SHANGHAI-Wanxiang Group Corp., a Chinese automotive components maker that owns USA electric-car maker Karma Automotive, confirmed Monday that it is planning to build a $375-million plant in China to produce battery-powered vehicles.
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In 2014, Wanxiang acquired Fisker Automotive out of bankruptcy and gave it the backing needed to resume operations, but switched the company’s brand to that of its first product: The Karma, which got a debut at the North American Auto Show in 2008 but only ever achieved a total production run of 2,450 over the course of its existence.
We must note that the new model will not look significantly different from the existing Fisker Karma cars, but the badges and logos will not be kept. But then the cars will also be distributed through an initial group of 10 “high-end franchised dealers” located around the country, says Automotive News. Karma is aiming at those kinds of people.
Karma plans to follow Telsa’s lead on creating a low-pressure sale space, where it can control its brand message and image.
“These guys really understand this customer”, Taylor said. “So I think in a good way it puts a lot of pressure on yourself to deliver the same level of performance”. Thanks, aggressive dealer lobbying.
The vehicle will be built in Karma’s new production plant in Moreno Valley, Calif., and the automaker hopes to begin delivering cars by year end. It is there that the prototypes and the cars will be built, rather than at Finland’s Valmet Automotive, like the old vehicle was.
Dealers are already taking orders on the Revero, which will start above the $100,000 price of the earlier Fisker Karma, according to Karma Automotive. Teaser images of the vehicle will be released later this month.
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The Fisker Karma was a short-lived, yet very intriguing vehicle.
