Long before returning the car, Jorgensen’s wife had refused to drive it after experiencing similar braking issues to Mulligan, where the car had unexpectedly started rolling backwards on a hill.
However, Jorgensen says that the difficulty he encountered in insuring the car also forced him to call it a day.
“Although my insurance wasn’t due, I put the registration into comparison sites – and no one would insure it,” he says. “I would have had to go through some specialist insurer in the future because I couldn’t go through the normal channels.”
Mulligan wants to see the introduction of more stringent policies from the top down that protect buyers of electric cars.
“There needs to be a fit for purpose certificate that means whatever you advertise that car for does what it says. If it doesn’t do that, then you’re not allowed to sell it.
“It’s almost like the medical industry. You have to go through all these tests, checks and balances. Only then are you allowed to actually sell it on the open market,” he says.
“When you’ve got something where the brakes could fail, you need that guarantee in place.”
Jorgensen agrees that there should be a “stamp of approval”, perhaps issued by a government body that has thoroughly tested the car and approved it for use on UK roads.
Then, if the vehicle falls short, early adopters have a government-backed claim they can take to a financial ombudsman for reimbursement.
That’s not to say every Fisker owner has had such a torrid time. Darren Talbot has owned an Ocean since January without any hiccups, and is confident that the FOA’s “work in the background” will help keep the cars on the roads.
He believes that it is an “absolutely wonderful” vehicle after the most recent software updates, but admits the car was probably released on to the market too early.
The heavily discounted values of Fisker Oceans are also continuing to attract new buyers – despite the obvious risks.
One recent buyer, who preferred not to be named, said the low purchase cost alongside the FOA’s intervention provided him with enough confidence to acquire the car.
Yet De Bardi at the FOA acknowledges that the potential for electric cars to run into problems isn’t unique to Fisker; rather, it is baked into the very nature of the market itself.
“This is absolutely a landmark case over connected vehicles and their lifetime and what happens when they’re no longer supported,” he says.
Fisker Inc was approached for comment.
