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Pininfarina grows its U.S. footprint in early bid for EV hypercar market control
Automobili Pininfarina has announced today that it is again expanding its dealership network in the United States as it looks to take advantage of the small number of electric hypercars currently on the market.
With Pininfarina’s relationship with Ferrari essentially coming to an end in 2017 with the release of the Ferrari-designed La Ferrari, it was no surprise that the famous Italian brand decided to build a car of its own. Still, the fact that its first offering, the Pininfarina Batista, would be electric was a shock to many. Now, the luxury Italian hypercar maker is looking to double down on its lead as it announces yet another dealership as part of its network in the United States.
Pininfarina’s newest dealership is Salt Lake City Motorcars in Utah, the company’s 11th dealer in the U.S., following the establishment of a brand new network of dealers that began in 2021. But if you want one of Pininfarina’s exclusive electric hypercars, you might already be too late, as the company will only be making 150. In one of their most recent showings at Monterey Car Week, the exclusive “Anniversario” edition sold out by the end of the event.
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In the world of hypercars, the Pininfarina Batista is a rare breed. Besides the Rimac Nevara, which the Batista is based on, the Lotus Evija, and some assorted EV startup offerings, the market is quite barren. This is especially the case when looking at traditional segment leaders, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Koenigsegg, McLaren, or even Pagani, who have yet to dip their toes in EVs. Moreover, mainstream brands like Porsche, Mercedes, and Audi have yet to electrify their highest-performance offerings.
Lamborghini outlines massive $1.8 billion plan to shift to electrification
“This masterpiece of Italian design is the very pinnacle of performance and luxury,” says Gösta Henning, Chief Sales Officer of Automobili Pininfarina. “With its sophisticated electric powertrain and unprecedented power. We have made a fantastic start in North America with Battista and we look forward to building momentum in an extremely important region through our collaboration with Automobili Pininfarina Salt Lake City.”
While it can be hard to quantify the demand for hypercars due to the nature of their limited production runs, there is no question that the Pininfarina Batista is bringing something new to the table. While retaining the historic prestige of the Pininfarina brand, which has arguably designed some of the most beautiful cars ever made, the Batista gives drivers unprecedented power and agility, most recently achieving a certified 0-60 time of 1.79 seconds. A time, if you are curious, that will undoubtedly turn your brain to mush instantaneously.
The Batista achieves this insane acceleration thanks to a quad-motor system that produces 1,900 horsepower and 1,726 pound-feet of torque. On top of that, the hypercar still achieves a respectable 300 miles of range, made possible by an enormous 120kWh battery. All for the low, low price of $2.2 million.
Pininfarina is once again on the very cutting edge of the auto industry, blending beauty and the future of mobility in amazing harmony. While it remains to be seen how the market will treat the company’s first vehicle, it will certainly be remembered as a trailblazer in years to come.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
