Pininfarina Teorema is the new sleekest Concept Car

The Italian design house showed off a long, low concept that previews a world of autonomous driving and electric powertrains.

Pininfarina has been especially busy of late. After the recent announcement that Pininfarina will pen a 1000-hp electric truck for Detroit startup Hercules, the storied Italian design house has revealed this Teorema concept. Sitting on an electric skateboard chassis, with the battery tucked away under the floor, the Teorema concept has been created for an autonomous future and puts an emphasis on maximizing interior space.

Pininfarina Teorema

The Teorema was a joint project between Pininfarina’s teams in Cambiano, Italy, and Shanghai, China, and the vehicle was developed using virtual reality technology. The Teorema is 212.6 inches long—longer than a Chevrolet Tahoe—but measures just 55.1 inches high, around 20 inches lower than the Chevy SUV. Despite its sleek appearance, the Teorema still has a roomy interior since the electric platform allowed Pininfarina to stretch the vehicle’s proportions to create a lounge-like space. Pininfarina says that passengers enter the Teorema by "simply walking inside of it" as the roof rises upward and forward, although the company didn't provide images or video of this feature.

Pininfarina Teorema

Inside, the passengers sit in a space shaped like a pentagon. The driver, who can choose whether or not to exit autonomous mode and actively drive, sits alone upfront in a central seating position but can spin the seat around and let the Teorema handle the driving duties. Since the Teorema has no doors on the side of the vehicle, passengers can also convert the four chairs into benches and sit using the side of the car as a backrest.

Pininfarina Teorema

Pininfarina typically doesn't build cars itself, other than the upcoming Battista electric hypercar, so the Teorema likely has no chance of reaching production. Instead, it shows off Pininfarina's design expertise and previews how the company will approach design in the electric autonomous future as it partners with companies such as Karma Automotive and Vietnam's VinFast.

-by Amaan Attar