![Automobili Pininfarina is selling 1,900 hp electric hypercars inspired by billionaire Bruce Wayne aka Batman [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/Pininfarina-batman-EV.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Automobili Pininfarina is selling 1,900 hp electric hypercars inspired by billionaire Bruce Wayne aka Batman [Video]
If Batman’s true identity, Bruce Wayne, existed in real life, what car would you think he’d drive? Boutique electric hypercar builder Automobili Pininfarina has teamed up with Wayne Enterprises – a luxury brand based on the Batman franchise developed by Warner Brothers, to create four different bespoke EVs that will be produced in limited quantities and sold to consumers with pockets as deep as master Wayne’s.
Automobili Pininfarina is the all-electric rebirth of the original Pininfarina S.p.A. brand, founded in Italy in 1930. Since its 2018 renaissance, the Italian brand (which now operates out of Germany) has delivered some genuinely one-of-a-kind electric hypercars to gawk at.
Its portfolio began with the 1,877 horsepower Battista hyper GT, which has since seen multiple limited edition variants, including the $2.9 million Battista Anniversario and the Edizione—a special BEV dedicated to the first-ever Formula 1 champion Nino Farina.
Earlier this month, Automobili Pininfarina unveiled a third variant called the Battista Reversario, which can accelerate 0-60 mph in 1.79 seconds. Pininfarina’s BEVs all look like something Batman would drive, or at the very least, something the caped crusader’s true identity, Bruce Wayne, would cruise around Gotham City in.
In addition to the Battista, Automobili Pininfarina has launched another model called the B95 Barchetta—a topless hypercar that currently reigns as the most expensive BEV on the planet. It’s definitely Bruce Wayne material.
DC Comics and Warner Brothers, the companies behind the Batman franchise, feel the same way, so they have recruited Automobili Pininfarina to adapt the two models above into four bespoke EVs that they actually plan to sell to the public. Let’s start with the Battistas.
Automobili Pininfarina channels Batman with 4 new EVs
Automobili Pininfarina shared images and other details of the four Batman-inspired BEV models today, including two Battista hyper GT variants and two versions of the B95 Barchetta, aptly named “Dark Knight” and “Gotham.”
The collection was developed alongside Wayne Enterprises, a luxury brand managed by Warner Brothers that brings products inspired by Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne, to life and sells them to the public—well, the small portion of the public that lives like the fictional billionaire playboy, at least.
Pininfarina’s Chief Design Officer, Dave Amantea, spoke about the opportunity to collaborate with Wayne Enterprises, DC Comics, and Warner Brothers to bring some BEVs worthy of the fictional character’s checkbook to life:
Designing an all-electric hypercar inspired by Bruce Wayne is a dream assignment for our team, giving them creative freedom to place themselves into the imagination of someone as iconic as Bruce Wayne. These two exclusive specifications for our two hypercars represent the ultimate vehicles for the man behind the most famous mask in the world.
All four models feature the same powertrain, battery, and performance specs, including a 120kWh lithium-ion battery and four all-electric motors generating 1,900 horsepower. The result is a bespoke, Batman-inspired Pininfarina hypercar that can accelerate 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in well under two seconds. The automaker says it is faster than any current Formula 1 car.
While the specs closely resemble previous iterations of the Battista and Barchetta hypercars, Pininfarina points out several unique design elements that have been added to give these four models that special Batman treatment. Per the release:
Both Battista and B95 models receive all-new Wayne Enterprises-inspired HMI display enhancements, featuring an instruction voice inspired by Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler and assistant, Alfred Pennyworth. The Battista models also offer entirely new performance-enhancing specifications. These include tailgate shark fins and louver openings in the front and rear carbon fibre wings to improve overall aerodynamic efficiency towards the rear airbrake and vehicle side body. The exterior is completed with Wayne Enterprises logos on the side skirts and roof, and all models display a unique aluminium chassis and door plate, inspired by Bruce Wayne.
To further emphasise the ‘Dream Cars Made Real’ philosophy, the interiors of both the Battista Gotham and Dark Knight cars benefit from a completely new door and roof design where a large portion of the roof is curved glass, to lighten the interior ambience.
