Fisker’s new owner vows to relaunch Karma based on 2012 design

Fisker Automotive is reportedly planning to relaunch the Karma without making any significant changes from the existing model that was already on the market when the brand went bankrupt in 2013.

Previous reports have suggested the company’s new owner, China’s Wanxiang, is aiming to bring the luxury hybrid back onto the market by the second half of 2015. Avoiding recertification and safety testing is expected to help the project meet its goals.

“It will have to be nearly identical to the 2012 model,” unnamed sources told Reuters.

The claim is rejected by a separate source who claims the relaunched model will not be “100 percent identical,” though specific details regarding the alleged upgrades remain unclear.

Fisker may face difficulty bringing suppliers back on board, after some of the companies took a financial hit after the startup went bust, but Wanxiang’s billionaire founder promises to spend its last penny, if necessary, to properly revive the brand.