Southern California-based Karma Automotive and the iconic Italian luxury design and engineering house Pininfarina have formed a partnership. The new relationship was announced by Karma CEO Dr. Lance Zhou during remarks made at Automotive News World Congress’ inaugural “China Genius” session.
The collaborative effort will unite each partner’s commitment to beautiful luxury automotive design and is a major addition to Karma’s growing list of strategic business partners that will play an important role in Zhou’s “Value-Forward” business plan to help accelerate future technology and product development.
“Our business and product plan is driven in part by collaborating with like-minded and nimble partners such as Pininfarina, whose design expertise will help us accelerate product development, differentiation and personalized customization that allows every Karma to be truly special,” he said. “Karma is united in spirit with Pininfarina through our shared commitment to stunning design, and we are excited about the reaction we anticipate the end result of our partnership will generate.”
As part of the company’s “Value-Forward” business plan, Karma seeks to acquire and develop key technologies and partnerships important to connectivity, performance, artificial intelligence, shared mobility platforms and electrification. The goal is to solidify and grow Karma’s place in a unique luxury electric vehicle niche first in the U.S., before expanding to other international markets.
“The agreement with Karma represents another important step in the growth strategy of Pininfarina in the North American market, following the opening of our new design center in Los Angeles,” said CEO of Pininfarina Silvio Pietro Angori. “We are happy to support Karma through our expertise into design and creation of luxury, customized vehicles and into premium brand lifestyle. With Karma we share the same passion for beauty, exclusivity and innovation, always in the name of environmental sustainability. We can’t wait to show the world the first fruit of our joint effort.”
The first results of the new partnership are expected in the second quarter of 2019.
