Karma Revero Plug-In Gets Fast Charger

Karma Automotive LLC’s new Revero plug-in hybrid sedan will include a DC fast-charging system that can replenish 80% of the car’s lithium-ion battery capacity within 24 minutes. A new on-board charger can fully recharge the battery from a 240-volt outlet in three hours, half the time required for the 10-year-old Fisker Karma model.

The rear-drive Revero maintains the Karma’s sleek styling and plug-in hybrid drivetrain, which teams a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine—sourced from General Motors Co.—with a pair of electric motors. The combination generates 403 hp and 981 lb-ft of torque. Zero-to-60 mph acceleration is listed at 5.4 seconds.

Karma says the vehicle has a 300-mile driving range, including 50 miles in full-electric mode. A new solar roof panel supplements the car’s main 12-volt battery and can extend the electric driving range by about two miles on a sunny day.

Interior updates over the original Karma include a 10.2-inch infotainment screen and simplified user interfaces. At launch, the Revero will have Apple Inc.’s CarPlay smartphone interface; Google Inc.’s Android Auto system will be added later. Over-the-air software updates also will be available for the car’s operating systems.

Production at Karma’s new Moreno Valley, Calif., facility is due to begin by year-end. Pricing will start at $130,000.