Actually, the US manufacturer Karma is known for sporty and luxurious electric and plug-in cars. But some time ago, a second branch was announced that would focus on vans and transporters. Anyone expecting an elegant delivery van might be somewhat disappointed, as the first "Club Car Current" electric transporters were now presented at the Karma Innovation and Customization Center (KICC). These are already well-known in the US—and now also in Germany, where they are sold as "Tropos Able".
The Club Car Current also offers several body options and accessories and can be supplied as a van, a pickup, or a flatbed without sidewalls. Dr. Lance Zhou, Karma's Chief Executive Officer, explains:
"Having the first of these vehicles roll off the assembly line at our KICC facility is a major step forward in our relationship with Ayro. The Club Car will help us meet our climate commitment efforts to achieve net-zero by 2040."
In this case, the Club Cars are developed and produced in a contract manufacturing partnership with the transporter manufacturer Ayro from Texas. The partnership with Ayro is part of Karma Automotive's ongoing B2B efforts to offer new customers manufacturing expertise and capabilities to provide them with mobility services such as manufacturing, engineering, and design. "Karma is helping us meet the high demand from our fleet customers for the electric transporter Club Car Current," said Rod Keller, CEO of Ayro, adding:
"These purpose-built electric vehicles are customizable, affordable, and available now. They fulfill our brand promise to offer solutions that meet the needs of businesses of all kinds."
The compact electric transporter is 3.7 meters long, 1.4 meters wide, and 1.9 meters high. As a Club Car, it can handle up to 400 kilograms of payload. The top speed is 40 km/h, with a range of up to 90 kilometers. Whether Karma still plans to be active outside the USA, as once planned, has not yet been communicated.
What does this mean?
When the original version of the narrow electric transporter was on display at the CES in Las Vegas several years ago, we were quite surprised by such a vehicle from the USA. Nowadays, the all-rounder for the last mile is available in various versions from various manufacturers. For Karma, however, it seems to be a quick and affordable way to enter the B2B market, as the basis of the Club Car has existed for a long time. Whether Karma and Ayro want to export their "Club Car" is still unclear.
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