaker saying it’ll soon start shipping EVs with solid-state batteries. Plus, Sebastian Vettel has gotten back behind the wheel.

The Fisker Ocean Now Costs $25,000, Top-Model Costs $24,000 Less

We’ve talked a lot about EV startup Fisker these past few weeks. We’ve talked about its stock price dropping to a point that it put the company at risk of being suspended from the New York Stock Exchange (this has since happened), we’ve written about how the company was maybe going to run out of money if it didn’t get help, we’ve mentioned YouTuber Marquees Brownlee’s video calling the company’s sole model, the Ocean, the “worst car he’s ever reviewed.” This was followed by news that maybe the company was getting a $150 million lifeline, but that was contingent, it seems, on closing a deal with a large automaker (widely believed to be Nissan) — a deal that seems to have not gone through. Then Consumer Reports reviewed the car and called it “nauseating,” and we could go on and on.

Then yesterday — a story in which we quoted the chairman of the hedge fund Great Hill Capital, who according to Automotive News said bankruptcy was “inevitable” — we heard Fisker’s response to some of this news, and per Automotive News, that response included: “We do not currently have sufficient cash reserves or financing sources sufficient to satisfy all amounts due under the 2026 Notes or the 2025 Notes, and as a result, such events could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.”

There’s not a whole lot of good news, there, though I drove the Fisker Ocean and thought it was good. So did Doug DeMuro, apparently. This is why I think these discounted Oceans are such a smoking hot deal. Bloomberg outlines the price cut, writing:

Fisker Inc. dramatically reduced the price of the Ocean sport utility vehicle — its only model — as the electric-car maker struggles to stay in business.

The biggest cut the US company is making applies to the top-end version of the Ocean, called Extreme. Fisker will slash the price by $24,000 — a 39% discount — to $37,499, according to an emailed statement.

Other iterations of the vehicle also will be much cheaper, a move Fisker said was designed to position the Ocean as “a more affordable and compelling EV choice.”

A $24,000 discount on the Extreme! That’s the one I drove and liked quite a bit! For $37,499 it seems like a steal. And you know what else seems like a steal? The base model “Sport,” which now costs only $24,999 thanks to a $14,000 price cut!

Of course, as good as the car is for that kind of money, the biggest concern a buyer might have is support. Especially with software still needing work, there’s a risk that one might buy an Ocean and basically end up with a car that never feels complete, with no software updates or service easily available.

Still, that’s a hell of a discount.

[This first story written by David Tracy. All others by Lewin Day].

Automakers Redirecting Shipments Due To Baltimore Bridge Collapse

As previously covered by The Autopian, the Francis Scott Key bridge was destroyed when it was struck by the Singapore-flagged container ship Dali in Baltimore earlier this week. As per the LA Times, authorities have stated six individuals are now sadly presumed dead due to the temperature of the water and the length of time since the bridge collapse.

The loss of the span combined with the disruption to port activity has some automakers rushing to adjust their logistics. The Detroit Free Press notes that both parts and whole cars commonly pass through the busy Port of Baltimore:

The early morning news Tuesday of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore sent the auto industry scrambling to mitigate any disruption to business.

The 1.6-mile bridge spans the Patapsco River, which leads to the Port of Baltimore, a major hub for East Coast shipping. About 750,000 to 850,000 new vehicles go in and out of the port each year on haulers carrying about 1,000 cars each, auto industry experts said. Some parts, used in vehicle assembly, also pass through the port or across the bridge.

So far this month, Mazda had the most imports through Baltimore by dollar value, followed by Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Mitsubishi and Volkswagen, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

It’s not just imports that are affected, either. Domestic automakers in particular use the port to export vehicles to the European market. General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis have already stated they’re working on alternative shipping arrangements in the wake of the disaster. Cars could instead ship out of ports in New Jersey, Virginia, or South Carolina, Sam Fiorani of AutoForecast Solutions told the Detroit Free Press.

It’s possible that delays to parts shipments could impact further production at auto factories, too. The loss of the bridge isn’t just impacting the shipping channel, either. Trucks that would visit the port will now have to reroute through tunnels instead, lengthening travel times significantly.

The cause of the crash is still the subject of investigation. Whether mechanical failure or human error was the cause of the problem will become apparent in due course.

As an aside, The Lever noted that the shipping company Maersk was apparently cited months ago for a policy instructing workers to report problems internally before speaking to the Coast Guard. A bad look, but not necessarily a smoking gun. It’s worth noting that while the ship was operating for Maersk, the Dali was actually being operated for the shipping giant under charter. It was directly operated by charter company Synergy Group.

For now, it’s too early to know just how long operations at the port will be disrupted. There is a huge amount of debris to be recovered and cleaned up before normal operations can resume.

Chinese Automaker Claims First EV With Mass-Produced Solid-State Battery

Automakers across the world are rushing to get solid-state batteries to production-ready status. As per CarNewsChina, IM Motors may be gearing up to beat everybody to the punch in May:

IM Motors claim that the L6, due to launch in May, will come with the industry’s first mass-produced ultra-fast charging solid state battery. More details will be announced at the IM L6 Technology Conference on April 8 but we already know that the new battery will be 130 kWh.

