Automobili Estrema, the company founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Gianfranco Pizzuto, last week revealed its first product—a full-electric hypercar. The Fulminea is said to feature the most advanced technology in the field of energy storage and the fine craftsmanship typical of the ultra-high-performance vehicles of the Italian “Motor Valley.”
Highlighting a “new excellence of Made in Italy,” Fulminea was born in Italy, a product of Modena and Turin. The new electric vehicle (EV) will be produced in Modena and will hit the market in the second half of 2023, estimated in Q3, at the eye-watering price of €1,961,000 for the initial production of 61 cars.
Building the team
The Automobili Estrema team’s mission is to create a new Italian car brand to compete on the world stage of electric supercars and hypercars by focusing on research, cutting-edge technology, bold and functional solutions, and extreme customization.
To do this, Pizzuto, also the first investor and a co-founder of Fisker Automotive in 2007, has assembled a team of industry veterans and entrepreneurs. His chiefs are Roberto Olivo, COO, who has Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo experience; Mark Lander, CTO, Founder of Imecar Elektronik, an engineering and manufacturing company in Turkey; and Alexander Klatt, CCO, with experience at Daimler/Mercedes Benz and BMW Group. Other notables are Jannik Voss Brogaard, VP Sales & Marketing; Gerry Hughes, Director of Engineering; and Paul Fickers, Director of Performance Integration & Validation.
One of Automobili Estrema’s primary technology partners is ABEE (Avesta Battery & Energy Engineering) Group, a Belgium-based engineering company specializing in energy technologies for automotive and stationary applications. The relationship is so instrumental that, in March, the two signed a merger agreement to support the global project aimed at producing state-of-the-art battery cells and high-performance EVs. The expertise of ABEE, founded in 2019 by Prof. Noshin Omar, includes battery-system design, validation, and feasibility analysis related to the production of next-generation Li-ion cells with a solid-state electrolyte.
The newly formed holding company, Estrema-ABEE Technologies, will focus on the production of cutting-edge products in the field of high-performance low-volume electric vehicles, the production of cells for the latest-generation batteries, and “hybrid” battery pack systems with “cell-to-pack” technology like that of the Fulminea.
The merged company is hoping to better compete internationally in the energy and automotive-technology sector. One of the primary goals of the holding company is to create the first Italian “Giga Factory” manufacturing solid-state cells. It also wants to generate a premium hub specialized in the design, engineering, production, and development of cutting-edge hybrid battery technologies, not exclusively aimed at automotive applications.
Another partner, Lander’s Imecar Elektronik, an engineering and production company based in Turkey, is helping on the vehicle electrification front with the production of battery packs and powertrain components. The Fulminea will also have OZ Racing wheels and Pirelli tires, the latter capitalizing on the experience of the Italian company in tires for electric-powered cars.
All of the hypercar’s engineering and assembly phases are carried out in the heart of the Motor Valley, while its styling and modeling is carried out in the Turin area. Partners are EPTA Design studio, for interior and exterior styling, and UCIF Modelli, for modeling.
Propulsion details
The company says that the Fulminea will be the first car in the world to use an innovative “hybrid” battery pack that combines Li-ion cells with a solid-state electrolyte and ultracapacitors, achieving greater than 100 kW·h of energy to power the four electric motors. With a total power output of 1.5 MW, the torque-vectoring electric motors can accelerate the car from 0 to 320 km/h (200 mph) in less than 10 s.
The battery pack uses solid-state cells by ABEE designed and produced in collaboration with Imecar Elektronik for an expected range of 520 km (325 mi) according to the WLTP cycle. DC fast charging from 10% to 80% is said to be less than 15 min.
The use of prismatic solid-state cells and cell-to-pack technology is said to result in a record energy density of 500 W·h/kg, equivalent to 1.2 kW·h/L, which is said to represent an increase of between 50% and 100% compared to current battery technology.
In addition to the high energy density, the hybrid battery pack is also safer. The solid-state electrolyte is non-flammable. Two different cell types are housed in separate high-strength battery packs with carbon-fiber shells. The ultracapacitors are positioned on the front axle, while the larger battery pack is positioned behind the cockpit, ahead of the rear axle, for weight distribution and center of gravity considerations.
