- Luxury mobility services offered through Ridecell
- Experiences include test drives at luxury hotels
- Future plan calls for more personalization, partnerships
Karma Automotive, which produces the Revero luxury plug-in hybrid sedan, will be promoting its products through a new mobility effort that allows potential customers to arrange driving experiences through Ridecell. In addition, the company’s CEO, Dr. Lance Zhou said the automaker is focusing on greater personalization and adapting leading-edge technologies, including autonomous capability and greater electrification through partnerships with other tech companies.
Karma Mobility Experiences Division
Using a ridesharing platform developed by partner company Ridecell, Karma is testing a series of personalized special mobility experiences designed to introduce the Revero and the Karma brand to guests at luxury hotels and to key influencers at upscale events.
Starting at several luxury hotels in San Francisco (Ridecell’s home base), Karma will offer a Revero to select guests to drive during their stay, and will stage test drives at the hotel as well. “Karma’s Mobility Experiences Division is geared toward providing high-tech luxury mobility solutions for customers seeking the kinds of special treatment to match their discerning lifestyle,” according to Zhou.
“Value Forward” Business Plan
The new business plan announced by Zhou is predicated on a “CHASE” strategy that stresses Connectivity; Highest Performance; Artificial Intelligence; Shared Mobility; and Electrification. Karma will acquire and develop key technologies in each of the CHASE areas to grow Karma’s niche in the market. The company is seeking out business partners “to help accelerate technology and product development.”
Zhou also touted Karma’s plan to add vehicle customization to the company’s capabilities. Owners will be able to work directly with Karma designers to “co-create a vehicle based on their individual taste.” The Karma customization team will also be available to support owners seeking “guided personal and lifestyle design for everything from residential and commercial architecture, business branding, or event look and feel.” In other words, customers will be able to utilize Karma’s design resources to create other environments consistent with the look and feel of their custom Revero.
Karma’s Roots Go Back to Fisker
Karma Automotive was created in 2015 with assets and technology purchased from the bankrupt Fisker Automotive, which produced about 2,000 Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid sports sedans between 2011 and 2014. Chinese auto-parts supplier Wanxiang Group owns Karma Automotive, which is headquartered in Irvine, California.
The company currently produces a premium plug-in hybrid sedan, the Karma Revero, which is heavily based on the Fisker Karma. The Revero carries a base vehicle price of $130,000, and uses a 260-hp turbocharged gasoline engine plus an electric motor with a 21.4-kWh Lithium-ion battery for 403 combined system horsepower. Revero has an EV-only range of 50 miles and a total range of 300 miles.
The next-generation Revero is scheduled to debut at Auto Shanghai 2019, with dealership availability slotted for the second half of this year.
Check out the 2020 Karma Revero GT!
