K350 and H500, the new models Pininfarina will present in Beijing

Pininfarina, a historic design house of great prestige, steps forward and will show its first electric SUV, a model it is developing in collaboration with the Chinese manufacturer Hybrid Kinetic Group (HKC). It is the K350, a concept car that previews an SUV for the compact segment with seating for four passengers, powered by a fully electric motor.

The new SUV features a robust, athletic body that combines luxury with sportiness and joins the range of the Chinese manufacturer, which already produces two other SUVs, both equipped with hybrid powertrains: the PK 550 and the K750. Both models are currently sold only in the Asian market, where the K350 will also be sold.

For the time being, these vehicles are not sold in European markets, but Pininfarina is currently studying the possibility of offering the models it designs for HKC in European markets as well, where it would sell them under the Pininfarina brand name. To this end, the Italian designer has already had the support of Mahindra for some months now. Mahindra recently acquired 76.06% of Pininfarina and, during the recent Rome Formula E GP, announced the upcoming launch of a new luxury vehicle brand under the name Automobili Pininfarina.

Automobili Pininfarina will be headquartered in Europe and will focus its efforts on the design, development, production and sale of a complete range of luxury electric vehicles, with high technology, high performance and outstanding capability for all kinds of customers worldwide. The new brand’s first model will be an electric hypercar that will reach the market in 2020. This model will already feature advanced systems that give it level 3 autonomous driving, and will be capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in under two seconds and reaching 300 km/h in just 12 seconds, with a top speed exceeding 400 km/h. All this with a range of 500 km of electric propulsion on a single battery charge. The Pininfarina hypercar will cost around 2 million euros.

The other model Pininfarina is bringing to Beijing is the new H500 saloon, a three-box sedan with elegant, sporty lines, also powered by a fully electric powertrain, which will be shown alongside the HK GT that Pininfarina presented at the last Geneva Motor Show.

With a design of pure lines filled with small, genuinely sophisticated styling details, the H500 will also feature under its bonnet the most advanced technology for its electric motor. Its development will be of Mahindra origin and will showcase the expertise of the Indian manufacturer in this type of powertrain, thanks to the application of the knowledge and know-how of the Indian brand gained through its participation in Formula E.