|
Price |
|
-- |
Production |
|
-- |
|
Engine |
electric |
Weight |
3737
lbs |
|
Aspiration |
-- |
Torque |
-- |
|
HP |
671
hp |
HP/Weight |
5.6
lbs per hp |
|
HP/Liter |
-- |
1/4 mile |
-- |
|
0-62 mph |
4.2
seconds |
Top Speed |
171
mph |
(from Pininfarina
Press Release) A luxury electric sports saloon
A perfect combination of design,
art and technology that embodies Italian style and
respect of the environment
It is a new approach to
luxury in the car, according to Pininfarina’s school of thought. The
Cambiano is
launched today, a concept car that is elegant and sporty, refined
and comfortable. An enticing combination of pure, cutting edge
design and uncompromising engineering that respects the environment
in both in the engine and in the choice of materials.
The Cambiano is an
expression of Pininfarina today, embodying all the company’s skills
in terms of style, planning and research in the field of sustainable
mobility. It is no coincidence that its chosen name is that of the
town where Pininfarina has its headquarters. In 2012 the company
celebrates a dual anniversary: the 30th anniversary of the Style
Centre, which was set up in Cambiano in 1982 as “Pininfarina Studi e
Ricerche”, and the 10th anniversary of the Engineering Centre, which
was inaugurated there in 2002, adding contract engineering to its
activities of styling and niche design/production, and concentrating
cutting edge technological tools and a team of outstanding
specialists in one place.
The luxury sports saloon
embodies the innovative archetypes of Pininfarina design in full.
Another example was a milestone in the company’s history, the
Florida II, a concept car of 1957 which the founder Pinin Farina
conceived and built for his own personal use, a saloon-coupé with an
architecture and line that influenced global production for many
years. In a way, it was Pininfarina’s first real concept car.
Today, in 2012, the
Cambiano redefines and reinterprets the ideas that are the basic
tenets of Pininfarina design: harmonious proportions, taut lines and
fluid surfaces, and a simple element that extends all along the side
to underline its dynamism. The result is a very strong visual
impact, emphasised by an extremely pure, aerodynamic shape based on
essential and purely functional stylistic elements.
The Cambiano breaks with
the general trend of design that is overloaded with elements, and
confidently embraces the return of pure form as the absolute value,
in the best “tradition” of Italian Style, reflecting the deepest
essence of Pininfarina Design.
The Cambiano reveals its
true character at first glance, starting from the unconventional
layout of the doors: on the driver’s side the car is a sports coupe
with a single door, but on the passenger side there are two doors
that open from the centre with no central pillar. This simplifies
access and makes the most of the spacious, luminous passenger
compartment.
The Cambiano is an
expression of the car as a global project, and there is total
consistency between every detail of the exterior and interior
design, and between the colours, materials and the use of
technology. Elegance and formal harmony blend in the
association of complementary values: balance and contrast, the
relation between full and empty, between solid and transparent.
Formal purity and simplicity become elements of iconic design.
The proportions of the
Cambiano convey dynamism and fluidity, thanks to the low tapered
front and the
light, fleeting rear-mounted cabin. The body of the car is one of
simple, solid volumes, with large taut but sensual surfaces,
enhanced by the innovative golden grey colour and iridescent blue
reflections specifically developed for this project by Standox (r).
The metal inserts in the sides are a new take on decorative
mouldings and they continue all along the side glazing,
incorporating the lighting and opening functions of the doors. The
large honeycomb roof is ethereal and transparent and completes the
body of the car, imparting a sense of solidity and of elegant
refinement.
The front, with its clean, essential design, returns to a motif that
is typical of Pininfarina: headlights
incorporated into the grille and protruding wheel arches. The grille
also incorporates a dynamic opening that is an air inlet for the
turbo. The LED front headlights are simple “blocks” of pure,
crystalline light. The tail lights and side indicators are almost
intangible: only the light exists, appearing as if by magic on the
surface of the bodywork. In the purest spirit of Pininfarina, the
essentiality of the form becomes a very elegant expression of pure
function.
The light is an integral
part of the Cambiano design concept, inside and out. The
relationship with natural light is simplified by the panoramic roof,
which is translucent in some areas and transparent in others. With a
carbon honeycomb structure mounted between the outside glass and a
polycarbonate inner lining, the roof enhances visibility in the car
– heightening the sense of luminosity and space inside.
