Pininfarina guns for Lambo Urus with 1072bhp SUV
AUTOMOBILI PININFARINA will follow its electric hypercar with three SUVS – and the most powerful one, codenamed PF1, will rival the Lamborghini Urus.
As first reported by our sister title Autocar India, development work on the PF1 SUV has already begun in the Mahindra-owned car maker’s headquarters in Munich.
“Work has started on the PF1 and, right now, we are in the process of finalising the design, which again is being done by Pininfarina,” said Pawan Goenka, MD of the Mahindra & Mahindra group.
Pininfarina had previously confirmed that it will use powertrain and battery technology supplied by electric hypercar maker Rimac. However, Autocar India has confirmed that Automobili Pininfarina is seeking to partner with Rivian, an electric vehicle maker and automotive technology company based in the US, for the underpinnings of its SUVS.
It is in talks with Rivian Automotive to provide the ‘skateboard’ platform for the all-electric SUV models being readied as the follow-up to Pininfarina’s electric hypercar, which, it has been confirmed, will be called the Battista after the company’s founder.
Rivian, which has been developing EV platforms for several years, recently launched its first production models at the Los Angeles motor show – the R1S SUV and R1T pick-up truck. Rivian officials at the show did not confirm the news about its partnership with Pininfarina but did say the company has been in talks with Mahindra.
The R1S and R1T are designed to be capable on and off road and develop around 750bhp from electric motors located at each wheel. The company says the vehicles will be semi-autonomous and offered with three battery packs, providing differing driving ranges up to a maximum of around 400 miles.
Rivian’s skateboard platform has been developed to offer electric vehicle technology that enables brisk pace, long range and off-road capability. The platform combines features such as dynamic roll control and air suspension with a battery of maximised energy density. Both Rivian models will be capable of a 0-60mph time of around 3sec.
Although it is not yet known if the PF1 SUV will have the same off-road credentials as the Rivian SUV, the Pininfarina model is being developed to be blisteringly quick. It will have a 135kwh battery pack (larger than the Battista’s 120kwh) and an 800V system for fast charging. With 268bhp at each wheel, the PF1 could weigh 2300-2400kg and could make 1072bhp.
Founded in 2009 by RJ Scaringe, Rivian recently secured $200 million ( £157m) from Standard Chartered, bringing its overall financing to $450m (£352m), having already received funds from the investment arm of Saudi-arabia-based Abdul Latif Jameel and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas.