Paris 2008: Pininfarina goes from Ferrari to batteries with B0 Concept
by Sam Abuelsamid on Oct 3rd 2008 at 10:28AM 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Pininfarina B0
Pininfarina is the Italian design studio perhaps best known for penning almost every production Ferrari over the last half century. The firm, however, does much more than just design exotic sports cars. It has created bodies for more mainstream cars like Peugeots, Alfa Romeos and even Daewoos. The company's latest creation is a compact four-seat hatchback propelled by electrons. Pininfarina has formed a joint venture with French battery maker Bolloré to build this electric car.
The B0 uses a hybrid energy storage solution consisting of a 30 kWh lithium-polymer battery and a bank of super-capacitors. While the capacitors have very limited storage capacity, they can absorb and release energy much faster than a battery. That way more regenerative braking can be used and a bigger performance boost is available. Pininfarina hopes to start limited production late in 2009, ramping up volumes as batteries become more available and presumably affordable. The battery pack itself is claimed to have a lifespan of 125,000 miles. A single charge is expected to deliver 153 miles of driving with a maximum speed of 80 mph. Helping to extend the range a bit are solar cells in the roof and on the nose in the area that looks like a grille.
Gallery: Pininfarina B0
[Source: Pininfarina]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
vitalisius 1:02AM (10/03/2008)
OMG!!!
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Russell 10:37AM (10/03/2008)
The future looks promising, if you like Mikey Mouse and Sponge Bob.
Noz 12:12PM (10/03/2008)
It's better than driving around with a big p*n*s on four wheels.........
Russell 2:04PM (10/03/2008)
It depends, if you like to be driven then yea. I on the other hand like TO drive.
Typesbad 4:01PM (10/03/2008)
Well I drive around on four wheels all the time, and I have a ... Oh, never mind.
GOT 3:46AM (10/03/2008)
Typical fabulously awesome concept that'll never see production. Build them and everyone will want and buy them. Until then, who cares?
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zamafir 10:55AM (10/03/2008)
You did catch the part where they teamed up with a huge battery producer and are going to produce them next year right?
"The B0, pronounced B Zero, is four-seat, four-door electric hatchback created in partnership with Bolloré and is not, repeat, not, a concept car. According to Pininfarina, the B0will be a mass production model, with the first units coming off the production line at the end of 2009" - jalop.
GOT 4:34AM (10/04/2008)
@Zamafir: Yes, I saw something similar to that. Pessimism grips me when it comes to beautiful concepts and actual production models. I do hope this things gets mass produced, like they say. It's awesome.
TJ 10:38AM (10/03/2008)
I think the most unfortunate thing about this vehicle is the name.
repeat after me:
Bee- Zero.
ok.
now try:
Bee- Oh.
"Hello, service department? Yeah, I've got a problem with my Bee-Oh."
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Michael Banovsky 10:41AM (10/03/2008)
But does the B0 smell? M!
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Sherwood 6:13PM (10/03/2008)
The BO has no emissions... oh the irony.
Torrent 11:11AM (10/03/2008)
Those taillights are brutal.
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Red 11:23AM (10/03/2008)
If it were green, it would look like a Ninja Turtle from the front. Now that I look at that it that way, I want one.
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JZeke 11:24AM (10/03/2008)
Pininfarina should be doing everyone's small cars, this thing is far better than most manufacturers small car concepts.
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FFA 11:10PM (10/03/2008)
they designed a hyundai, i think its the getz, ugly as heck
BILL 11:53AM (10/03/2008)
Isn't it enough to suffer the possibility of winding up with BO in the Whitehouse without having to face BO in a car?
Oder is what it is no matter how you try to market and package it. Just ask the U.S. Congress. They are trying to put lipstick on a pig, uh bailout package, and make us dumb American citizens smile at their creative abilities to solve problems they created in the first place. Uh, it is pronounced B-Zero? Ooops, my mistake.......................
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Russell 2:01PM (10/03/2008)
By BO you mean BIG OIL right? Because thats what we have wound up with for 8 years now.
More of the same is on the menu for MCSame.
bill 2:06PM (10/03/2008)
Russell, you have sadly misunderstood my BO reference. I am referring to the Irish lad B. O'Bama.
MajorGeek 11:37AM (10/03/2008)
Interesting that they mention a battery lifespan of 125,000 miles. Remember when your car was lucky to go 100,000 miles? Back in the day at about 70-80k miles it was time to start shopping. I wonder if those days are slowly returning. Since batteries usually die a slow death, this means less range and top MPH over time, so by 90-100k miles you might consider getting a new car as opposed to replacing the batteries?
Right, wrong?
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BoxerFanatic 4:40PM (10/03/2008)
I hope those capacitors don't go POP, like capacitors sometimes do.
It would be enough to blow up that little thing.
Good luck, but I am still skeptical of chemical batteries, and giant capacitors.
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