Pinanfarina BlueCar EV still on schedule for 2011 launch

In Brief: The BlueCar EV, a joint venture between Italy's Pininfarina and French investor Vincent Bollore, is still scheduled to hit the European market in 2011, despite some recent financial problems at Pininfarina.

Vehicle in the news

Make/Model: BlueCar EV
Manufacturer: Pininfarina

The Word

Perhaps in an effort to placate investors and potential consumers, Pininfarina CEO Silvio Pietro Angori told an Italian newspaper that, despite some recent financial problems with the company, the launch date—2011—for the legendary Italian firm's planned BlueCar EV hatchback remains on schedule.

The BlueCar is the first electric vehicle to pitch as a potential feature the built-in-control-by-iPhone capacity—an idea that other carmakers have found too irresistible to leave out of the big pitch on their own cars.

The BlueCar uses lithium metal polymer batteries to achieve an all-electric range of about 150 miles.

In addition to the battery pack, the BlueCar is also alleged to use supercapacitors to store energy from regenerative breaking, and some rooftop solar panels to contribute some juice to basic vehicle accessories, like the AC.

And so …

The Pininfarina BlueCar remains one of the more attractive hatchbacks to come along in some time. For more information, check out www.pininfarina.com.