Instant Karma: Fisker Returns in Body, But Not in Name

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Rising like the Phoenix from the ashes of bankruptcy, the Fisker Karma has been reborn as the Karma Revero.

Karma Automotive, the company created by China’s Wanxiang Group after buying Fisker Automotive’s assets, just released images and video of the sort-of new Revero. The lightly refreshed plug-in hybrid luxury sedan has all the style of its short-lived predecessor, with an added bonus: reliability (or so the company hopes).

Reservations open to the public on September 8, according to a countdown clock on Karma’s website. The California-based company didn’t list a price or specifications, but we know the general layout will stay the same. Chief engineer Kip Ewing told Road & Track in June that the Revero would simply be a higher-quality version of the Fisker Karma.

The original Karma was powered by two electric motors driven (through a generator) by a turbocharged 2.0-liter General Motors four-cylinder. We know that Karma now sources its electrical components from BMW, which should help avoid the headline-grabbing reliability issues that plagued the original.

Expect a new infotainment system and a solar roof that actually delivers the goods. The company claims the new roof “will create enough energy to power the car,” something the previous roof didn’t. That doesn’t mean you can forget about the charging station in your garage — the roof will probably be good for just a handful of extra miles a week in sunny weather.

Current Fisker owners demanded a functional solar roof in the reborn model, according to Karma, making the Revero the first vehicle to offer the feature. That gives Karma some industry bragging rights.

Also unique is the Revero’s hand-painted badge, another industry first. “Consider it a small but symbolic statement about craftsmanship and individuality,” the automaker said on its website, eager to sound like a trusted purveyor of luxurious eco-chariots.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Master Baiter If you rear-end someone, it's your fault, period. If motorcycles need more time to stop, then riders need to increase their following distance.
  • Master Baiter Until recently, virtually every cell phone and computer was made in China and no one seemed to care. The majority are still built there. I'm not a fan of tariffs as it just gives domestic makers a price umbrella to sell their garbage products to U.S. consumers at higher prices.
  • Teleedle It would seem that if the Chinese made cars and trucks are ready to compete on the world market that they should be able to compete without the need for government help through subsidies. That's never going to happen with the mindset of their leadership. The rate at which they've transferred the ability to copy to the rate of their abilities to innovate isn't really astounding, but it is truly indicative of their inherent abilities to see through problems and overcome without a lot of fuss. They just have a different way that seems to continually baffle the Western mind. It only goes back a few thousand years. The rest of the world just has to catch up... Without tariffs, three Seagulls could be bought for the price of one loaded Toyota Corolla. I would settle for a nice small pickup truck that can get 30-35 mpg, if the Chinese want to build something with real durability and value. I'm sure they can do that for about $10-12k US, too, dumping them all the way to the bank. Neither Trump or Biden or Bugbrain want that, though. Restrictive 'targeted' tariff ideas indicate that they all want protectionism and the Chicken Tax to continue. The price of living in freedum in the non compete world... and the hallmark of one upmanship by the political class towards more and more expensive transportation related needs. All costs are ALWAYS passed onto the end consumer. Tariffs are the burden of the extra cost. Tariffs are punitive, remember... as intended. The political class is still living off the backs of their constituents throughout the world... same as it ever was.
  • Theflyersfan One day, some of these sellers will come to the realization that cars are not houses and putting expensive upgrades into one doesn't equal a higher selling price down the road. $29,000? The only Challenger that has a chance of value down the road, and only with low miles, is the Hellcat.
  • SaulTigh The Cyclone engine was really powerful, but with a fatal flaw. Ask me how I know.
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