The light is not only a
natural element, but also emphasises the sensory experience of the
passenger
compartment thanks to a refined and functional lighting system,
which exploits light channels inserted into the ceiling, the doors
and the floor. The Cambiano is the first car to incorporate into the
passenger
compartment a contemporary video-art projection, created
specifically by the Spanish artist Javier
Fernandez with a very personal language of manipulated, overlapping
images. The work is projected onto the ceiling where it can be
enjoyed by rear seat passengers during the drive. Contemporary art,
a preeminent feature of luxury, is thus incorporated into the
concept of the car, leaving behind its elite aura and becoming
accessible.
The complementarity
between apparently contrasting elements is also expressed in the
interior. Natural materials contrast with sophisticated details, and
the physicality of pure matter with the immateriality of the most
advanced forms of communication, which simplify the interaction
between the driver and the car and his surroundings. It is a
fascinating mixture of luxury craftsmanship and innovation:
exclusive materials and outstanding manual work combined with the
use of advanced technologies and innovative concepts.
Elegant and modern
design converges in the interior with comfort, ergonomics and
environmental
sustainability, maintaining the same stylistic approach of the
exterior. Fluid, sensual surfaces, a light,
essential environment, with clearly defined functional zones:
interactive controls and surfaces turned towards the driver, a more
comfortable and tactile area for the other passengers. A fine, light
facia, light but enveloping front seats suspended between the
consoles and the sill, in a delicate balance between solid and
hollow designed to create tension. The asymmetrical access to the
passenger compartment determines the leaf structure of the two rear
seats, which are almost suspended in the car, where occupants enjoy
an environment that is made more comfortable and refined by the
generous legroom. The interior is upholstered with Foglizzo leather,
personalised in certain points with a special diamond point punched
patter. The leather used on the Cambiano was chosen from the
Pininfarina Leather Collection for Foglizzo, a collection of
personalised natural and imitation leathers developed by the two
Turin companies. The uprights and door panels are upholstered with
polylactic acid, a plastic derived from sugar substances, treacle
and milk serum, a solution that reduces the use of petroleum.
Like the entire lower
part of the passenger compartment, the perfectly flat floor is made
of recycled wood. This is the strongest and most typical
element of the interior of the Cambiano, the fusion of matter and
transformation, technological research and respect of cultural and
environmental values. A choice dictated by the discovery of a
wonderful material, which is both poor and noble: the wood of the “briccole”,
the poles of European oak used to indicate the navigation channels
and moorings inside the Venice lagoon.
Riva1920, a historical
Italian producer of solid wood furniture that has been working with
Pininfarina Extra for over ten years, had the brilliant idea of
recuperating the wood of these 12 metre poles, thousands of which
are replaced every year. The wood is marked by the lagoon water and
by marine microorganisms, which come alive again, creating a new
manufact that is destined to last. Following the same principle,
Riva 1920 has created all the wooden elements for the interior of
the Cambiano, using numerical control milling machine followed by
manual final polishing and oiling. The result is surprising and
evocative. The material is about to embark on its third lease of
life, and it reveals its unique texture and the wear and tear of
passing time: the holes made by the marine molluscs are still
visible on the surface. Not only. This complex, delicate
technological craftsmanship makes the interior of the Cambiano
something unique that expresses an outstanding level of creativity
and experience, thanks to this eco-friendly re-use of a natural,
discarded material with the enormous evocative force of the huge
cultural, emotional and artistic dimension attributed to Venice all
over the world.
The atmosphere of
extreme refinement in the car is underlined by another precious
detail in the
instrumentation: the timepiece manufactured in Limited Edition by
the Swiss watchmaker Bovet 1822. This “Cambiano” Chronograph
designed by Pininfarina can be removed from the dashboard and worn
as a wristwatch, or used as a sports timer and even a table clock,
due to its convertible concept.
The instrumentation of the driving position is divided into three
priority zones according to use: the car’s functions and
performance, navigation and comfort, multimedia and connections. The
main display shows the power delivered by the 4 electric motors
backed up by the turbine, the battery charge and the fuel gauge, the
total range and the range with all-electric operation, the driving
mode (Ecocity, Snow/Ice, Efficiency, Sport, Drifting), and the
speedometer. The driver monitors the navigator, the warning messages
and the multimedia functions on the secondary display. The “swap”
control transfers the navigator and other functions to the central
display and vice versa. And a touch pad gives access to the
interactive instrumentation and climate control. The driver controls
the lights and the gear selector on the steering wheel, while the
“Start” control and a device holder are on the centre tunnel.
