Karma Reveros – The Fisker Karma Comes Around Again

The Karma Reveros

The Fisker Karma is being resurrected as the Karma Reveros. Karma Automotive plans to produce 3,000 of these Reveros annually. Retaining the splendor of its origins, the four door luxury sedans will be priced above $100,000. Faint memories of the Fisker Karma may come to the fore, but you might ask: Why is the vehicle being introduced under another name?

The Fisker Karma’s Original Debut

The 2011 Fisker Karma was hailed as the great luxury electric sedan everyone had been anticipating. Tesla was working on their own sedan, but Fisker had the jump on them. Karmas began to roll out and EV enthusiasts were singing their praises. Afterall, here was an electric vehicle expertly designed by former BMW designer Henrik Fisker. Celebrities, including Leonardo Di Caprio, were on the wait list. Could it get any better?

EV Trepidations

Some might find it hard to believe that just a short while later everything unraveled at warp speed.

Electric cars were brand new. Oil lobbyists often made outrageous claims about electric vehicles. ‘They cause cancer’ or ‘A mouse had gotten into the battery cables and chewed them up. Would you believe it cost $6,000 to replace them?’. Needless to say, the average consumer was a bit trepidatious. Even if they were enthusiastic about EVs, everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop and drop it did.

At a time where the only electric car company being scrutinized was Fisker, Fisker Karmas were having a little problem. Actually, a really big problem. A couple of Karmas caught fire. Combining that with a nervous public brings forth a publicity disaster.

In quick succession the board of directors voted to oust Henrik Fisker, the man the company was named for, and shortly thereafter Fisker Automotive filed for bankruptcy.

A New Beginning

Karma’s assets were bought in 2014 by Chinese based company Wanxiang Group. Operating under the company name Karma, the Wanxiang Group is reproducing the Karma luxury sedan.

Some have asked if there will be stark changes to the new Karma Reveros model. Karma’s Chief Marketing Officer Jim Taylor responds: “The Karma was loved and revered. They nailed the design. You’d be crazy to change it.” While a few minor changes are expected, the car will be largely the same.

What about that not so little fire issue? It appears that there may have been mitigating circumstances. Wikipedia gives detailed information on each of the Fisker Karma fire incidents. Also of note is the fact that Fisker recalled the Karmas in order to fix a coolant issue that potentially could have contributed to a fire. There have been no recent fires reported even though many of the original Fisker Karmas are still operating on roads across America.

Irregardless of the past, electric vehicles have come a long way in just a few short years. Public opinion has changed. Technology has improved and a lot of the ‘wrinkles’ have been ironed out. Maybe this time around the Karma Reveros will be the wildly popular, exceptional and exquisite sedan the world was anxiously anticipating six years ago.