Pagani doesn't have trouble selling its cars. With around 50 produced every year, buyers are content to wait for an extremely long time to get their very own hand-built Italian supercar. That is, unless it's electric.
In an interview with CarBuzz, Pagani spokesperson Sebastian Berridi revealed past plans for an all-electric performance car from the brand. But when the company showed this idea to customers, there was absolutely zero demand. So the idea was scrapped.
"When we started the development of the Utopia eight years ago, we dedicated a team to a fully battery-electric model," Berridi told CarBuzz. "The idea was to launch an electric Utopia and [a] combustion version. We never thought of a hybrid because we believed it was very complex. The technology was not at its peak in that period."
Pagani Had Plans for an EV, But No One Was Interested
Despite investing what sounds like a significant sum into the electric Utopia's development, Pagani ultimately had to drop the car from its future lineup, simply because people didn't want one.
"We showed the idea to our dealers and our customers, but no one showed interest," Berridi said. "We are a family-owned company, so we had to abandon the battery-electric vehicle. 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."
Right now, Pagani has no plans to move away from the V-12, at least for the near future. That's thanks to AMG, which has made the engine viable until the early 2030s in the US.
"AMG homologated the engine until 2030 in Europe and 2032 in California, and we are confident that the homologation will be extended," Berridi told CarBuzz. "It's very confusing because the legislation changes a lot. The V-12 is a celebration; to be able to homologate a manual with a V-12. The mechanical engineering is a cerebral celebration that the customer needs. There are no plans to move away [from the V-12]."
Other Supercar Manufacturers Face Similar Hurdles
Pagani isn't alone in its struggle to sell EVs. Christian von Koenigsegg told Top Gear the appetite for electric hypercars is "extremely low" right now. Mate Rimac admitted his company still hasn't been able to sell out all 150 units of the Nevera, despite it holding numerous acceleration and braking records. Maserati recently canceled plans to build an all-electric version of the MC20. Lamborghini delayed the launch of its first EV, and also pushed back the reveal of an all-electric Urus. Even Ferrari has reportedly delayed its second upcoming electric car over "zero" demand.
While these manufacturers offer superior design and exclusivity, similar performance can be found in vehicles for a fraction of the price. Just look at the numbers behind cars like the Tesla Model S Plaid and the Lucid Air Sapphire. The tech just isn't there to differentiate the exotics when it comes to performance, at least right now.
