At the 2022 New York International Auto Show this week, automotive startup Deus Automobiles GmbH revealed what it says is the world’s most powerful electric hypercar—producing more than 2200 hp (1640 kW). That would put the company’s Vayanne in rarified company, joining other hypercars like the 1480-kW Aspark Owl, 2000-PS (1471-kW) Lotus Evija, 1900-hp (1416-kW) Pininfarina Battista, and 1914-hp (1427-kW) Rimac Nevera at the top of the segment.

Helping Deus in its ambition to design and create an electric hypercar “set to become the benchmark of driving emotion” are design and development partners Italdesign and Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE).

The shared goal of the three-way collaboration is producing the first EV to cross the 2200 hp (1640 kW) mark—which has been computer simulated but not validated yet—while delivering other outstanding performance figures, a luxurious ride, and maximum daily usability in the hypercar class.

Some of those other performance goals are over 2000 N·m (1475 lb·ft) torque, a top speed of more than 400 km/h (248 mph), and 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in under 1.99 s. That last number is claimed by Tesla for its Model S Plaid.

 

Inspired by Vienna

Deus Automobiles was co-founded in 2020 by its precocious Head of Design Adrian-Filip Butuca. Born in Romania in 2002, he grew up in Vienna, the capital of Austria, and his primary source of inspiration for the car and its name.

At the age of 14, the self-taught designer began digitally expressing his passion for cars through 3D modeling. By 17, Butuca brought his first car concept “to life” as a 3D printed scale model. He then leveraged his 3D modeling expertise and growing automotive industry knowledge to conceptualize more feasible vehicle designs. This led to the design of the Dues Vayanne, and to his approaching Italdesign and Williams Advanced Engineering to create the production-oriented electric hypercar.

Now, Butuca and fellow Deus Co-founder and Managing Director, Dierk Schröder, are leading the effort to bring the Vayanne to market. Their aim is to stand out in the increasingly competitive hypercar sector by offering a “fresh and objective vision” and innovative concepts in terms of luxury, performance, and exclusivity.

 

Hypercar design

The Vayanne design concept began to take shape in 2020 with the idea of merging modernity and Deus’ Viennese roots. The car’s signature lightning bolt logo aligns with the company’s focus on 100% electric propulsion technology that will power the ultra-limited-edition hypercar.

Deus says the car confirms “its Austrian heritage of outstanding quality standards brought to life with flair and passion.” The company and Italdesign styling and engineering departments worked closely in shaping the design to achieve maximum performance.

“At Deus, design is not merely about the looks; it is an integrated concept that reflects the marque’s main credo: to effortlessly combine exquisite design and functionality with cutting-edge technology in the EV hypercar segment,” said Adrian-Filip Butuca, Head of Design at Deus. “To showcase this harmony, we chose to stylize the Vayanne around the idea of symmetry and geometric alignment of its lines and design features.”

Examples of this include the “infinity loop” shape of the front and rear grilles, with a hexagon-shaped pattern that gradually varies in intensity to provide the needed airflow for the cooling system and aerodynamic performance. The rear grille is enclosed by the uninterrupted taillight strip.

With the Vayanne interior, Deus says it focused on the ergonomic positioning of physical controls for ease of use to provide focus on the most important task of driving. The car has a fully digital instrument cluster and infotainment control display.

The car is fitted with a “green” interior. Its natural leather upholstery is said to be treated and produced with sustainable, technologically advanced solutions throughout the production process with a strong commitment to zero waste in a circular economy model.

However, what may be the most unique interior feature is the “first in the automotive industry” implementation of a “Halo Infinity” mirror. Deus says that the design feature is vital to carrying over the infinity theme from the hypercar concept’s exterior to its interior. It is used on the doors and dashboard, with the effect changing with viewing angle.

The company is also focusing on how the Vayanne sounds, so it is developing a configurable Deus Active Sound system to further enhance the driving experience.

 

Technical support

The Vayenne concept is an extension of a WAE and Italdesign partnership announced in April 2021 for a high-performance, flexible EV platform called EVX. Supporting the long-term vision for EV architectures is a rolling chassis that uses WAE’s expertise in electrification, light-weighting, innovative chassis structures, and vehicle and system integration.

Featuring a molded composite structural battery, the EVX announced last year is said to set new standards in reducing both investment and part costs. The core battery pack, designed in-house by WAE, was said last year to have the ability to deliver 1000 kW with 104-120 kW·h of energy. Flexible battery module design enables expansion of the pack, enabling up to 160 kW·h for a potential 1000-km (620-mi) vehicle range.

The EVX can accommodate wheelbases from 2900 to 3100 mm (114 to 122 in), with customers able to choose from both rear-wheel and four-wheel drive layouts. The lightweight platform combines recycled composite materials and aluminum with the aim of setting new standards for static and torsional stiffness. With class-leading performance and mass targets, it supports a flexible range of powertrain options with good aerodynamics and safety performance.

The collaboration with Deus represented an opportunity to showcase a new approach to WAE’s electrification and production capabilities with Italdesign’s engineering and styling proficiency.

“Building on our existing and successful collaborative partnership with Italdesign, we are delighted to be part of the world premiere for the Deus Vayanne, a hypercar that seeks to combine luxury with ultimate performance,” said Dyrr Ardash, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Williams Advanced Engineering. “Working as the electrification and technology partner, we look forward to employing our expertise in electrification to support the program’s performance targets.”

“We are really satisfied with the results achieved with the Vayanne in this first phase of our collaboration with Deus,” added Marco Volpengo, Italdesign’s head of automotive business development in Europe. “Thanks to our distinctive experience in [low-volume] series vehicle development and manufacturing, we are able to provide our technical support and know-how.”

The Vayanne concept was fine-tuned and assembled at the Italdesign plant in Moncalieri, Italy. The production version of the hypercar will be limited to a series of only 99 units, with the first delivery projected to be in 2025.