Reimagining of the California EV Brand
User & Market Research | Product Strategy and Planning | Premium & Lifestyle Brand Positioning | Product Vision | Industrial Design
Context
I was brought to the team to provide product direction and design solutions for the flagship model and to plan future products based on potential customer insights.
I was the first member of the design team during the company's rebuild.
Company:
Karma Automotive LLC
Role:
As a design strategist and concept designer at Karma, I helped shape the Revero's in-vehicle experience, Exterior Interior design, contributed to brand research and customer insights, and proposed new design language directions for the company.
Timeline:
2016 (5 months)
Project: KARMA REVERO
Project 2: Defining new Architecture for the KARMA brand
Through customer archetype research and brand forecasting, I created an early vehicle architecture concept proposal for a two-seater coupe designed to represent the next evolution of the brand, building on the SC1 Concept.
Active Eco
Thrill. Earthy. Insync
"Designed to stay connected to surroundings and nature — a vehicle that moves with you between the desert and the sea."
Target user
Established in their profession, but most themselves when they're outside this person keeps a real, working connection to the outdoors. Ecology isn't a value they hold quietly; it's a large part of how they spend their time.
They're thrilled by the effort of a long hike with a full backpack, or the pull of a wave close to shore. They don't hesitate to get their feet dirty, bring the sand inside, or chase the warmth of the sun. What they enjoy most is sharing what nature makes and capturing the moment they reach somewhere new.
Established, not settled
Secure in their career; still restless to be outside it.
Unbothered by the mess
Sand in the car, dirt on the boots — a sign of a day well spent.
Achievement, shared
Reaching a new place matters more when it's documented and shared.
Research insights and opportunity
01
California stays close to nature, with sunshine for most of the year — daily life is built around being outdoors.
02
Most customers choose homes near the beach specifically to experience the natural breeze, not just the view.
03
Southern California is especially appealing for its proximity to both the desert and the ocean — two landscapes, one drive..
Karma
Karma's brand believes in a sustainable future and wants to inherit and become part of the California lifestyle — where the closeness of desert and sea is the preferred way of life for many people.
Needs / Wants
01
Elements that encourage the owner to be more outgoing, lowering the friction between deciding to go outside and actually being there.
02
A vehicle that sustains their sense of excitement for longer periods, rather than a single burst tied to the trip out.
03
Sustainability embodied in the vehicle's own materials and behavior, not just claimed as a brand value.
