A lot of attention has been paid to Chinese and American electric vehicle startups, but one company from Italy is aiming for attention.
The company based in Milan is called Aehra and was founded earlier this year by Hazim Nada, a commodity trader and founder of the indoor skydiving company Aero Gravity.
The company’s first model was an unnamed electric SUV created by design director Filippo Perini, who led design at Lamborghini for 11 years and was responsible for models such as Huracan and Urusbefore switching to Italdesign and then Genesis.
Aehra will unveil its second model, a sedan, in February 2023 and aims to begin delivering to customers both models by 2025.
The company claims the SUV will generate power between 550kW and 600kW and offer a range of around 800km.
Auto Express also reports that the company is looking to use a 120kWh battery and three electric motors, one in the front and two in the rear.
It also reports Aehra plans to produce between 20-25,000 SUVs and sedans a year for various global markets, with sales starting in the US and Europe before expanding into China. .
Aehra says the SUV will cost around US$160-180,000 (about AU$242-272,000), roughly the price of a car. Bentley Bentayga due to the brand positioning itself as “ultra-premium”.
It is about 5.1m long with a 3m wheelbase and weighs less than 2 tons. For reference, a BMW iX M60 measures 4953mm long on a 3m wheelbase and has a tare weight of 2584kg.
The company says the cabin can accommodate “four NBA-sized players in total comfort.”
The SUV uses large wheels (23 inches front, 24 inches rear) and has a distinctive forward-cabin ratio, with short overhangs and a particularly stout front end.
The Italian tricycle is integrated into the D-pillar, and features “elytra-like” butterfly doors.
The headlights are connected by a thin opening with two raised elements that match the creases of the bonnet; A similar design element is used at the rear with the tail lights.
The SUV’s curvaceous lines contribute to class-leading aerodynamics and an unrivaled vision of effortlessly elegant futurism, the company says.
It used computational fluid dynamics to design the slick bodywork and says the SUV will set “the ultimate standard for aerodynamic drag reduction, cooling and battery thermal management”.
The SUV uses movable aerodynamic elements at the front and rear along with lightweight composite materials including forged carbon fiber.
Auto Express reported a drag coefficient of just 0.21. Aerodynamics Mercedes-Benz EQS has a CD of 0.20.
Filippo Perini said: “With the SUV, we have created a vehicle that goes beyond the usual standards that the auto industry sets for an SUV, while also setting new standards for style and comfortable.
“We used the monobody construction, which was widely used in Italy before, but now usually only for supercars.
“We’ve taken an equally radical approach to aerodynamics, which are central to the SUV’s design, driving characteristics and efficiency.”
“The AEHRA SUV represents a radical combination of cutting-edge sustainable materials, ultra-advanced EV technology, smart manufacturing technology, pure Italian design and, of course, a pivotal moment in the history of the world. history of our company,” said founder and CEO Hazim Nada.
