We recently traveled to Laguna Beach, California, to be among the first to drive the 2018 Karma Revero, a luxury plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV). Before we get to that, here are a number of things we learned.
Don’t call it a Fisker
Despite the similarities, don’t call this luxury PHEV grand tourer a “Fisker” Karma. Fisker Automotive declared bankruptcy in 2013, and a Chinese automotive parts supplier, Wanxiang Group, purchased its assets for $149.2 million and renamed the company Karma Automotive. After $1 billion in development costs, this is the 2018 Karma Revero.
Barn find
After the purchase of the Fisker assets, close to 100 Fisker Karmas were “found” in various stages of assembly and in storage locations in Finland and in the port of Zeebrugge, Belgium. Rather than attempt to triage, disassemble, and reassemble them as Karma Reveros, those vehicles have been responsibly scrapped.
All in the Family
There were precisely 2,349 model-year 2012 Fisker Karmas produced. Karma Automotive has been in contact with all surviving vehicle owners it could find. Karma Automotive has created multiple software and hardware upgrades as well as a certified preowned (CPO) program, for 2012 vehicles.
Perris Adjacent
What started 38 months ago with 20 original employees has grown to 850 (180 at the factory), with a goal of 1,000 employees by year’s end. The company’s sole factory is in Moreno Valley, California, where they currently crank out one Revero per day with the aim of 10 a day at full capacity, is down the road from March Air Reserve Base in Perris.
It starts at 11
There will be 11 initial stores, starting with a factory store in Irvine, California, then dealers in Pasadena, California; Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Fort Worth, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; West Palm Beach, and Miami, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Montreal, and Toronto, Canada. Some stores will be stand-alone, and others will sell Karma Reveros alongside other luxury/exotic automobiles.
No call centers or “hand-offs”
Each buyer will be treated/accommodated by one customer experience representative from day one, for purchase, delivery, service, roadside assistance, trip completion, etc. Owners will interact with the same, individual Karma representative throughout their ownership of the vehicle.
California Delivery
Similar to other brands’ European delivery programs, later this year Karma will begin offering its own version of a “California Delivery” program. Imagine a week in the greater Los Angeles area that would include a stay in a luxury hotel, a “taste of L.A./Hollywood,” a guided driving tour, a plant/factory tour, a visit to headquarters, and so on when you pick up your car.
Solar powered
Unlike the Fisker Karma’s roof that merely powered various interior accessories, the solar panels atop the Karma Revero are connected to the main battery pack and contribute up to 200 watts of electricity, or about three extra miles of range on a sunny day.
Leather and Wood
The Revero is upholstered in Bridge of Weir leather (of Scotland) that has an illustrious history of supplying leather to automakers. And if wood is specified for the Revero’s interior, Karma uses fallen-tree timbers for trim.
Like a Snowflake
An artist literally hand paints each Karma badge, so each one is as unique as, well…
Encryption by BlackBerry
The Karma Revero is one of three truly connected cars available in the world (Tesla and Rimac being the others) and uses Certicom (owned by BlackBerry) cryptography as an added the security layer within QNX secured two-way data transmission.
Alphabet Soup
In order to be sold in the United States, the Karma Revero has met Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Should NHTSA decide to crash test a Revero, it will do so and publish its results.
Acting with Intention
In what might be an automotive industry first, Karma has volunteered to assume responsibility for an airbag recall issued by NHTSA for another manufacturer. In this case, Karma Automotive will do the work and assume the expenses associated with the replacement of the passenger side airbag of the 2012 Fisker Karma, although the company has no legal obligation to do so.
A First Drive of the 2018 Karma Revero is coming shortly.
The post 13 Things You Might Not Know About the 2018 Karma Revero appeared first on Motor Trend.
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