Karma Automotive Appoints Dr. Mircea Gradu as VP of Vehicle Engineering and Stephen Wiessner as VP of Sales
Karma Automotive has appointed two industry veterans to executive roles to lead vehicle engineering and sales as it prepares to launch its next-generation hybrid EREV vehicles.
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2027, 2028
What Happened
Karma Automotive has announced the appointments of Dr. Mircea Gradu as Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, effective June 1, and Stephen Wiessner as Vice President of Sales and Customer Experience, effective immediately. Both will report to President and CEO Marques McCammon and are based at the company's Irvine, California headquarters.
“We're opening a new chapter in the future of Karma Automotive, and incredibly proud of our next-generation EREV Hybrid vehicles, the Karma Gyesera Grand Coupé and Amaris GT. The appointment of Mircea Gradu and Stephen Wiessner completes our exceptional executive management team, and further ensures the successful launch of these pivotal ultra-luxury vehicles and the strategic evolution of the Karm”
- Dr. Mircea Gradu brings experience from Fiat Chrysler, Timken, Hyundai, Velodyne Lidar, and Ballard Power Systems; holds a Doctorate in Engineering and over 60 patents.
- Stephen Wiessner has over 20 years of OEM experience at Maserati, Stellantis, Toyota, and Lexus, focusing on sales, dealer performance, and customer experience.
Why this matters
These appointments strengthen Karma's leadership team ahead of the launch of its 2027 Gyesera Grande Coupé and 2028 Amaris GT hybrid models, aiming to enhance engineering and customer experience.
Terms in This Story
- EREV
- Extended Range Electric Vehicle, a hybrid that uses a battery and an internal combustion engine generator to extend driving range.
- Ultra-luxury vehicle
- A high-end car that offers premium materials, advanced technology, and exceptional craftsmanship, typically at a very high price point.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.