Pininfarina ELECTRIC Supercar – and electric SUV to take on Bentley and Range Rover

Automobili Pininfarina has been created by owners Mahindra and Mahindra to build electric cars, with an electric supercar planned for 2021 and luxury electric SUvs to follow.

Three years ago, Mahindra and Mahindra bought Pininfarina as they looked to follow in fellow Indian conglomerate Tata’s footsteps to gain a hold in the European car market.

Mahindra, owners of Ssangyong, spent €25.3 million to take 76 per cent of Pininfarina with the promise of an additional €20 million investment – as well as guaranteeing creditors to the tune of €114.5 million – in a plan to move forward. But where that move forward was going to be, we had no idea. But now we do.

 Automobili Pininfarina has been formed as an independent company, and they’re planning to be an electric car company specialising in fully electric SVs, taking the fight to the Bentley Bentayga and Range Rover.

The cars will be designed by Pininfarina Spa and built by Pininfarina Automobile, with the electric SUV offerings expected to start at around €150k when they arrive, putting them right at the top of the premium SUV range where Bentley and Range Rover ply their trade.

That said, the first model from the new Pininfarina will be a €2 million electric supercar with a range of 300 miles, 0-62mph in around 2.0 seconds and a price tag heading for 2 million. We’re told to expect it by 2020.

Michael Perschke, Pininfarina Automobile’s CEO, said:

Establishing Automobili Pininfarina as a leading sustainable luxury brand is our strategic vision and will be a dream come true. It will combine 88 years of iconic design heritage with leading edge electric vehicle competence of the Mahindra Group and Mahindra Formula E racing. It’s a powerful combination.

I am honoured to lead Automobili Pininfarina and our ambition is to make it a respected and desirable brand recognized by connoisseurs who value design heritage, substance and sustainable high performance EV technology.

We might get an idea of what Pininfarina’s SUV will look like with the debut at the Beijing Motor Show this month of the K350 Concept for the Hybrid Kinetic Group (pictured at the top), designed by Pininfarina.