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The upcoming crossover SUV combined fresh design with technology and a feature set to rival the best of the competition.

Tesla is a relatively new company, with the Roadster and Model S first arriving on the scene in around 2008 and 2012 respectively.

As soon as the focus shifted towards SUVs and crossovers, they became aware of how lucrative a share of the market would be in this sector – so the X and Y were born.

Since then, many automakers and other new startups have climbed into the ring to offer their interpretation of the electric SUV and pickup – including Fisker.

But Fisker is not a new start-up; it is essentially a new company formed from the ashes of an older one, a company responsible for the semi-legendary Karma Fisker which was already betting on electric tech back in 2011.

We check out their compact crossover, the Ocean, an EV which looks set to shake up the playing field and specifically – Tesla.

All-electric, dynamic, driver-centric: that’s the line used by Fisker on the first page of its Ocean landing page on the carmaker’s website.

It sure is interesting either way, with a design aesthetic and features that are hoping to make it stand-out in a crowded EV market.

Outside, the sleek-looking crossover manages to look agile and futuristic thanks in part to the stance and the various touches to the exterior.

The proud Fisker badge up front gets accompanied by thin LED lights and the silhouette is reminiscent of the Range Rover Evoque but also the Lamborghini Urus from some angles – arguably much crisper looking than the Tesla Y electric crossover.

Up back the rear is similarly well-sculpted with thin rear light clusters and the rear window even drops – but the surprise is up top.

With an integrated solar panel, the Fisker Ocean can charge up to between 1500-2000 extra miles per year from the sunshine alone – that’s 31 miles a week or 125 a month.

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There’s no gasoline or diesel engine under the hood of the Ocean and there never will be - the company’s compact crossover will be here to embrace the new automotive age.

Marketed as a relatively cheap and accessible SUV, the Ocean will also be available in a base trim with one electric motor and front-wheel-drive, the range starts at around 250 miles and this configuration makes 275 hp; that is enough for a roughly-7-second 0-60 mph time.

Above the base Sport configuration, the Ocean can come specified as an Ultra or Extreme model with a dual motor, all-wheel-drive drivetrain that offers 550 hp and 350 miles of range from the battery pack: this is enough for a 3-4 second dash to 60 mph.

In contrast, the Tesla Model Y has a Long Range and Performance trim, the former offers 330 miles and the latter around 300 miles due to its powerful setup; both use a dual-motor, AWD setup too.

The Y's Long Range version manages 0-60 mph in just over 4.5 seconds and the Performance in around a second less.

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The Fisker has a few things up its sleeve to hopefully distinguish it from rivals – not all of them are novel ideas, but its focus on relative affordability certainly is.

Most EVs are prohibitively-expensive still and a true affordable SUV crossover could be the answer – but Fisker aren’t only hedging their bets on prices – which could still change by the time the Ocean crossover comes to market.

A claimed $40,000 entry level price would certainly undercut the Tesla Model Y's circa $60,000-$70,000 price either way.

The Ocean’s interior gets decked out in various fabrics and trims, some of which are either recycled or sustainable, and in general it’s a simplistic and functional yet attractive design, compared to the perhaps bland cabin of the Model Y.

Fisker says: ‘Ingenious configuring maxes out the interior with an impressively spacious cabin, seating for five adults, and flexible storage for surfboards, camping gear, pet carriers, and more’.  

There is of course the now-ubiquitous big infotainment screen, but this 17.1 panel is able to swivel between vertical and horizontal positions, which adds appeal and flexibility to the main feature up front.

Arguably, things come down to cost and range within the EV segment, but with so many models offering similar battery autotomies and performance, the image and design aspect become defining qualities.

The Ocean certainly stands out, and arguably a sizeable demographic should be keen to seize the opportunity to access their first affordable electric vehicle, and especially a quirky alternative to the usual Tesla suspects.

To win out against the Tesla Y, the Ocean will need personality and image, and it seems to offer both, but price is always one of the principal factors in purchasing a vehicle.

As we already stated, the entry level model should start at around $40,000 and rise to $50,000 and $70,000 for the Ultra and Extreme trim levels.

Tesla’s Y costs from $65-70,000 depending on from where you source its price – which is around the same as the top-level Ocean.

In the end, the Ocean could be just the ticket – a crossover that makes enough of an effort to stand out with a low entry price, sustainability in mind and of course the roof-integrated solar panel.

Hailing from Britain, the home of both MG and Aston Martin, Dave is no stranger to sports cars. Or a little rain. When he's not busy working his day-job or writing songs and pretending to be a musician; Dave indulges his obsession with cars by writing and researching diligently, so that he can inform and convert other people to the dark side.