SHANGHAI, April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern
California-based Karma Automotive chose Auto Shanghai 2019, the
world's largest automotive show, to usher in a new era for the
company and launch its New Dawn product showcase illustrating its
immediate, mid-term and long-term future.
"This is the first major auto presence for Karma in China, and marks a significant moment by
ushering in a new era for the company," said Karma CEO Dr.
Lance Zhou. "Today, Karma is ready
to move forward with bold steps, a chapter we call our New
Dawn."
Karma's New Dawn Features "Shanghai Big Three"
The
luxury electric vehicle automaker punctuated its design,
customization and high-tech engineering capabilities by presenting
three new products, a trio Karma calls its Shanghai Big Three:
- A new 2020 Karma Revero GT luxury electric vehicle: it's
fast, smart, stunning in design, and will be available for sale
during the second half of this year. The new car offers improved
technology, performance, interior and exterior options and
customization capability. It features a TwinPower Turbo
three-cylinder in-line engine supplied by BMW AG to power an
on-board electric generator and enhance overall vehicle
performance. Karma engineers created a world-class electric drive
system that alongside a series of other technological advancements
enables the new 2020 Revero to be as fast as it looks.
- The Karma Pininfarina GT coupe: the first result of a
partnership with Pininfarina, the iconic Italian design and
engineering house. The Pininfarina team took a new 2020 Revero GT,
retained the fundamental engineering parameters and then crafted a
new body style, panels and interior, offering an alternative design
interpretation. Typically, Pininfarina reserves the GT (Gran
Turismo) designation for only in most exceptional in-house
creations; this is the first time in its history that Pininfarina
graced a collaborative project with its GT.
- The Karma SC1 Vision Concept: a signpost to Karma's
future – one that recognizes and embraces full electrification. The
roadster reimagines Karma design language for tomorrow and
soon-to-come customization options, and shows the brand's future
direction based on full BEV offerings at the company's core. The
Karma SC1 Vision Concept features the best of some of tomorrow's
cutting-edge technologies with Karma's distinctive take on
integration. At the core of SC1 Vision Concept's technological
suite is a new infotainment architecture with 5G connectivity as
well as a humanized communication system, which integrates touch,
voice, eye, and graphical interfaces to enable seamless interaction
with the roadster.
"Taken together, our Shanghai Big Three shows what Karma is
today, what Karma can be tomorrow, and where Karma is heading in
the future," Zhou said.
Karma Is More than Just a Car Company
As part of its
Value Forward business strategy, Karma is pursuing an
"open-platform" philosophy to attract partners, technology and
know-how, create efficiency and enhance long-term brand value.
Karma's luxury electric vehicle niche and in-house engineering
resources offer innovators an excellent test bed to incubate, grow
and prove their emerging technologies, creating opportunities for
the company to generate new revenue streams for its customization
and technology expertise.
"We are agile, nimble, and can move fast with a deep sense of
urgency; that's Karma's big advantage," he explained. "We will use
partnerships with like-minded collaborators to accelerate our
progress by acquiring and developing key technologies important to
connectivity, performance, artificial intelligence, shared mobility
platforms and electrification."
Zhou's plan is fueled in part by partners like Pininfarina whose
design expertise helps the company accelerate product development,
differentiation, and personalized customization that allows every
Karma to be special. Pininfarina is attracted to Karma, Zhou added,
because its luxury electric vehicle platform can help advance their
growth strategy in North America,
especially after opening a new design center in Los Angeles.
"This kind of collaboration illustrates Karma's open-platform
philosophy," Zhou said. "Partners can use our product platform as
an incubator to test and prove their new innovations, and likewise,
our engineering and design resources can be offered to help other
partners advance their needs. So, yes, Karma is a car company but
Karma is not just a car company."
Growing Good Karma
The Karma Automotive story started
in 2014 when The Wanxiang Group, a multinational automotive
components manufacturing company with headquarters in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, founded the business. Today, Karma
employs nearly 1,000 people across four sites:
- Global Headquarters: Irvine,
Calif.
- Karma Innovation & Customization Center: Moreno Valley, Calif.
- Detroit Technical Center: Troy,
Mich.
- Karma China Design & Engineering Center: Hangzhou, China
"We have the advantage of private equity backing from extremely
supportive owners who are allowing us to grow the business
progressively and smartly," Zhou said. "We are focused on a
gradual, but progressive rollout strategy aimed at putting the
building blocks of a car company in place – a growing dealer
network, committed supply chain, craft center and a talented
workforce."
By establishing Karma in the U.S. first – the world's most
demanding luxury market – Zhou said he believes the company can
succeed anywhere. "Karma will be live in Europe and the Middle East next year and then Asia," he added. "We will be in China by 2021. By gradually expanding our
presence this way I am confident our company – and our products –
will be well prepared for the discerning Chinese luxury buyer of
the future."
The Karma Innovation and Customization Center
(KICC)
Karma chose to headquarter and build a craft
production facility just 60 miles from its global headquarters in
Irvine, Calif., to purposely and
meticulously build one-of-a-kind cars..
Representing a total investment of more than $100 million, Karma's innovation and
customization hub first came to life in 2015 and now comprises the
very latest in automotive technology and tooling over a sprawling
556,000 square feet under one roof in Moreno Valley, Calif.
"The name, Karma Innovation and Customization Center, reflects
our future focus and growing skillset centered on innovation,
customization and technology integration," Zhou said. "KICC's
skilled workforce take great pride in delivering distinctive luxury
electric vehicles with world-class design, technology and
personalization."
Karma's exclusive design and craftsmanship allows it to take
customization to a new level enabling every Revero to be special,
and supports a fundamental commitment to unrivaled customer
treatment. KICC will also house a VIP Customer Experience Center
offering every Karma owner a personalized look into the company's
focus on luxury, high technology, customization and special
treatment.
California's Shining
Star
With the Shanghai Big Three, especially the new 2020
Revero GT, Karma seeks to firmly establish itself as an authentic
and credible player in the luxury electric vehicle segment – the
only automaker, Zhou notes, who is actually designing, engineering,
marketing and handcrafting vehicles in Southern California.
"While many other business have left our region in search of
less regulation and easier paths, Karma chose to do business
in California for the long term,"
Zhou said. "Karma and California
are united in spirit. This is home to innovators, entrepreneurs and
big thinkers; a land where anything is possible and where the next
generation of luxury will come from. That's why I want Karma to
become California's shining
star."
Editor's Note: The larger design, customization and
engineering story behind the new 2020 Karma Revero GT, Karma
Pininfarina GT and Karma SC1 Vision Concept can be found at the
Karma Newsroom:
www.karmanewsroom.com
Meet Karma Automotive and Karma Revero
Karma
Automotive designs, engineers, and markets luxury electric
vehicles, all from its Southern
California base of operations. Founded in 2014 and employing
nearly 1,000 people worldwide, Karma Automotive is committed to
elevating and growing the luxury mobility experience for its
customers and draws on global relationships and technology partners
to achieve this. The Karma Revero is a luxury electric vehicle
powered by dual electric motors that embodies Karma's goals of
offering leading automotive design, technology, customization and
an outstanding customer experience. Every Revero is created with
great individual care and world-class craftsmanship at the Karma
Innovation and Customization Center in Moreno Valley, Calif.
Learn more about Karma Automotive and Revero
at www.karmaautomotive.com or visit the
password-free Karma Newsroom
at www.karmanewsroom.com for the latest
press releases, videos and images.
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SOURCE Karma Automotive