Two electric hypercars, the Battista from Automobili Pininfarina and the Nevera from Rimac, have both entered serial production.
German luxury electric vehicle manufacturer Automobili Pininfarina, which can trace its heritage back to Italian car design firm and coachbuilder Pininfarina, and Croatian car manufacturer Rimac both announced this week that their respective electric hypercars had entered production.
And the timing is likely no coincidence, considering that the Battista from Automobili Pininfarina is built on the powertrain of the Rimac Nevera and powered by batteries from Rimac.
Producing more than 1,874 horsepower and 2,340Nm of torque, the Battista hyper GT offers a top speed of 350km/h and can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in under 2 seconds – faster than a current Formula 1 car.
Boasting 500 kilometres of range on a single charge thanks to a 120kWh battery that powers the four electric motors, one at each wheel, the Battista can be recharged from 20% to 80% in under 25 minutes.
A carbon fibre body sits atop the Rimac Nevera powertrain that reflects the Automobili Pininfarina attention to detail, receiving up to 1,340 hours of hand-crafting led by the customer’s preferred choices for their car.
Given all of this, it is unsurprising that only 150 Battista’s will be produced at Automobili Pininfarina’s design, engineering, and development hub in Cambiano, Italy.
“The Battista hyper GT is the realisation of a dream, which began with design icon Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina’s ambition to create a beautiful car bearing only the Pininfarina name,” said Per Svantesson, CEO of Automobili Pininfarina.
“We are proud to have achieved that goal and in doing so, we lead a movement into an exciting new luxury era, where design purity and a focus on sustainable innovations will shape a series of incredible new vehicles from Automobili Pininfarina.”
From Automobili Pininfarina’s production headquarters in Italy, north around the Adriatic Sea to Croatia, the Rimac Nevera has begun rolling off the company’s new production line in Zagreb.
According to Rimac, the Nevera has undergone five years of development and testing, three generations of powertrain technology, 18 prototypes, 45 physical crash tests, and more than 1.6 million collective hours of research and development.
With 1,914 horsepower, 2,360Nm of torque, and total power output of 1,427kWh thanks to four motors, one for each wheel, powered by a 120kWh lithium-manganese-nickel battery, the Rimac Nevera can reach top speeds of 412km/h with an acceleration of 0-100km/h in 1.97 seconds.
The Rimac Nevera also promises a WLTP range of 550 kilometres and fast charging options from 250kW, which will replace 80% charge in 30 minutes, up to 500kW, which can add 80% charge in just 19 minutes.
“The Nevera was developed with the intention to become the cutting-edge electric hypercar it is today, ready to thrill drivers and passengers in a way they have never experienced before,” said Mate Rimac, CEO of the Rimac Group.
“I’m very much looking forward to customers taking delivery of their brand-new, highly customized cars and hearing their stories of fun behind the wheel.”
Rimac only promises to make 50 hand-built Nevera each year, over three years, for a total limited run of 150. Unsurprisingly, then, the first year of production is already sold out.
Zagreb will not always be home to the Nevera’s production, though, as the company’s new 100,000 m² Rimac Campus continues construction, and when operational will become the new home of Nevera production.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.