Pininfarina B0 at the Paris motor show 2008

By Guy bird

Motor Shows

08 October 2008 11:18

The Pininfarina B0 (that's ‘B-zero’, not body odour) was one of the hidden gems of the 2008 Paris motor show. The full electric vehicle is arguably the first EV you’d actually want to buy for its design. By late 2009 you will be able to – almost unchanged from this show car – for circa £18,000, with plans for mass production to follow.

What’s not interesting about a luxury, zero-emissions, electric four-seater city car from the Italian design house that brought the world countless beautiful Ferraris plus a few svelte Peugeots? The car will even sport the Pininfarina badge on its nose – the last production car to do so being the 1980s Spidereuropa (based on the old Fiat Spider).

Okay the expected price is steep for a four-seater small car – blame the start-up cost of developing the high-tech batteries with joint venture partner Bollore – but for that you avoid road tax, congestion charges and a host of other CO2-related levies.

The promised range from the lithium metal polymer batteries is 150 miles, recharge time takes between four to nine hours depending on power source, 0-37mph takes 6.3 seconds and it'll top out at 80mph. What most Paris show pictures didn’t reveal was the B0’s superb interior too – restrained and unfussy but undeniably luxurious.

There was a blue Ferrari California roadster-coupé tucked towards the back of the small stand; but nobody paid the tin-top Ferrari a second glance – everyone's gaze fell on the B0.

Click here for up to the minute Paris motor show 2008 live reports

Click here for the previews and review: Guide to all cars

By Guy bird