Fisker (FSR) -) is looking to be the lone ranger.
We're not talking about the dude with mask who takes out the bad guys with silver bullets. We're talking about the electric vehicle maker that's looking to leave its competitors in the dust.
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EV owners are no doubt well-acquainted with the concept of range anxiety — that creeping fear that your electric ride will run out of juice before you reach the next charging station.
Is EV-range anxiety warranted?
More than two of every five (43%) of potential EV drivers feel uncertain about being able to charge their vehicles when they need to, according to a survey by EVBox, the Amsterdam EV-equipment company, in partnership with Ipsos.
"The fear of running out of charge is one of the biggest roadblocks to greater electric vehicle adoption," the company said in a 2021 blogpost. "This phenomenon has as much to do with psychology and the historical perception of early EVs’ range as with the actual range of electric cars today (or the availability of charging points)."
The truth, EVBox said, is that this fear is often unwarranted.
While your car will eventually run out of battery if you drive far enough without charging, the company said, the average EV today has a 217-mile (350km) range, which is much more than the average commuting distance in the EU or the U.S.
And the number of charging stations is increasing. The U.S. Energy Department said that the number of public and private charging ports nearly doubled to 161,562 in the first quarter of the year, nearly double the 87,352 in fourth-quarter 2019.
"Unlike gasoline vehicles that can only be refueled at filling stations, many EVs are charged at home, but public charging is still important to support long-distance travel and for those without access to home charging," the department said.
On Oct. 12, the American Automobile Association announced "Electric Vehicles 101," a guide that includes tips for first-time EV drivers, essential charging and vehicle background, and advice for those considering purchasing a used or new EV.
Going the distance in a Fisker
For its part, Fisker, the Manhattan Beach, Calif., EV producer, is looking to push the range limit, while keeping prices reasonably low.
Scheduled to report third-quarter results on Nov. 8, Fisker has said that the Ocean Extreme model reached an Environmental Protection Agency estimated range of 360 miles, exceeding previous estimates.
The company maintains that the Fisker Ocean Extreme, which has a $68,999 base price, has the longest range of any new electric SUV under $200,000 currently sold in the U.S.
The Fisker Ocean Ultra has a range of around 340 miles and the Fisker Ocean Sport will go around 250 miles on a charge.
Now, if you're going just for the range and are not too concerned about the price tag, Car and Driver noted that Lucid's (LCID) -) Air Grand Touring has an EPA-estimated 516 miles of range.
"That's more range than you get in many similarly-sized luxury vehicles powered by gas-fed internal combustion engines, much less competing EVs," the publication said.
On the other hand, the Lucid Air Grand Touring trim starts at around $139,650.
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