The Real Tesla Killer: Karma Unveils 1,100HP, Two-Door Luxury Electric Vehicle

Karma Automotive unveiled its new concept car with power and technology that could earn it a reputation of the "real" Tesla killer.

The SC2 is Karma's two-door luxury prototype that the Southern California-based startup revealed on Tuesday. Karma claims that the electric vehicle (EV) is capable of delivering 1,100 horsepowers along with a 10,500 lb-ft. torque.

The SC2 can also accelerate from 0-60 mph in just under two seconds and is equipped with an I-shaped 120-kWh battery that is expected to last the vehicle for up to 350 miles.

For its technology, the company plans to integrate facial recognition and fingerprint sensors to add a new level of security to their EVs. SC2's glass would be electrochromatic, which means it can be adjusted from clear to opaque.

TechCrunch also noted that Karma added a feature that lets drivers relive their drive as triple high definition cameras are installed under the car's windshield. There are also frequency-modulated continuous wave lidar sensors that capture the car's motion.

"Karma's SC2 is a signpost to our future as a technology-driven brand," Karma Automotive CEO Lance Zhou said in a release. "More than that, it previews our future design language, and is a thought-provoking expression of Karma's future Intellectual Property and product offerings."

Karma was founded in 2014 and is owned by Wanxiang Group, a Chinese automotive components manufacturing company. Wanxiang Group purchased Karma from Fisker Automotive in 2014 for $149.2 million after it went bankrupt in 2013.

So far, the company has released these models: the Revero, Revero GT, and Karma GT, which is designed by Pininfarina, a car design company based in Italy. The Revero GTS is a car they debuted along with the concept car SC2, and the company has started to accept orders for it with a starting price of $149,950.

Comparing to Tesla

Tesla's Roadster, which is comparably the same two-door luxury EV, is set to release in 2020. It has about the exact 0-60mph acceleration as with the SC2 at 1.9 seconds. Its horsepower is not disclosed, but its top speed is said to be over 250 mph. Tesla claims that the Roadster has a range of 620 miles a wheel torque of 7400 lb-ft.