Solid-state batteries have long promised to change the game for EVs. They’re supposed to offer far higher energy density than traditional lithium-ion batteries. This would enable automakers to build EVs with far longer ranges. Less temperature sensitivity and lower flammability could enable faster charging, too.

So what of the L6? Well, a 130 kWh battery is pretty large for a sedan, but not outrageously so. How does it do on range? 497 miles on the WLTP test cycle. Not bad at all.

IM announced at the Geneva Motor Show that the L6 equipped with the solid state battery would have a CLTC range of 1000 km (CLTC) or under WLTP, 800 km. However, MIIT listings which are the precursor for a car going on sale do not feature a solid state battery. Instead the car comes with a choice 90 or 100 kWh ternary lithium (NCM) battery packs from CATL. The smaller pack gives the rear wheel drive version a 720 km CLTC range and the all-wheel drive 700 km whereas the 100 kWh battery gives 770 km and 750 km respectively.

Of course, it hasn’t shipped yet, so let’s wait and see if IM can deliver. Plus, without more specifics, it’s hard to know how big a deal this is. IM Motors may have stopped at building a 130 kWh battery, choosing weight savings over stuffing in as many batteries as possible. That could make the L6 very compelling indeed. Alternatively, the energy density of these first-gen solid-state cells may only be an incremental improvement over existing cells. Other automakers will be paying close attention, regardless.

Oh, and if you haven’t heard of IM Motors? It’s a joint venture between SAIC Motor, Alibaba Group, and Zhangjiang Hi-Tech. Basically, there’s a ton of money and some significant automotive experience behind the brand, even if its first model only hit the market in 2022.

Texas Deputy Constable Arrested While Allegedly Street Racing—In Uniform

Normally, you’d expect police officers to be out on the roads trying to spot and deter street racing. One Harris County officer was allegedly keen to get involved on a more direct level, however, as per ABC13:

Uniformed law enforcement officers typically rush to an emergency or, in extreme situations, go after a fleeing suspect when they surpass 100 mph behind the wheel.

However, a Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable, allegedly dressed for duty, was caught at those speeds over the weekend, doing neither. Instead, his Harris County Sheriff’s Office colleagues said he was part of a parking lot takeover that turned into a freeway race at dangerous speeds.

The officer is said to have been an attendee at an event that started as a perfectly innocent car meet-up. Promoted on Instagram by a group called Private Kings Club in partnership with Northside Movement and several sponsors, the meet was held at a parking lot on Old Humble Road, Humble.

Despite initial reports the event was a takeover, the “Park and Chill” event was perfectly legal and held with the permission of property owners. As ABC13 writes, attendeeds were told to avoid burnouts and donuts and “respect the property.” And yet, despite these clear instructions, the news site reports, a freeway race broke out in the vicinity anyway.

Leaving the event, the officer was allegedly spotted by police entering a freeway in a late-model black Ford Mustang. Reports state a Camaro and the officer’s Mustang were then spotted “pacing next to each other” before accelerating hard and exceeding 100 mph on the public road.

Hilariously, the officer was identified quite easily by the fact he was wearing his work uniform at the time.

In total, police allege four cars were spotted racing, with five arrests made by Harris County law enforcement, including the officer. The young officer was jailed and later bailed out on a $100 bond. His command was notified of the matter, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Sounds like some Brian O’Conner stuff.

Vettel Is Back On Track, Baby

Sebastian Vettel retired from Formula 1 one year before Aston Martin started really contending at the front of the pack. The German driver hasn’t expressed too many regrets, however, and has been getting his thrills elsewhere. This week, it was behind the wheel of a Porsche 963.

Vettel completed over 118 laps in two double stints at the Motorland Aragón circuit in Spain. The test covered 361 miles (581 km), and was Vettel’s first time behind the wheel of a hybrid LMDh prototype. Other than Vettel, seven Porsche works drivers are also attending the Spanish test. Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, and Frédéric Makowiecki are sharing the number 5 car, while Kévin Estre, André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor are in the number 6. All of these drivers are much faster than me around a kart track, I’m sure of it.

The Porsche Penske Motorsport Team will campaign the Porsche 963 at Le Mans this year. The team is aiming to take Porsche’s 20th overall victory, having already won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the first North American IMSA race this year.

No word yet on whether Vettel could join Porsche for Le Mans or any other sportscar races, but we’d love to see it come together.

What I’m Listening To While Doing TMD

Language warning!

I’ve got friends over this week, and we’re reminiscing about some of the more colorful characters we partied with over the years. I wrote this one for them.

Fun fact: most people agree that Australian KFC is superior to the modern American product.

The Big Question

What’s the most fun you’ve ever had in a car?

Image credits: Top shot Josh Hild via Unsplash License, ABC13 via Youtube screenshot, FBI, IM Motors, Porsche