While some automakers are spearheading the industry's plunge into electric vehicles, others are taking a more reserved approach and watching from shore. That includes Pagani, the bespoke Italian manufacturer known for turning out works of art that are also hypercars. However, even as the company continues to develop its own electric vehicle, a proper Pagani EV is still years away from becoming a production reality.
Christopher Pagani, the son of the company's founder, told TopGear.com that the existing battery technology does not allow Pagani to create the EV it wants – the tech is too heavy. He said the company wants to build something lightweight, which is a common attribute among its models, adding that weight is the "first question mark."
Gallery: Pagani Utopia
Batteries are not light, with models like the GMC Hummer EV tipping the scales at nearly 10,000 pounds. That's an extreme example but one that highlights the weight issue. More mainstream EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4 weigh about 4,500 pounds on average, making weight a problem for brands like Pagani that want to emphasize a car's performance characteristics.
Pagani's reserved approach toward EVs doesn't mean it's not interested in the technology, as it began developing its own in 2018, which continues. The challenge of creating an EV appeals to the company, and it is eager to innovate in the space whenever it decides to take the production plunge, which Mercedes could assist. Pagani currently partners with the German automaker for its V12 engines, and Christopher revealed the two are constantly discussing what comes next.
One thing that could dictate's Pagani's powertrain future is new and changing emissions regulations. Bespoke automakers like Pagani don't have to comply with the European Union's combustion engine ban until 2035, and recent changes to the law could allow for some form of combustion power to exist past that deadline with the use of synthetic fuels. Some automakers are already exploring the alternative, such as Porsche.
The uncertainty for Pagani, a small, family-owned brand, means it will take time to decide how to meet the industry's evolving future – and it has the time to carefully consider it. The manufacturer is known for following its own path, and EVs won't be any different.
