In this episode of Ocean Currents, hosts Bill and Miles sit down with Dr. Eric Helling – a former Army plastic surgeon and ex–Special Ops flight surgeon.
Eric shares a remarkable journey that connects:
Combat surgery and facial reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan
The real human cost of oil-driven conflicts
His decision to transition from Corvettes and gas cars to EVs, including the Chevy Volt, Tesla Model 3 Performance, Tesla Model S Plaid, and finally the Fisker Ocean
You'll hear:
Why Eric, living north of Augusta, Georgia in a rural area with limited cell service, decided to buy what he calls an "orphan car" during the Fisker Ocean fire sale
How his background in complex problem solving, systems thinking, and surgery carries over to diagnosing and fixing design flaws in the Ocean's water management
A deep dive into Fisker Ocean waterproofing:
How he used an endoscope to trace unexpected water paths from the windshield and cowl
The role of the frame support rail "aqueduct" in directing water straight onto critical connectors
Simple but effective fixes: pool noodles + HVAC tape, re‑drilling cowl drain holes, sealing fender liner gaps, and blocking the VSP speaker opening
His view on which mitigations are "must-do" for long-term ownership vs. "nice-to-have" for power users
Eric also reflects on:
Losing friends in combat and realizing how oil revenues help fund terrorism and conflict, which pushed him hard toward EVs
Why he believes "don't burn oil and you can have your cake and eat it too"
The power of the Fisker Owners Association (FOA) as a volunteer, NGO-like community, and why setting realistic expectations is critical as the cars age
Finally, Miles and Bill share their own paths to EV ownership, solar-powered homes, and why driving EVs "feels like what we imagined driving would be like as kids."
Links & Resources
Eric's YouTube channel (ESrandl): Tutorials on Fisker Ocean waterproofing and inspections
Fisker Owners Association (FOA): Community support, resources, and technical discussions
FOA Discourse / Forums: Active threads on waterproofing, VSP box fixes, turn signal water ingress, and more
If you own a Fisker Ocean or are just fascinated by how a high-stakes medical career can lead to deep technical tinkering on EVs, this episode is for you.
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