To honor the “Dark Knight” theme, Automobili Pininfarina has added dark elements to those two versions of the Battista and Barchetta, including black Alcantara and leather upholstery and a unique black and gold duo-tone contrast stitch detailing a “Wayne Enterprises” logo (seen above). The Dark Knight exteriors feature Nero Profondo gloss paint, a Nero Torino ‘Goccia’ roof, and Glorioso ceramic-polished rims.
Conversely, the “Gotham” versions of the Pininfarina hypercars were designed to reflect Bruce Wayne’s more gentle, domesticated side when he’s not crusading through the night as Batman. The Gotham exteriors feature Argento Vittorio gloss paint, a Nero Torino gloss paint Goccia roof, and a backlit version of the automaker’s “F” logo made of brushed and polished anodized aluminum.
The vehicles feature 20-inch alloy wheels up front and 21-inch wheels in the rear, all finished with a Prezioso Evoluzione gloss black face and a matte black channel rim. Inside the Gotham versions of the Battista and B95 Barchetta, you’ll find tan leather, bespoke quilting in the center panels, and tan stitching.
In true Automobili Pininfarina fashion, these four Batman-inspired hypercars will see a limited production run; we just don’t know how many will be built. The automaker told Electrek it will produce as many as are ordered, which truthfully shouldn’t be many.
As for pricing, here’s what the hypercar maker is charging per BruceWayneX.com:
- Battista Dark Knight: €3,400,000 ($3,631,438)
- Battista Gotham: €3,400,000 (3,631,438)
- B95 Dark Knight: €4,900,000 (5,234,596)
- B95 Gotham: €4,900,000 (5,234,596)
Those are MSRPs only worthy of Bruce Wayne-like billionaires. You can take a closer look at the bespoke Batman hypercars in the video shared by Automobili Pininfarina below:
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Environment
Rivian confirms new purple exterior color called ‘Borealis’ and is exploring interior scents
After nearly a year of speculation online, Rivian has confirmed it will begin offering a new purple exterior color, and we now have the name – Borealis. Inspired by its own community, Rivian’s latest color will be available for a limited time on select variants and arrives as part of a broader design initiative focused on sensory experiences.
Welp, Rivian is actually offering purple EVs.
We had a feeling that this news might be coming at some point, and the confirmation has been nearly a year in the making. Earlier in 2025, some Redditors in the Rivian community started posting images of what appeared to be a purple R1S Quad out in the wild.
We covered the news about 8 months later when fresh images once again emerged of the same truck and the same dealership plates. We could confirm there was at least one purple Rivian, still owned and operated by the American EV automaker, in existence.
What we could not confirm was whether the Grimace-mobile was a one-off or a hint at plans for a new exterior color option. At the time, representatives for Rivian said they could not comment on speculation, but also did not dismiss any indications that a new purple exterior could be in the works.
This morning, Rivian made its presence known at Collins Park during Art Week Miami Beach, where it has set up a multi-sensory exhibition that includes scent, touch, and, of course, the sight of the new Borealis purple exterior. Check it out.
Rivian to offer customers a purple exterior option
During Art Week Miami Beach 2025, which kicked off earlier this week, Rivian has unveiled an exhibition called “Rewilding the Future,” an “immersive exploration of the natural systems” that shape Rivian’s design process.
This multi-sensory exhibit will expose visitors to a range of experiences, including a tactile “touch” where they can create their own objects from recycled and upcycled materials. Rivian also shared that it is exploring scents and has developed one for the exhibit highlighted in The Scent of Terrain. Visitors can first deconstruct the unique scent by smelling the individual top, mid, and base notes in glass flasks before sniffing an oil that combines them all into one sensory experience. Liz Guerrero, Sr. Director of Marketing Experiences at Rivian, elaborated:
Scent is uniquely memorable and we want to get to a place where we have a scent that becomes synonymous with the Rivian brand, sparking that amazing recall that you almost don’t realize you have. This is the next step in the learning process, and we’re excited to see the response.
It is unclear whether there is a specific goal in mind for Rivian’s scent-tric “learning process,” but it could involve brand-specific aromas inside or outside its EVs. Perhaps that new car smell will be “Terrain,” or you will be able to buy some Rivian cologne next holiday season. Rivian has not confirmed any of this, although we did request more information on its plans to integrate scent into design (or not).
