Back in October, we reported that auto manufacturer Fisker->ke1074 had been acquired by the Wanxian Group out of China and that the Fisker name had been officially changed to Karma. At the time, there was no timetable for the release of a new model under the Karma brand name. We now know that Karma should launch its flagship, plug-in hybrid->ke4486 sometime in 2016, but there is even bigger news surrounding Karma and its launch of a new vehicle. I’ll give you a hint – it involves one of Germany’s best: BMW.->ke178

Just today, Karma dropped a press release announcing that BMW has agreed to supply the reborn auto manufacturer with its latest and greatest powertrain components. This includes BMW’s high voltage battery charging systems and a number of hybrid and EV systems. Karma’s CEO, Tom Corcoran said, “The Wanxiang Group is giving Karma Automotive the opportunity to bring a stunning car back to the market, and the partnership with BMW and their outstanding track record is a great fit for the future. We will continue to develop beautiful cars with the latest cutting edge hybrid and EV technology.”

Karma has said that the next generation of vehicles that is already being developed will use more of BMW’s powertrain technology, but at this time, we don’t know how much will go into the plug-in hybrid that is slated for release in 2016. Will using parts supplied by BMW help Karma be more successful than Fisker was in its day? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, throwing in some German engineering sure won’t hurt anything.

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Why it matters

Co-founder of Karma, Bernhard Koehler said, “Karma Automotive products and ultimately our customers will be the greatest benefactors of this fantastic relationship.” And I think he’s right. BMW has been criticized in the past for unreliability, but I have found BMW powertrains to be highly reliable. I think it is great that BMW has agreed to supply parts to Karma, and hopefully it will help the launch of the brand be successful.