The attention paid to
detail is evident from the work carried out on the tyres. For the
Cambiano Pininfarina specifically developed with Fate, Argentina’s
largest tyre production and exporting company, the first tyre for
top of the range cars, Concept Tyre, from Eximia by Pininfarina.
Fate’s experts engineers contributed with precise studies and
creative capability, making possible a further step in design,
technology and security. Concept Tyre, from Eximia by
Pininfarina, synthesizes the last progresses in the search of
perfection: environmental care, superior constructive quality, and
an advanced esthetic model.
CAMBIANO: new architecture, a
generous range and maximum attention to
environmental sustainability
The Cambiano also sets
new parameters for eco-sustainability in the high performance luxury
car segment, its strong points include electric drive which
guarantees zero emissions in the urban cycle and a range with
all-electric operation that is higher than any offered on the market
today. And how could it be otherwise on a concept car from
Pininfarina, whose genes have always included sustainable mobility,
now one of the pillars of the company’s industrial plan?
Pininfarina was
concentrating on aerodynamics and alternative sources of energy as
early as the 1970s: for example, with prototypes like the CNR
Energetica 1 or Ecos, the first electric car developed by
Pininfarina. In the 1990s Pininfarina offered new solutions with the
Ethos, a family of 3 cars with an aluminium chassis, a body of
recyclable resin, and an innovative combustion engine with low
emissions, culminating in 1995 with the Ethos 3EV, another zero
emissions car. More recently Pininfarina engineers turned their
attention to research into hybrid vehicles with the Eta Beta and
Metrocubo projects, the focussing on safety in 2004 with the Nido.
In 2008 the Sintesi proposed a futuristic concept cap supplied by 4
fuel cells (one per wheel).
Which brings us to the
present: the BlueCar in 2008, the Nido EV in 2010 and the Hybus in
2011, a project to convert buses currently equipped with Euro 0–1–2
engines into buses with serial hybrid power packs. This consolidated
technological expertise and the ability to manage cutting-edge
projects with great flexibility and innovation are expressed in the
Cambiano. The perfect integration of the styling and engineering
activities has produced an extended range plug-in electric car that
combines top performance and roominess with the comfort of a luxury
car and total respect of the environment. The type of engine chosen
and the position of the battery pack in the rear of the car (under
the luggage compartment) have created a vehicle architecture with a
perfectly flat floor, that is regular and low, guaranteeing
excellent access, liveability on board and a lower centre of
gravity.
The drive system is based on four electric motors, one for each
wheel, and the respective deceleration
unit. The four motors, which are produced by Magneti Marelli, are
mounted on the front and rear frames and each delivers a continuous
supply of 60 kW with peaks of 150 kW for a total of 600 kW maximum
power output, with torque of 640 Nm. Each motor is controlled
separately and electronically to guarantee various functions,
including energy regeneration when decelerating and braking,
traction control with the option of continuously varying the torque
split between the wheels independently (Vectoring Stability Program)
and anti-lock braking assistance. The traction control strategies
make the vehicle even more enjoyable to drive, guaranteeing
outstanding performance and maximum safety over all types of routes.
The drive system
incorporates an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) to charge the batteries
and, when necessary, to supply energy directly to the motors: this
is a 50 kW Bladon Jets micro turbine which normally runs on diesel
but which can be calibrated to be compatible with various types of
fuel. In addition to this advantage, the turbine is smaller than
those of piston engines with a similar power delivery, it weighs
just 40 kg, and generates low polluting emissions. The micro turbine
chosen for the Cambiano has technical features that make it
particularly quiet and vibration-free, enhancing comfort for
passengers. This type of extended range electric drive is thus amply
in line with EURO 6 legislation, and is already compatible with
possible evolutions (EURO 7 ready).
The battery pack
developed by FAAM is installed between the seats and the rear axle,
where it is protected from possible collisions and easily replaced
during servicing. The battery is of the high power, high energy
density lithium ion type, has a capacity of 50 kW/h, a peak power
delivery of 500 kW, and can be recharged in 6 hours using a 6 Kw/h
grid and in 52 minutes with the APU. Combined with the micro
turbine, it guarantees a range of 205 km in the urban cycle in
all-electric mode, and a total range in the NEDC (New European
Driving Cycle) mixed cycle of over 800 km in extended range mode,
higher than that of luxury sports cars with conventional drive
systems. The battery is the fruit of FAAM’s experience in the
development of lithium batteries. FAAM’s research into lithium ion
cells will make it possible in the short term to achieve specific
energy density values that are more than double those of lithium ion
batteries currently on the market. This, associated with a larger
specific power reserve, will make it the ideal solution for future
electric cars. This result has been made possible by the improvement
in the specific capacity of the electrodes: current anodic and
cathodic materials are replaced by materials with a higher specific
capacity, cells with high potential cathodes based on lithium nickel
manganese oxide, LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, with a spinel structure.
