Karma’s Revero picks up where Fisker left off
‘Bringing a great car brand back to life,’ with hybridelectric powerplant, lots of style — and a $130,000 price tag
As automotive history goes, it’s unusual when a car model goes out of production only to be resurrected by another automaker.
But that’s what was happening at a swanky art gallery here, as the sporty plug-in hybrid Fisker Karma, a model that went out of production a couple of years ago, was formally unveiled to a crowd of dealers and prospective customers last week.
The Karma is no ordinary car. As the only model from Fisker Automotive, it burst on the scene at about the same time as the Tesla was rising and was a pioneer among plug-in cars. It showed ecological cars need not have an ungainly design to be fuel efficient.
Now, the company known as Karma hopes to succeed by building the Revero as a boutique luxury car in relatively small volumes to high-end luxury-car buyers.
Karma is “bringing a great car brand back to life,” says Jim Taylor, Karma’s chief revenue and marketing officer.
By focusing on current Fisker owners who may be ready to add another or replace their current model, Karma hopes to succeed where the old company failed. One current Fisker owner, Rami Pourteymour of La Jolla, Calif., says he’s already sold on the new version.
“It’s one of the sexiest machines,” Pourteymour says. “It’s like Batman driving the Batmobile.”
Karma rose from the remains of Fisker when a Chinese company, Wanxiang Group, acquired it and its old battery supplier, A123 Systems, in bankruptcy proceedings. With new financial backing, Karma is building its cars in Moreno Valley, east of Los Angeles. It says it has hired 700 workers and expects 1,000 by year’s end. Fisker, which was based in Orange County, Calif., built its cars in Finland.
The small numbers mean Revero will be exclusive. It will be priced at $130,000 to start, at the same price as the plushest, highest performance Tesla Model S. But unlike Tesla, Revero has a hybrid powerplant, which means it will run on gas or electricity, easing range concerns.
Revero has an updated front end and a more powerful solar panel on the roof to help recharge its battery. Like before, it has a General Motors gas engine in addition to its batteries. And the car will give a nod to sustainability with touches such as using reclaimed wood in its interior.
“We want to take the measured approach,” Karma President Dennis Dougherty says. “We’re focused on style.”
One of Karma’s new dealers says that approach will resonate with customers.
“Design is everything,” Paul Cummings of Grand Touring Automobiles in Toronto says. “This will be an upgrade to a Tesla.” Analysts say Karma has a shot. “It’s an old model to us, but the design is still fresh,” says Roland Hwang, who follows eco-friendly vehicles for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Bottom line: It’s green and it’s a head turner.”
“It’s one of the sexiest machines. It’s like Batman driving the Batmobile.” Rami Pourteymour, a Fisker owner from La Jolla, Calif.