Fisker has patented a unique experience called “California Mode.” This feature, inspired by the Fisker brand’s roots and passion for the Southern California coastline, lowers/slides nine glass windows/panels to open the entire cabin with one touch – creating an open-air feeling, while still maintaining a full “roll cage” safety structure around the passengers.  

According to the automaker, the feature adds functional utility by allowing the rear hatch glass to drop – enabling long items to be placed through the opening without having to drive with an open tail gate, as is the case with pickup trucks, for example. Fisker’s engineering team patented the overall idea and had to tackle several challenges to achieve what seemingly would be a simple feat:

• Traditional monocoque body structures employ a single body side pressing – which incorporates the Rear Quarter Outer of the vehicle. This includes an aperture to allow subsequent fitment of a glazing unit to create a non-openable “window.” When this glazed panel is finally bonded into the aperture, the overall assembly creates a watertight structure, which also makes up the “Class A” surface of the vehicle.

• In order to make this traditionally fixed piece of glazing move, several challenges had to be solved:

1.      Create a space which the moving glass may move into when it’s opened.

2.      Create a design solution which the manufacturing team may easily build without the need for expensive, unique tools.

3.      Ensure that no water can leak past the moving glass into the passenger cabin.

Fisker Engineering has redesigned the traditional body structure to create a unique space in the relevant area, allowing the Rear Quarter glass to be electrically opened. To do this, Fisker has changed the manner in which the body structure is assembled – reengineering the steel and composite body panels in this area. The team also redesigned the row 2 seat belt mounting structure to allow the moving glass unit to fit from inside the vehicle – thus creating a solution which ensures we can keep the inside of the vehicle dry in weather conditions. Finally, Fisker has created a unique charge port installation which creates additional space in this area for the window to occupy when lowered. The package of features the Fisker team has deployed to facilitate this function is subject to a patent application.

Fisker will offer this feature as standard across all option packages, except the base model.