The composition of the
pack is simplified by the small size of each cell, which allows for
a certain amount of flexibility and adaption when installed on the
vehicle. The battery case was designed to respect current crash test
standards and it complies with ISO 26262 vehicle safety regulations.
The battery is liquid cooled and protected by an insulating casing
that guarantees that it will function in all use conditions, with a
temperature range of da -20° C to +60° C. Battery functioning is
monitored by a BMS (Battery Management System) unit, which verifies
that the individual cells operate within the established normal
functioning range. In the event of a malfunction, the battery is
immediately isolated from the rest of the vehicle.
The CAMBIANO’s generous
range was achieved by the innovative drive system, by focussing
attention on aerodynamic efficiency, obtained in the Pininfarina
Wind Tunnel, and by a significant weight reduction: the Cambiano
weighs 1695 kg empty, an excellent result if we consider the size of
the car. The chassis is light, resistant and modular, comprising a
carbon fibre cell for occupants and two aluminium modules, one at
the front and one at the rear, which act as crumple cells, absorbing
impact and supporting all the mechanical parts. This engineering
solution allows the same modules to be used for an entire family of
derived vehicles. The central cell can be built with materials and
dimensions that will allow it to adapt to the various requirements
of cost, manufacturing volumes and furnishings of the cabin of a
future derived vehicle
The front and rear
structural modules will also adapt effectively to different
wheelbases and tracks.
Where the energy management system is concerned, the objective is to
minimise consumption and polluting emissions into the atmosphere,
keeping turbine operating times to a minimum. This is triggered
automatically when the battery charge falls below 20% of maximum
capacity and turns off automatically when the speed is below 50 km/h
(like restricted traffic areas in city centres). When necessary, the
driver can activate or deactivate the turbine manually. On the road,
the need to generate energy with the micro turbine will depend on
how the vehicle is used, on the type of route (urban, rural, out of
town) and on traffic. This information can be obtained by GPS
navigator. The turbine can be controlled ready to generate a certain
calculated quantity of energy, trying to keep its ignition and
operating times to a minimum.
The Cambiano also
delivers road-holding at physical limits in all road conditions and
types of use. The driver can choose his preferred driving mode using
a selector lever. For example, the Ecocity mode zeros local
emissions, activates exclusively electric drive and excludes the
turbine. In Snow/Ice mode, the load sensors on the four suspension
units calculate the available friction coefficient: this
automatically limits performance.
Efficiency mode
regulates the acceleration and top speed to maximise the range, but
does not penalise enjoyment excessively. The Sport mode makes
driving more exciting, accelerating from 0 to 100 in 4.2 sec, and
limits the continuous top speed to 250 km/h. And finally, with
Drifting mode, the individual control of the electric motors
artificially sets the behaviour of the limited slip differentials.
It is also possible to adjust the front/rear drive split so that the
vehicle can be driven in rally mode, underlining the entertainment
of driving on snow-covered or dirt roads.
PARTNERS
APP TECH –
Rims
BLADON JETS – Turbine studies
BOVET – Watch
FAAM – Batteries
FATE – Concept Tyre, from Eximia by Pininfarina: vanguard
asymmetrical tread band; ultra-low profile; dimensions: front
axis 245/35 R 21, back axis 265/35 R21; Green System technology:
low rolling resistance,
to contribute with the environment.
FERNANDEZ JAVIER – Videoart
FOGLIZZO – Leather upholstery (Foglizzo Nabuk PN 5/N
Griffir, Foglizzo Classic Lord Leather LD011 and Foglizzo
Leather PN 11 Lily White)
GF AGIECHARMILLES - Laser etchings on aluminium mouldings
and plexiglass components
IEE – Internal instrumentation (Human Machine Interface)
MAGNETI MARELLI – Electric motors/Inverters/Control
electronics
RIVA 1920 – Wooden interior parts
RÖHM ITALIA – Plexiglas®
STANDOX-DUPONT – Paints