Thanks to the high energy density, the total weight of the “hybrid battery” has been kept to within 300 kg (660 lb)—for a claimed best weight/energy ratio in the automotive industry. The total vehicle weight in running order is 1500 kg (3310 lb).
Electra Vehicle is contributing intelligent algorithms for the car’s BMS (battery management system). Its EVE-Ai software actively optimizes the power demand between the two energy systems to maximize the efficiency and performance of the car by customizing the control strategy according to the operating environment, battery conditions, and driving style.
Vehicle design
Automobili Estrema says its design philosophy is based on four main concepts: romance, elegance, purity, and balance. This is embodied by the car’s beautifully sculpted bodywork, with fittings and elements echoing the racing world. Racing-inspired details include the many carbon aerodynamic elements, an active rear wing that integrates into the bodywork when the car is stationary, lateral sills, rear extractor, carbon wheel cover discs, rear shark fin, and the various air intakes.
Designers describe Fulminea’s shape in many ways. They say it is reminiscent of a woman’s elegant, sinuous, and attractive hourglass silhouette. The lightness of the volumes was inspired by the fastest creatures on Earth: the profile of the peregrine falcon for its long, slender tail; the silhouette of the running cheetah, not only for the power of its rear muscles but also for the width of its ribcage, the hollow of its flanks, its stretchy legs, the sinuosity of its tail perfectly balanced even when moving; the sailfish for the forked, slender shape of its tail and the slenderness of its vertical fins; and the shape of the shark fin positioned at the rear center.
In any event, the car’s silhouette is said to be extremely aerodynamic, streamlined, and compact—with soft, rounded surfaces reminiscent of the classic cars of the 1960s. The car measures 4683 mm (184.4 in) long, 2052 mm (80.8 in) wide, and 1148 mm (45.2 in) tall.
In front, the wedge-shaped profile gradually lifts toward “the mudguards,” forming a soft teardrop shape, while the rear is sharply well-defined. The side view is dominated by lines and volumes from both front and rear wings crossing centrally—and echoing the silhouette of a lightning bolt, the carmaker’s signature.
As with any electric car, aerodynamics is of the utmost importance, especially at high speeds. The Fulminea arrives at its aerodynamic efficiency through detailed aerodynamic CFD (computational fluid dynamics) testing by way of Tetra Engineering.
Active aerodynamic elements include the front air intake, S-Duct variable flow conveyor, and a rear wing that varies in position and incidence according to the speed and driving style of the driver. These elements make it possible to optimize drag, downforce on both axles, and other parameters according to speed and use case.
The air intake profile under the hood creates downforce for the front axle. Hot air from braking exhausts through vents in the front wheel arches and flows along the front mudguard. In the rear, additional air intakes channel and cool the hot air coming from the batteries, radiator, and electronic components. The cockpit’s exterior shape was designed to maximize aerodynamics, enhancing the airflow along the car’s profile.
The “butterfly” doors have a wide opening angle for easy access. The body’s is painted Azzurro Savoia, the signature blue color of Automobili Estrema.
The front light clusters were developed around the graphical lightning bolt shape, integrating mixed LED and laser technologies. At the rear, the third brake light is sunken into the transparent shark-fin-shaped detail and the rear light fins made by EST Mobile of Turin.
Automobili Estrema says it is the first car manufacturer in the world to use the highly transparent recycled methacrylate panels with RGB LED lights. The optical-fiber-like light trail effect for the unique rear-light cluster signature also serves an aerodynamic function. The automaker worked with the supplier to develop the special technology to bend the material without damaging it and to position the LED lights to conceal the light source and let the glow “magically” appear along the crystal-like edges of the light cluster.
Rear-view mirrors are replaced by cameras located on both outer sides of the mudguards with displays inside the cockpit. The cameras deploy only during driving and parking operations to maintain a clean side profile. Door handles are integrated into the structure, with the vehicle opened and closed through a touch system, known only by the car owner to ensure the highest level of security.
