While we've known for some time that an electric car would be forthcoming from the partnership between the fabled firm of Pininfarina and the French industrial giant Bolloré, the two companies have avoided any embarrassing premature publication of photos until the predetermined moment at the Paris Motor Show. Any speculation that the final product resulting from the French-Italian marriage might be beautiful but impractical or just plain French ugly can now be put to rest. When this sophisticated four-seater, four-door hatchback rolled out of the factory in Turin we can imagine dark clouds parting and a spotlight of sunshine beaming down to illuminate the B0 (pronounced "B Zero") with a voice, not unlike that of Homer (the donut-eating yellow guy, not the Greek poet), intoning thunderously with lots of reverb, "Sweeeet."

And sweet it is! After thousands of miles of testing with the BlueCar platform, the companies have refined that technology in this new design and hit all of their performance benchmarks including a 153-mile range and a top governed speed of 80 Mph. Although the advanced solar panels built into the roof and hood are quick to catch the eye with their high tech appearance, the real secret weapon in this city car is the lithium polymer "LMP" battery matched up with a supercapacitor. The elegant energy storage component not only allows for excellent regenerative braking and acceleration capabilities but also extends the life of the battery. It is stressed that the B0 is not a concept car or a prototype but an actual production model that will be built in Turin by the end of 2009. The Pininfarina-branded B0 is dedicated to the memory of Andrea Pininfarina who was a big believer in this project.



[Source: Pininfarina]

Things appear on schedule for Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina to show its electric car concept that was created in collaboration with battery-maker Bollore. Despite the recent passing of its CEO, Andrea Pininfarina, who had reportedly been spearheading the project, reports indicate that the concept car will make its worldwide debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. The two companies have collaborated together in the past to build the unfortunately-styled BlueCar, but we are hoping for something a bit more stylish this time around in the grand tradition of the Italian styling firm. If all goes to plan, the four-seater EV will come to market at the end of 2010 in Europe, Japan and ... wait for it ... the United States and carry the Pininfarina brand name.

Unlike most planned EV projects, the Pininfarina EV will use Lithium Metal Polymer batteries from Bollore that are said to be safer than lithium ions. A full eight hour charge is expected to offer about 120 miles of range, though shorter periods of charge could offer enough power for city use. We look forward to seeing the new car in production form next year in Geneva.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The Pininfarina / Bollore electric car project was said to be "going as planned" despite the tragic death of Andrea Pininfarina. who was overseeing the operation around which the Italian design company was being financially restructured. Addressing a press conference, Bollore head Vincent Bollore attempted to calm any fears saying, "We are in the condition to produce at industrial levels." Paolo Pininfarina was chosen to replace his brother and also reaffirmed the company's restructuring intentions last month.

Pininfarina buiilt the BlueCar (pictured above) for Bollore battery subsidiary Batscap in the recent past to showcase the firm's energy storage solution. Although the BlueCar never went into production, it seems Bollore is serious about this new project to the extent that it is already attempting to secure large amounts of lithium from one of the world's richest reserves of the mineral in Bolivia. A Bollore executive told reporters at today's conference that they would begin taking orders for the car next summer. The company is estimated to be capable of producing about 10,000 batteries a year. If everything is truly on schedule we should expect to see the new design at the Paris Motor Show in October. We hope it's a little sexier than their previous collaboration.

[Source: Reuters / Usine Nouvelle]

In partnership with French industrial group Bollore and Indian automaker Tata, Italian design house Pininfarina is preparing to launch its new electric minicar by 2010. Initial production of the car, which will be sold across Europe, Japan and in the United States, is scheduled to begin at 2,000 units, mounting up to peak manufacturing at 15,000 vehicles annually by 2012.

Italian design houses like Pininfarina and Bertone, however, have been struggling to make ends meet. While the latter struggles to emerge from bankruptcy, Pininfarina is raising 100 million euros in capital for the new electric car project by selling shares. The Pininfarina family will be selling an undetermined part of its 55 percent majority stake to some of the biggest names in the Italian automotive industry: Piero Ferrari, the scion and vice-president of the Maranello-based sportscar-maker; Alberto Bombassei, chairman of Brembo brakes; and the Marsiaj family, founders of seatbelt manufacturer Sabelt.

[Source: Automotive News Europe via Autoblog]

In what might be the most perfectest (work with me here) odd couple match-up since chocolate and peanut butter, Pininfarina, car designer extraordinaire and builder of the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Sintesi concept car (silver automotive objet d'art pictured above), with minority participation from Tata Motors, maker of the ultra-cheap Nano (red contraption also pictured above) plan to open a research, design and engineering center in India later this year.

