Pininfarina Battista first drive: Meet the $2.2 million, 1,900-hp electric hypercar

That's a tall order for any vehicle, let alone the first produced by a new manufacturer. After spending an afternoon with the Battista on some of our favorite roads above Malibu, we can definitely say that their boldness paid off.

MALIBU, Calif. — The all-electric Pininfarina Battista puts out some impressive numbers. Power output in the neighborhood of 1,900 horsepower. 0 to 60 time less than 2 seconds. A range of 300 miles is estimated. Starting price of $2.2 million. All of these can invoke the names hypercar or supercar, but that would mean it's tough and unforgiving. Instead, Pininfarina describes the Battista as a hyper GT, giving it the otherworldly power and performance of a hypercar while being comfortable enough for road trips.

Automobili Pininfarina Carrozzeria Pininfarina is the new manufacturing arm of the design firm that has written some of the most iconic cars in history. These include the 1947 Cisitalia 202, which is considered the first car to integrate fenders into the rest of the body. Then there are the icons like Fiat and Alfa Romeo Spiders (top right) with the nouveau classic Cadillac Allante. But Pininfarina's association with Ferrari is more notable, with most of the 250 GT line (left), the Daytona, the 512 BB and the wild 1980s Testarossa.

The Battista is named after Battista "Pinin" Farina, who founded Carrozzeria Pininfarina in 1930. Much of its battery, chassis, and motor come from Rimac, the fledgling Croatian maker of electric supercars that recently partnered with Porsche to take over Bugatti. .

The Battista's exterior styling definitely has echoes of Ferrari, and really, can you think of a better compliment than that? As an all-electric vehicle, it doesn't need cooling or air intake like gasoline-powered Ferraris and looks cleaner and more elemental as a result. The design is still incredibly aggressive, but less noisy, and blends well with the HyperGT's positioning.

Once you open the dihedral driver's door, you're greeted by a fairly narrow space between the dash and the seat. Entry requires a little more ducking and maneuvering than traditional sports cars, but there are definitely exotic vehicles that are more difficult to access. The door doesn't require a lot of effort to pull down, but it does take a lot of effort to close it completely, making it a good candidate for soft-close doors.

The seats are firm and have great side bolsters to keep you in place when cornering. More aggressive racing shell-type seats are also available, but unnecessary, in our estimation. Your feet can spread more in a straight line because intrusion into the front wheel well is reduced. We haven't even moved in yet and Battista is already delivering on its Hyper GT promise.

The cockpit is modern and minimalistic, with two horizontal touchscreens next to the steering wheel and a phone-like screen in the middle that displays speed and other important information. On the sides, at the 5 and 7 o'clock positions, are two dials. On the left is the selection of driving modes and on the right is the start button and gear selector. The cab is comfortable but not cramped and has good space.

The Battista is already on when we walk in, a fact indicated by subtle high-pitched hums and fan noises, much like an airplane running on its auxiliary power unit when it finds its seat. Step on the brake and a quick turn of the right dial puts it into gear. A little pressure on the throttle and Batista starts moving forward in the gravel wallet circle. Once on the wide, wide roads of the Santa Monica Mountains, it's amazing how well a 1900hp car handles itself.