- Karma previewed its first SUV at 2024 Monterey Car Week
- The Ivara concept was dubbed a "grand touring utility vehicle"
- Karma said a production variant will arrive in 2027
Karma used the backdrop of this month's 2024 Monterey Car Week to present the Ivara, a concept which previews the brand's first SUV.
The concept also signals a change in strategy in which Karma will offer both electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrids.
Karma describes the Ivara as a “grand touring utility vehicle,” and the design definitely suggests a vehicle more at home on the road than off it. Karma said the concept also previews the new design language for the brand, particularly the front end which features concealed headlights and is completely devoid of grille.
The production version is targeted for launch by the end of 2027, and may initially arrive as a plug-in hybrid and an electric option later, depending on how the market for EVs evolves. The plug-in hybrid option will be a series plug-in hybrid setup similar to what Karma offers in the Revero sedan.
Unlike a regular plug-in hybrid, or parallel plug-in hybrid, a series plug-in hybrid uses its gas engine solely as a generator to top up the battery when range is dropping. The advantage is a smaller battery can be fitted and more range can be added by filling up with gas.
Karma Ivara concept
Karma is a California company born out of the remains of the original Fisker Automotive. Its first model was the 2017 Revero, which was a heavily updated version of the former Fisker Karma series plug-in hybrid. Karma has now developed a third-generation Revero which will start sales later this year. Production will be capped at 150 units and prices will start below $150,000.
The third-generation Revero features a pair of electric motors at the rear axle delivering a combined 536 hp, and a BMW-sourced turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-3 sitting up front and serving purely as a generator for the battery. Karma estimates a range of 80 miles using the battery alone, and more than 360 miles with the gas engine employed.
Karma Gyesera
Karma is also planning high-performance EVs in the form of the Gyesera sedan and Kaveya sports car. The handsome sedan was shown in March during the 2024 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance and was originally due this year, though Karma chief Marques McCammon in an interview with Automotive News (subscription required) at the reveal of the Ivara hinted that the Gyesera may be modified to fit the company's series plug-in hybrid powertrain.
"We've listened to the market and we're leveraging our flexibility," he said. "You'll see some changes in the Gyesera platform that the market will respond well to."
Karma Kaveya
Karma Kaveya
Karma Kaveya
The Kaveya is on track for launch in 2026 and will offer up to 1,000 hp from an electric powertrain, according to Karma. Pricing will be in the vicinity of $300,000.
At Monterey Car Week, Karma showed the Kaveya with its production-bound interior. The company also said the Kaveya will be a software-defined vehicle (SDV) using technology developed with Intel. An SDV is simply a vehicle whose software and hardware enable it to be updated via the cloud, potentially for its entire lifetime.
