Karma’s first crossover was supposed to be launched last year, but we haven’t heard much about the model since a press briefing in 2021.
The crossover is still MIA, but Karma has announced plans to assemble electric commercial vehicles for B-ON at their Innovation and Customization Center in Moreno Valley, California.
Pre-production models are slated to roll off the assembly line in July and be followed by an initial run of delivery vehicles later this year. Full-scale production will then begin in 2024 and the plant will have the capacity to produce up to 30,000 units annually.
Also: Karma GS-6 Debuts With Familiar Looks And $83,900 Starting Price
B–ON CEO Stefan Krause said “Demand for our electric light commercial vehicles is quickly expected to outstrip our capacity to build them in Germany alone. We knew we would need to expand production capacity this year, and Karma’s facility in California perfectly positions us to address the booming North and South American markets while also giving us access to their world-class workforce and capabilities.”
His sentiments were echoed by Karma CEO Jeff Wawryzniak, who remarked “B–ON’s product is a proven winner … and we are proud to be partnering with B-ON to be the exclusive manufacturer in North America of their last mile delivery vehicles.”
While B-ON isn’t a household name, the company purchased the production rights and IP for StreetScooter vehicles from Deutsche Post DHL in 2022. The company currently offers Max Pure and Max Box variants with the latter being able to accommodate approximately 250 packages and travel 125 miles (202 km) on a single charge. Customers can also opt for a Giga Box model that can handle around 300 packages in exchange for a reduced range of 91 miles (147 km).
