The entire automobile industry, including high-performance car makers, has been inclined towards going electric for a while now. Pagani, too, wanted to come up with an electric hypercar, but after years of development, the project was quietly put on the back burner. The reason? Its own customers didn’t want it!
Speaking at Quattroruote’s Ignition event, founder Horacio Pagani revealed that an EV had been developed alongside the Utopia. It wasn’t just a side experiment either. The electric project consumed significant time, resources, and engineering effort – arguably more than the V12-powered car itself. Yet despite that commitment, interest from buyers never followed.
For a low-volume manufacturer like Pagani, that’s a critical factor. Unlike larger automakers, it can’t afford to gamble on products that don’t resonate. Even dealers reportedly struggled to find enthusiasm for an electric hypercar, reinforcing the decision to halt the program.
There were also technical concerns. Early simulations indicated that an electric Pagani would carry a noticeable weight compared to the current AMG-sourced 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 setup. And in a brand built around lightweight engineering and sharp dynamics, that’s a big compromise.
Then there’s the emotional angle. Pagani cars are as much about sensation as they are about speed. The sound of a V12, the mechanical connection, the drama – it all forms a core part of the experience. For now, electric powertrains simply don’t deliver that same intensity.
That doesn’t mean Pagani is ignoring the future. The possibility of an EV still exists, but only if it can meet the expectations of its audience without diluting the brand’s identity.
Source: italpassion
Why were they even contemplating plans for an EV when they get heavily exempted by the EU authorities from the EU emission regulations as they sell less than 1000 cars per year in the EU? They should be doing what Gordon Murray Automotive is doing or what they used to do before the Huayra, put a naturally aspirated V12 engine in their cars instead of a turbocharged engine. The AMG biturbo V12 engine isn’t suited for exotic cars.