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When a carmaker goes bankrupt, who can do repairs?

These EV owners are fighting for the rights to their cars’ IP.

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The Fisker Ocean was billed as a sleek alternative to Tesla's electric vehicles--but after a little over a year on the market, its maker filed for bankruptcy
The Fisker Ocean was billed as a sleek alternative to Tesla's electric vehicles--but after a little over a year on the market, its maker filed for bankruptcy
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Designed by an alum of BMW and Aston Martin, the Fisker Ocean hit the market in 2023 as a slick alternative to the Tesla. But by 2024, its maker filed for bankruptcy, leaving Ocean owners with no clear way to repair their $70,000 electric vehicles, many of which had more than their fair share of issues.

That’s where the Fisker Owners Association was born.

“There wasn’t really a support network of technicians who could help them, so they banded together and tried to figure out how to fix it themselves,” said Aarian Marshall, staff writer at WIRED.

“Marketplace” host Kimberly Adams talked to Marshall about her reporting on the Fisker owners’ fight for the rights to the intellectual property of their vehicles.

To listen to their conversation, click the play button above.

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