Pagani Learned That No One Wanted An Electric Supercar

Italian supercar manufacturer Pagani is famous for its V12 engines, which have always come from Mercedes-AMG. But what will happen when global regulations make the V12 extinct? Does Pagani have a backup plan? Speaking with the company at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, CarBuzz learned that the Pagani Utopia was originally envisioned to be the first Pagani model without a V12 engine.

So why did the Utopia launch with a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 producing 852 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque with an available manual transmission? That’s what customers demanded. In fact, no one showed any interest in an electrified Pagani.

No One Wanted The EV

Pagani fully intended to sell an electric Utopia alongside the V12 model, similar to what Alfa Romeo is doing with its 33 Stradale supercar, which comes with either a twin-turbo V6 or battery powertrain. However, when it went to dealers and customers to show off the EV, no one wanted it.

“We showed the idea to our dealers and our customers, but no one showed interest. We are a family-owned company, so we had to abandon the battery-electric vehicle,” Berridi told CarBuzz. “It’s a shame because we invested a lot in research and development. We were very close to suppliers for Mercedes-AMG. They were at the peak of technology. We had to cancel it. We have to make a sustainable company, and we can’t go against our economic interest.”

Pagani is not the only company that has struggled to garner interest in an electric supercar. Even after breaking almost every imaginable acceleration record, the Rimac Nevera is not sold out, despite being limited to just 150 units. If we had to guess why demand is so low, it’s because there are so many electric cars that deliver heart-stopping acceleration for a fraction of the price: Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire to name a few. Electric supercars are heavier than their gas counterparts, and don’t offer the exotic sound of a V12 engine, thus wealthy customers aren’t asking for them.

Pagani’s V12 Will Live On

This doesn’t mean Pagani will never do an EV. It just means we may not see such a car in the near future.

“We still research electric cars because Horacio [Pagani] is a very curious person with a scientific approach to life,” Berridi added. “If we are to research an electric Pagani, it must drive like a Pagani. Today, that’s not available. Simulations show the car would weigh 600-700 kilograms more. And an electric Pagani would not improve our ecological footprint; just look at the annual mileage of our cars.”

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Pagani Still Thinks Electric Supercars Are Too Heavy

The boutique brand says an electric Pagani must be light, but current EV technology is making that difficult.

Since none of Pagani’s customers wanted an EV and the company deemed a V8 hybrid to be too complicated, the company’s future rests on the V12. Fortunately, the AMG-sourced engine will remain viable for several more years.

“AMG homologated the [V12] engine until 2030 in Europe and 2032 in California, and we are confident that the homologation will be extended,” he explained. “It’s very confusing because the legislation changes a lot. The V12 is a celebration; to be able to homologate a manual with a V12. The mechanical engineering is a cerebral celebration that the customer needs. There are no plans to move away [from the V12].”