Automobili Pininfarina’s Battista electric luxury hypercar is keenly awaited. The concept, said to be the world’s first pure-electric luxury hypercar as well as Italy’s most powerful car in history, was unveiled earlier this year. It’s currently in its road and track-based development stage, and production is due to begin in 2020. Automobili Pininfarina promises that the Battista will deliver 1900bhp emissions free, up to 500km in range and faster acceleration than a Formula 1 car from 0-62mph in under two seconds. All befitting a car developed hand in glove with its sister Mahindra Formula E racing car.
The marque is now seeking to make the relationship with the FE racing effort yet more tangible, and with it head off a potential snag that its customers might not be used to driving an electric vehicle, particularly not such a high-performance one. As Automobili Pininfarina is offering its Battista clients a chance to drive a Mahindra FE racing machine, along with a range of other track-prepared electric cars. And ex-Formula 1 and FE driver Nick Heidfeld—who is leading on the Battista’s testing as the marque’s development driver—will be on hand to offer guidance alongside the Battista’s development team of engineers.
“We are on a mission to make the world ‘love electric’ by combining beautiful design and unprecedented performance in a range of luxury cars starting with Battista,” said Automobili Pininfarina’s chief sales officer Jochen Rudat. “We are breaking with convention and giving our clients the unique experience of driving track-prepared EVs and a Mahindra Racing Formula E car on Spain’s Circuit de Calafat.
“The Automobili Pininfarina Hyperdrive experience introduces a new dimension of performance to hypercar collectors and recognizes the need to create new and different test drive experiences that allow guests to explore the technology of the future.”
Mahindra has competed in Formula E since its inception in 2014 and has been one of its most successful teams in recent years, winning races in each of the last three seasons and being outside championship contenders. Automobili Pininfarina is a 100% Mahindra investment and was launched by Mahindra at the 2018 Rome ePrix FE race.
And Automobili Pininfarina’s aim is to marry Mahindra’s racing experience with the Battista’s development, in what the marque calls “the most comprehensive evidence of technology transfer from motorsport into high-performance road car development yet seen.” The Battista’s chassis design, software, cooling, steering, throttle response and all-wheel torque, among other things, will have the FE racing as an input.
The learning will be two-way as well, as the car’s clients will get front-line involvement in developing the Battista, while Heidfeld, with Automobili Pininfarina’s director of sportscars Rene Wollmann and the expert team of engineers, will use the experience to understand how drivers adapt to extreme electric performance.
“By embracing Formula E technologies proven on the race track and combining them in a package that will also deliver superb levels of comfort, luxury and connectivity, we aim to provide clients with a hypercar that offers both jaw-dropping performance and day-to-day driveability,” Heidfeld said. “This amazing Hyperdrive experience is just one step in the Battista customers’ intimate journey with us, and a major step towards making car enthusiasts fall in love with electric power.” Potential customers can apply online now.
Images courtesy of Automobili Pininfarina
