Fisker just announced that production of its Ocean electric SUV has started on schedule in the Magna Steyr factory in Graz, Austria. The company considers this a great achievement, an emotional moment, and for good reason because the Ocean is reasonably affordable for what it offers making it very competitive in its respective segment.

Production will start off low, with 300 vehicles planned for Q1 of 2023, then increasing to 8,000 units in Q2, 15,000 units in Q3 and the company hopes to build around 42,400 vehicles by the end of next year. First to be manufactured are the 5,000 Ocean One launch edition models, which are based on the top-of-the-range Extreme trim level.

This first series of models was sold out in 30 days, with buyers putting their name down for one with a $5,000 deposit. If all these orders go through, Fisker expects to make around $350-million. In the UK, the Fisker Ocean is available from £34,990, for the base Sport trim.

Gallery: Fisker Ocean Production Model

The Ocean Sport is front-wheel drive, with a single 275 bhp motor that can pus it to sixty in 6.9 seconds. It is the only variant to feature a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery pack, with 75 kWh capacity and an estimated range of 250 miles.

The other two versions, Ocean Ultra and Ocean Extreme, both feature the same 100 kWh battery pack with Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) chemistry, that should provide over 350 miles of range in the Extreme. Both have a dual-motor setup, with 540 and 550 bhp respectively, resulting in 0 – 60 mph acceleration times of 3.9 and 3.6 seconds. The Ocean Extreme has more range because it gets the solar roof, which can add over 1,500 miles of free range per year.

Touted as being “the world’s most sustainable vehicle,” the Ocean will be sold on many global markets and Fisker reports it has over 63,000 reservation from around the world. Accoding to Fisker Chairman and CEO, Henrik Fisker,

It’s an emotional day as we start production of the world’s most sustainable vehicle in record time – on time – in the carbon-neutral factory in Graz.

We’ve challenged the old model of longer development timelines, reflecting our team’s agility and dedication to creating emotionally desirable vehicles with the newest, most unique experiences in our price range.

We have the highest quality at launch, aligned with our commitment to leading the industry in sustainability. More than 63,000 customers worldwide share our enthusiasm. It’s a day for our team and fans to celebrate!