Just as it's no secret that the Italian design house has been making deals of late in an effort to shore up its finances, it's equally as obvious that Tata Motors, a company which began its life in 1945 making train locomotives, could use a hand in the aesthetics department. Not only could future iterations of the Nano benefit from the deal (Lambo doors anyone?) but seeing as how Tata is in the process of buying upscale British brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, such a deal may be necessary for its future success.

We here at AutoblogGreen cannot help but wonder if Pininfarina might be able to use the relationship to take advantage of Tata's forté of low-cost manufacturing vis-a-vis its electric car program with battery supplier, Bolloré. If you prefer to eschew speculation, hit the jump for "just the facts" as contained in the press release from Pininfarina.

Although Pininfarina, maker of the fantabulous Sintesi concept (pictured above), has been pretty busy designing fancy-schmancy cars and boats and generating huge sales, it has also been losing money the past couple of years. In an effort to continue providing the world with its moving poetry, the company has been seeking a cash injection from an angel-like investor and has now found one in the form of its electric-car project partner, the Bollore Group, of France. During a news conference, Vincent Bollore let it be known that, "We will take part in the capital increase" and that more details should be forthcoming in a few days. The Pininfarina (don't forget to roll the "r") family members have been seeking a total of 100 million euros to get them through this cash squeeze and have even mulled giving up their 55 percent majority control to do it.

Plans for the Pininfarina-branded car collaboration with battery supplier Bollore Group are still a go and are perhaps re-enforced by the announcement. We look forward to any leaks official design news from the effort.


[Source: Reuters]

Easily the hottest green car at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show was the Sintesi, Pininfarina's hydrogen fuel cell concept. Below the fold is an amazing video of the unveiling of the car. Also below the fold is a quick look inside the car by AutoCar. Autoblog also took some amazing close up shots of the exterior and interior of the car you can see in the gallery below. Hydrogen fuels calls are very far away but Bolloré and Pininfarina did enter a partnership to a build a four-seat, 155 mile range electric in 2010. Will the Bolloré and Pininfarina produce an electric car that looks like the Sintesi? Keep your fingers crossed.


[Source: YouTube, Autoblog]

Following weeks of sketches and hints, the carrying case (by which I mean the vehicle) for the unique hydrogen fuel cell system in the Pininfarina Sintesi has been officially unveiled. The striking Pininfarina design - note the crazy-big windshield and the double side windows - houses an electric-hydrogen hybrid system that features little fuel cells peppered throughout the vehicle. The Autoblog team will be in Geneva next week and we look forward to some live pics of this engaging concept. Thanks to Simon for the tip!


[Source: Pininfarina via Autoblog]

The French Bolloré group and Italian design house Pininfarina have setup a new joint venture to develop and build an electric car. Pininfarina is probably best known as the design studio that has created most of the production Ferraris of the past half century along with cars manufactured by many other companies. Bolloré is an industrial group that participates in a wide variety of businesses including battery development. The French company has developed a new lithium metal polymer battery and hasn't revealed what the chemistry is (but they are emphasizing the fact that there is no liquid electrolyte). The battery is claimed to be very thermally stable and has a combustion temperature of over 200°C, making it safer than other lithium ion battery designs. Working with Bolloré, Pininfarina will manufacture a four-seat EV in Italy starting in 2010. The car should have about a 155 mile range and recharge in about 5 hours from a standard 220V outlet. For quick run across town, 15 miles worth of juice can be had with about 5 minutes of plug-in time. The car should launch simultaneously in Europe, Japan and the U.S. in 2010.

[Source: Pininfarina, thanks to Domenick and Karl-Uwe for the tips]

Let me post this question first... Is there such a thing as an off-road sportscar, or is that a contradiction in terms? I thought for a moment about that, and decided, sure... why not? A reasonable case could be made that some of the off-road dune buggy's like the Meyers Manx kits could be considered off-road sportcars. What do you think?

Before you answer, consider this concept vehicle. Edmunds is reporting that the car was designed by students at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Turin, Italy, and shown in Geneva. The students were helped along by Luca Borgogno, a designer for Pininfarina. Unique aspects of the drivetrain, even to hybrids, are what they are calling a thermal/electric powerplant. Exactly what that means is not clear. The power from the engine is transmitted to the wheels via hydraulic lines to each wheel. I am not certain, but what I imagine this means is that the hybrid powerplant drives a hydraulic pump to four individual hydraulic motors at each wheel. Interesting, I wonder what the power loss of this system would be as compared to a more traditional approach, like four electric motors, one at each wheel like some other concepts we have seen.

[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]