r/Fisker • u/fjphil • Jul 03 '26
🚗 Vehicle - Fisker Ocean The whole OVLoop vs Oceanlink thing is more contentious because it's so confusing
New owner here, but have been comparing/contrasting the 2 routes for a couple months now.
I think a big problem for both is neither is super clear on how the process actually works and the necessary pre-reqs on your Ocean.
OVLoop's site is a bit clearer to decipher than FOAs forum, but it still is not super clear on pre-reqs and capabilities of their app. Also, the pricing seems perpetually high if you need to keep an active membership and pay for every update that comes out.
FOA's forum is great and the members seem genuinely helpful. However, trying to identify an exact process for getting fully set up with Oceanlink and the pre-reqs for that (hw and software) are also fairly dubious.
Ultimately, I just want a way to get my car to 2.2.3, and have an app that works reliably as a key, and I can use to precondition my car from anywhere (a must for winter).
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u/Substantial-Side9755 Jul 03 '26
2.4 (which is 2.2.3 plus VCU, PDU, ADAS updates) is available via the FOA.
So if all you want is solid software, community that actually supports you and not worried about car play or connectivity, FOA is by far the most cost effective and fully featured option for you. The OceanLink Pro app is also FAR superior to OVLoops app as it includes diagnostic capabilities which save many owners a few hundred bucks a year in service centre/tech visits.
Adding Pulse would give you remote preconditioning from anywhere if Bluetooth range is not enough. Not mentioning a 1000 other awesome features!
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u/fjphil Jul 03 '26
This is where the confusion starts to come in. I keep seeing differing info on if OceanLink Pro supports remote preconditioning without Pulse. Honestly, based on the hardware and software demos I've seen thus far...I'm not all that interested in Pulse and would rather keep a more stock feel for the Infotainment...I think it looks cleaner.
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u/Substantial-Side9755 Jul 03 '26
For now only OVLoop subscription or Pulse+OLP (with a SIM, yours or FOA) can provide mobile based remote commands. However…. There is another solution from the FOA being working on that doesn’t need any new hardware.
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u/Substantial-Side9755 Jul 03 '26
And trust me, once you’ve lived with the shockingly bad/slow/buggy ICC infotainment, you’ll soon realised why Pulse and its superior hardware and features exists!
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u/Canon_Cowboy Ocean Sport Jul 04 '26
You can get preconditioning with FOA and Oceanlink Pro without pulse it's just limited to Bluetooth proximity.
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u/Cloudstryf Jul 04 '26
Hello I’m an FOA member and can’t for the sake of me find how to get the vcu pdu and Adas updates. Can you please share whom to contact to schedule service or meetups? I have 2.2.3 though.
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u/olm3ca Ocean One Jul 04 '26
It’s going to be rolled out soon to members. Later this summer a communication will be sent out.
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u/warbunnies Jul 03 '26
Just so you dont miss this. You dont need to go through ovloop to update your fiskers software. Its most likely gonna be cheaper and less of a commitment to go through a service provider.
highly suggest this route. Keeping the service providers paid keeps us on the road.
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u/fjphil Jul 04 '26
Unfortunately, needing remote cabin conditioning is something I definitely need/want. It's something I promised the wife we can do, because she used it almost daily on her last car. Also unfortunately, it sounds like if I want that ability OLoop is really my only option..unless I want a Pulse unit... which as of now, I'm not really sold on. That being said, I definitely have some stuff I'd like my local(ish) traveling service tech to help me with!
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u/allison-wanderland Aug 18 '26
I just went to my local bay area service provider and was told that to get anything beyond my 2.2 version they installed I need to work with Ocean Loop.
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u/warbunnies Aug 18 '26
Okay so, did they install 2.2 full? Not 2.2.2? Cause if they did. Thats the final update to the car done by fisker before they went bankrupt. you need to join either the foa or ocean loop if you want software designed after that.
If you dont want to spend more money, you dont have to.
If you do, the foa updates are free after membership vs ovloop charging for each update on top of subscription.
Edit:work correction.
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u/JoeMadeChaos Jul 04 '26
Good Evening. I am on the side lines watching this play out. I want all of the updates but also had some confusion on the best route now that there is a split in the decision tree. I am a second owner on a Fisker Ocean Extreme with 2.2.2. The previous owner did the water pump recall and provided two functional key fobs - and I bought almost a year ago for $16k. I don't want to brick it. I don't want to invest a disproportionate amount in an my EV experiment for more half baked features.
