B–ON, an electric vehicle solutions provider, is partnering with Karma Automotive to produce B–ON’s fully electric light commercial vehicles at their facility in California starting this year.
Karma’s ISO certified, 555,000 sq. ft. Innovation and Customization Center (KICC) will produce an initial run of delivery truck vehicles for B–ON in 2023, with pre-production beginning in July. The facility, with capacity to produce up to 30,000 vehicles annually, will run a full-scale production starting in 2024, as B–ON continues to grow its U.S., Canada and Latin American presence.
“Demand for our electric light commercial vehicles is quickly expected to outstrip our capacity to build them in Germany alone,” says Stefan Krause, founder, chairman and CEO of B–ON. “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.”
“It’s abundantly clear to us at Karma that the market for electric commercial vehicles is poised for rapid growth,” states Jeff Wawryzniak, CEO of Karma Automotive. “B–ON’s product is a proven winner in this market, and we are proud to be partnering with B-ON to be the exclusive manufacturer in North America of their last mile delivery vehicles. Their product combined with our existing technical expertise and customized flexible manufacturing operational capabilities as an OEM is a recipe for success, both in 2023 and down the line as the partnership grows.”
The Karma Innovation and Customization Center offers a range of flexible vehicle manufacturing, engineering and customization services, including complete vehicle assembly with full paint capabilities and is further supported by engineering, homologation testing, vehicle certification and supply chain management services.