Last but not least, Rivian’s Miami exhibit is focused on sight – more specifically, the public debut of its new Borealis purple exterior color. Per Rivian:
This color is a dynamic, deep velvety purple that shifts with the light and captures the essence of the aurora borealis, nature’s most spectacular light show. The inspiration for Borealis came directly from our community. During a 2024 solar event, a group of Rivian owners shot photos of their vehicles glowing under the surreal, purple-washed sky and it captured our design team’s imagination. Borealis pays homage to the spirit of exploration that defines our owners and celebrates the unexpected beauty found in mother nature.
In addition to Borealis, Rivian also debuted a new 20″ All-Terrain Burnished Bronze wheel (pictured above), available exclusively on its new Quad-Motor R1 lineup. As for the purple, Rivian said it is available to customers now on Tri and Quad configurations, but only for a limited time.
The Borealis debut is just one of several color stories being told at the Rivian art exhibit, and those purple EVs will be joined by the automaker’s R1S Quad Miami Edition, which will be on display at Miami Rivian Spaces in Aventura and Brickell beginning today.
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Tesla has received a brutal reality check from Germany this week. The country’s closely watched TÜV Report 2026 has not only ranked the Tesla Model Y as the absolute worst car for reliability in its age group but noted that it has the highest defect rate of any vehicle tested in the last ten years.
It’s a tough look for the world’s best-selling car, though the details paint a more nuanced picture than just “the car is falling apart.”
The TÜV Association (Technischer Überwachungsverein) is the organization responsible for mandatory vehicle safety inspections in Germany. These aren’t just consumer surveys; they are rigorous mechanical exams that every car must pass to remain road-legal.
In its latest “TÜV Report 2026,” which analyzed 9.5 million vehicle inspections, the Tesla Model Y came in dead last among all cars in the 2-to-3-year-old category.
According to the data, 17.3% of Model Ys failed the inspection with “significant” or “dangerous” defects. For context, the average failure rate for this age group is roughly 6.5%. The Model Y didn’t just fail; it failed spectacularly, posting the worst score TÜV has seen in a decade.
The Model 3 didn’t fare much better, landing in the third-to-last spot with a 13.1% failure rate.
So, what is actually breaking?
According to the report, the main culprits are the same ones we’ve been hearing about for years: suspension components and brakes.
TÜV inspectors flagged frequent issues with axle suspension parts, such as the notorious control arm bushings that have plagued Tesla owners for a long time. They also found significant problems with brake discs. Because EVs use regenerative braking for most deceleration, the physical friction brakes rarely get used. In Germany’s wet climate, this leads to rust and corrosion on the discs, causing them to fail safety inspections even if they “work” mechanically.
Lighting defects were also a major contributor to the failure rate.
In stark contrast, other EVs performed exceptionally well. The Mini Cooper SE had a defect rate of just 3.5%, and the Audi Q4 e-tron sat at 4.0%, proving that this isn’t an “electric vehicle problem”—it’s a specific Tesla problem.
Electrek’s Take
We need to separate the signal from the noise here.
First, let’s address the brakes. Failing a safety inspection because of rusty brake discs is a known issue for all EVs, but it seems to hit Tesla harder. If that’s the case, we should look into why that’s happening.
While it’s technically a “defect” in the eyes of TUV as it doesn’t achieve the required safety standards, it doesn’t mean the car is unreliable in the sense that it will leave you stranded. That said, Tesla owners should be careful. I enjoyed one pedal driving more than anyone, but I do make an effort to use my brain regularly. You don’t want to have a problem with them when you actually need them.
The suspension issues are a different story.
We have been reporting on Tesla’s suspension problems for years. They have been NHTSA investigations about it and recalls. It is disappointing to see that even on 2-to-3-year-old Model Ys, these parts are still failing at an alarming rate. When nearly one in five cars is failing its first mandatory inspection, you can’t just wave that away as “FUD.”
The good news is that Tesla’s powertrain is solid and doesn’t contribute much to the poor reliability rate.
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