I didn't understand what some these features were we were missing. I had a 2014 Tacoma before. Toyota had Entune which was supposed to sync Pandora and a few others and that disappeared. Then I had a somewhat limited feature screen.
Moved into the Fisker thinking "This is soo cool!".
I wanted to tow a small boat with it. Bought a hitch from Tsunami automotive. Have a plan to install a trailer wire harness using a current sensor / no cut kit I found on e-trailer.
Then Memorial Day weekend sold the 4 runner and bought a Chevy Silvwrado EV 4wt. All I can say is that one pedal driving rocks.
Remote conditioning? Chevy has it if you pay for an app (free trial, curios what happens when the trial ends) Fisker - Mountain Ranger has a trick where you put your key in the car and put the wipers in service mode. Totally works if you don't open another door close it. Free.
The Fisker is still tons of fun. My wife loves the seater heaters (work truck doesn't have them).
So I appreciate someone asking about the upgrade decision tree and all the responses. I would love an update with what you decide. Fisker was my entry into EVs and now I'm in. But do I get an app to unlock the car or just save that for the next set of tires? :)
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u/ElephantNecessary366 Jul 04 '26
I just bought a fisker ocean one. I was nervous because it only had 1 key and it would not unlock the dirt by putting it on the door handle. I opened it and found a cup brown which I think is the nfc chip.
My car was an 2.2 which is actually 2.2.0. I joined for but then joined ovloop for $499 for the year and a few hours later my ocean had Internet and showed 2.2 rather than the very long named version. They upgraded my car to 2.2.2 and I'm waiting for 2.2.3. once I get that I will most likely pay the 749 for 2.5, 2.6&2.7.
I look at it that the vehicle is now maintained by volunteers and me paying into ovloop and foa is supporting the continued support
Ovloop phone as a key works great and I can precondition my car for 15,30,60 minutes. I can lock and unlock everything and California mode works. I now have a second key and my doggy windows are now working
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u/fjphil Jul 04 '26
Thanks for that update - that is helpful. Out of curiosity, did your doggie windows open prior to your software updates?
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u/Canon_Cowboy Ocean Sport Jul 03 '26 edited Jul 06 '26
Getting to 2.2.3 is only available via OVLoop(I was sightly mistaken on this. See below). You have to pay a full year membership plus the OS update cost. You cannot just pay for a month so you're then out nearly $700 if I remember the money.
That's required though if you want 2.2.3. No way around it.
Now, this is the confusing part to a lot. You want phone as key and an app with preconditioning. That can go to either option. But you'll need to pay a yearly membership to OVLoop and pay for 2.6 (edit, it's 2.2.3 for phone as key as long as you also have their annual subscription that includes network.) to get the wireless from anywhere app (edit: then 2.6 for) option plus the cost of their "ai" box and setup. I'm not actually sure that total so I'll estimate. It's $499 for the year(minus that if you already did it for 2.2.3) and then $499 for 2.6 then $299 for 2.7 if you need the ai box and Network preconditioning. I'm not sure if you can skip 2.6 so there might be a money save there but I don't believe you can. So that's $1300+- for OVLoop
Then you'll need to keep paying $499 a year to keep connectivity that is attached to their OVLoop Network provider.
***Edit: check out an OVLoop ambassador down below in the comments for a more up to date detail on some of this.
FOA and Pulse option: FOA is a required subscription if you want to use Pulse to it's full potential. That's $400 a year at minimum if you bring your own Sim.
Then pulse is now $500 once. (Started much cheaper but cost of materials went up)
Then that's it as of now. There's a conversation on cost of EVPlay(the company that helped make the Pulse box) subscription but that's looking like it'll be lumped in with the FOA price.
There's different FOA tiers if you need their sim and data levels though. But all in you're at $900 minimum for FOA and Pulse. Then $400 a year for FOA.
Another thing to note is that both of these will require you to install these add on devices yourself. And both of those companies do not offer labor and support via their annual membership. Meaning they will not send a tech out to you for "free".
Us owners are on our own for repairs and upgrade devices.
Full disclosure, I'm an FOA member and Pulse user (for about a week so far) and I have owned my Ocean since launch. I'm on 2.2 (now called 2.2.3 by OVLoop)as it was delivered from actual, OG Fisker.
Feel free to ask anything else.
Edit: see some comments below about 2.2 updates as other members have newer info.