We hate to say “uh-oh” but when advertising for the 2023 Karma Revero says “The Revero is about feel not numbers,” you immediately want to know how bad those numbers must actually be. It’s human nature. So call us bad to be skeptical of the elderly Karma Revero. Since most don’t know what it is, we have a little back story to get you up to speed, something the numbers show Revero takes its time doing.

What is a Karma Revero?

At the turn of the century, Henrik Fisker had a dream of making a car with his name on it, like Henry Ford or Ransom E Olds. He thought about naming it the “Fiskermobile” but settled on Fisker (just kidding). In the ensuing years, he came up with this four-door sausage of a car he called the Karma. However, as production began, many, many problems across all aspects of the endeavor worked to stymie his dream.

Debuting in 2011 at $100,000 each, within a year the company was kaput. In a bankruptcy sale, Chinese manufacturer Wanxiang purchased the works and rebranded it Karma Automotive. With the hybrid drivetrain, design rights, and tooling, the Karma car became the Karma Revero. But not until 2016, as a 2017 model. Since then, it has labored along from a high of 500 Reveros sold in 2019.

Is the Karma Revero an EV?

And here we are in 2023, with a look at what seems like a trip back in time to the beginning of the Millennium. There have been changes and improvements since those first Karmas punched their way onto the highways and byways of America. So it is not a completely retro pipe dream, there are some things to tell you. 

First, the Revero is a plug-in hybrid, with the system updated in 2020 with BMW’s 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine. It’s used as a range extender to eke out more range. Here’s where the numbers account for more than “feel.” On full electric power, it has an 80-mile range. From there, the three-cylinder kicks in to extend that range to 360 miles. 

The battery is a 28 kWh lithium-ion product that is lighter than the previous one. However, the side-exiting exhaust means you better keep the windows up or expect to get fume dizzy. Its interior has seen an update and is said to be of a much higher quality than previous models. So for you early Karma adopters, tough luck!

The exterior gets subtle changes like the taillights, and slightly restyled front and rear fascias. There is also got a new spoiler lip in the rear for 2020. However, the big news was to be the Electric Revero GSe-6. 

Will the GSe-6 EV happen in 2023?

The GSe-6 was announced in 2020, but as of now, it has yet to become a reality. Karma’s website announces that the “fully electrified Karma experience is coming soon.” One would hope the actual car comes with it. 

So all in all, the Karma Revero story is pretty much the same old story. We’d like to tell you more, as we expect Karma would too. The Revero EV sounds like a natural progression, but it also sounds like it is taking time to complete. Maybe 2023 will be Karma’s time to shine.