Automobili Pininfarina said it will develop a platform for high-performance electric vehicles in collaboration with its two new strategic partners from Germany, Bosch Engineering and Benteler.
The company, with roots in the famed Italian design studio of the same name and controlled by India's Mahindra & Mahindra, aims to launch a new line of EVs to flank its upcoming Battista that is advertised as being faster than a Formula One race car.
Revealed at the Geneva auto show in March, the Battista is slated for production from the end of next year.
Automobili Pininfarina has said it wanted to follow up the limited edition halo model with more affordable EVs.
"The development of the Battista electric hypercar has provided us with confidence that, with the right partners, we can design and build beautiful, technically advanced and innovative luxury electric cars that perform as well as they look," said CEO Michael Perschke in a statement on Monday.
Only 150 units of the car, priced at a 2 million euros, will be built entirely from hand in Italy at its coachbuilding subsidiary Carozzeria Pininfarina SpA. a third of the volume will be destined for European customers and there are only two German dealer groups accepting applications for an order.
The brand, which is based in Munich, Germany, did not reveal details on the future range of EVs, only saying they would be exemplified by Design Director Luca Borgogno's PURA Vision concept model, that focuses on styling, luxury and performance
Kerrigan Advisors’ proprietary annual OEM Survey of over 100 executives reveals that the majority of respondents are worried about the financial impact of Chinese automakers’ growing global market share, and most expect that the EV transition to be slower than expected. The survey also queried executives on their outlooks for dealership valuations and profitability, as well as their expectations for the future of dealer networks and facility requirements.
"Automobili Pininfarina will benefit from our tailor-made electromobility solutions through reduced development time," said Ralf Goettel, CEO of Benteler.
The trio of partners would also evaluate opportunities to make the architecture available for third parties to increase economies of scale and accelerate the introduction of such upscale EVs to market.
Automobili Pininfarina said the agreement with Bosch Engineering and Benteler was the first initiative to develop a platform specifically tailored to automaker needs for the luxury performance electric vehicle market.
"The greatest challenge is turning this flexible concept and theory into reality and doing so at a pace that will support the rapid growth in EV demand," said, Chief Technical Officer, Christian Jung.
Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra & Mahindra, Paolo Pininfarina, Chairman, Pininfarina S.p.A., and Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, Mahindra Racing, launched the new car brand with Michael Perschke, CEO, Automobili Pininfarina at the Rome Formula E race last April.
Automobili Pininfarina is looking to follow up its Battisa with a range of vehicles that could include a sedan and an SUV.
All cars will be sold under the Pininfarina brand, which aims to be the most sustainable luxury car marque in the world.
