Karma Automotive launched its “New Dawn” campaign at the 2019 Auto Shanghai. The company will showcase an all-new product lineup consisting of two hybrid-electric cars and a fully-electric concept vehicle:
- 2020 Karma Revero GT – the 3rd generation of the original Fisker Karma luxury hybrid-electric sedan
- 2020 Karma Pininfarina GT – a Pininfarina-designed body riding on the same Karma platform
- Karma SC1 Vision – concept model delivering Karma’s direction for the future
All three cars will be on prominent display for the public at 2019 Auto Shanghai between 18th and 25th of April.
If the name doesn’t ring any bells, perhaps you’ll best remember it as Fisker Karma. It was the first successful luxury hybrid-electric vehicle to hit the markets in North America and Europe around 2010. It’s one of the cars that made hybrids and EVs cool and helped kickstart the revolution we’re witnessing today.
The car had a great design and a surprising amount of power for EV standards back then. A separate engine running a generator to top up the battery gave the Karma usable range, making it a viable means of transportation.
Fisker Karma received international praise and was named Car of the Year in 2011 by James May from Top Gear.
Unfortunately, the business failed after losing its only battery supplier in 2012 and Fisker Automotive went into bankruptcy.
Chinese company Wanxiang Group purchased the assets for both the failed manufacturer and battery company and from their ashes rose Karma Automotive. The car was renamed Revero and after upgrading the original design, it was re-launched in 2016.
The new iteration launching at 2019 Auto Shanghai is even better. Karma has developed an entirely new electric drive train and as a result, the new generation of the Revero GT is faster, more efficient and less expensive.
The two electric motors, coupled to each rear wheel, deliver a total of 535 hp and 550 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. That will get the car from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.
The control software modulates the power in real-time, sending the perfect amount of torque to each wheel, giving the car better handling and helping it rotate around the corner.
The Revero GT can go up to 80 miles in purely electric mode, thanks to a 28 kWh battery located under the floor.
A 1.5-liter 3-cylinder BMW engine drives the generator to recharge the batteries extending the range up to 360 miles. The 3-cylinder engine made its debut in the BMW i8 hybrid and has powered a number of Mini models in recent years.
It’s small and efficient – just what is needed to drive a generator. BMW perfected the engineering by incorporating it into their modular engine series, where the same 500cc cylinder is stacked to produce inline engines with 3, 4 and 6 cylinders.
Design-wise, the Revero GT inherits the silhouette of the original Fisker Karma. Throughout the years, the designers introduced iterative changes to the shape, improving aerodynamics and performance but preserving the soul of the car.
Inside, you’ll be greeted by a luxury interior in leather and reclaimed wood. The Revero GT features an extensive array of comfort features:
- Advanced driver-assist system
- 3D haptic touch interfaces
- Digital connectivity
- Noise cancellation and more
It’s a great car and we expect it to be very competitive in the luxury hybrid-electric market. Previously sold in the US only, the new car will also be available in Europe and Asia with a price suspected around $130,000.
Karma Automotive also partnered with legendary design studio Pininfarina to create a stunning 2-door coupe running on the same platform. It’s called the Karma Pininfarina GT.
The body proportions are similar to the Revero, but the design language is very different. The shapes of the Pininfarina GT blend into each other with large swooping curves underlined by sharp edges, front, and back.
The front end is very aggressive. The sharp nose cleaves the air, channeling a portion of it into what looks like two giant nostrils. Looking at the chrome detailing on the grille, we can’t help but think about a 7-series BMW.
Both cars are nearly complete and are scheduled to go into production by the end of the year.
The third exhibit in Karma Automotive’s corner is the SC1 Vision. It’s a fully-electric roadster concept that reveals the company’s plans for the future.
SC1 features an almost bullet-shaped profile – low slung with very slanted windshield and sharp aerodynamic front end. We see a mixture of design elements – Pininfarina-derived front end and Revero-inspired curls in the rear.
Inside, SC1 Vision promises the future – 5G connectivity and a state of the art interface that responds to touch, voice commands and eye movement.
Fisker Automotive didn’t survive in the harsh world of the automotive industry. But with financial backup from China and strategic partnerships with some of Europe’s most renowned automakers, Karma Automotive might just make it.
