Even if it’s seen as a car designer, Pininfarina wants to assure everyone that it can build cars. Even in the EV segment. Pininfarina has announced its ambition to follow the successful launch of the pure-electric Battista hypercar with a series of major investments and initiatives that will see the Italian brand develop into one of the world’s leading luxury automotive companies.

The plans are big, with the Battista hypercar development programme now well advanced, with dynamic simulation and wind tunnel testing complete. Prototype vehicles will be in testing throughout winter, ahead of client test drives in spring 2020. For clients wishing to experience the pinnacle of EV performance in 2019, Automobili Pininfarina teamed up with Mahindra Racing to launch ‘Hyperdrive’ at the Calafat Circuit in Spain, where clients drove the latest EV road cars on track before the ultimate test in a race-proven Formula E car.

In confirming a future range of electric cars, officials underlined ambition for Automobili Pininfarina to challenge the world’s leading luxury car brands through the future acquisition of a production facility in Italy next year. This potential investment would follow that made in the existing partnership with Pininfarina S.p.A., which will ensure every Battista is hand-crafted in the famous Cambiano atelier facility from the end of 2020 – a fitting end to the 90th anniversary of the famous Pininfarina design house.