You know you have to sit up and take notice of a car when you hear it can do 0-100kph faster than any Formula 1 wagon. And you really have to give it some credence when you find out it’s powered by electricity. So it is that Pininfarina, the boutique Italian marque, has finally unveiled the Battista, the all-electric hypercar – and 50 of the total 150 that will be built will be heading to drivers in the Middle East with pockets deep enough to buy one. And those pockets will need to contain an estimated $2.3 million, equating to around Dh8,100,000. The model, which boasts an insane 1,900hp, was unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show on Monday, a showcase event well known for pulling the wraps off cutting-edge prototype and concept vehicles. Powered by a 12kWh battery, the Battista can hit 100kph in less than two seconds, reaching 300kph before 12 seconds are up. The car boasts an estimated 450km of range, though clearly not if you’re doing the 350kpm top speed. Shapewise, the Battista has a full carbon body and a teardrop-shaped cabin encased in glass. It has upward-opening butterfly-wing doors and an LED light strip runs between its headlights. A slim front wing looks suspended in air, which mirrors the car’s rear wings. The active dual rear wings can automatically act as an air brake, too. Inside, a pair of touchscreens on either side of the steering wheel sit angled toward the driver, and all dials have been replaced by a third screen (containing the essential information, like speed) between the other two. The car is named after Battista “Pinin” Farina, the Italian automobile designer and founder of the original Carrozzeria Pininfarina coachbuilding company in 1930. The manufacturer says this is the first in a range of zero-emission vehicles, and there are well-founded rumours among the motor trade that the company will be producing an SUV next, news that will be especially well received among wealthier drivers on the UAE’s roads who are keen to go petrol-free. Unsurprisingly, Luca Borgogno, design director of Automobili Pininfarina, says the vehicle has generated considerable interest. “This is the car we will all be telling our nieces and nephews about in 20 years,” he said.
