Pininfarina Scilla Concept
The Pininfarina Scilla concept is a collaborative vision of the electric, semi-autonomous car of 2030, produced by IED Turin students under the guidance of Pininfarina and Italian automotive magazine Quattroruote. Unveiled at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show, it draws its design language from underwater predators and Greek mythology, and represents one of the most striking student-led concept projects in recent Italian automotive history.
The Story Behind the Scilla Name
Scilla takes its name from Greek mythology: a blue-eyed nymph who was transformed into a terrifying sea monster by Glauco, son of Zeus. The concept car inverts this mythology. Rather than a graceful creature made heavy and monstrous, the Scilla is lightness and elegance reclaimed. The name was chosen by Quattroruote readers, and the design team led by IED coordinator Alessandro Cipolli built the entire aesthetic around that theme: fluid surfaces, biomorphic forms, and the silhouette of a creature built for speed through water rather than a conventional road vehicle.
Design and Dimensions
At 4.55 metres long and 1.95 metres wide, the Scilla sits in the grand tourer segment by dimension, but its form owes nothing to conventional automotive design. The A-pillar curves in a single unbroken arc from front to rear. The nose is wide and flat, tapering progressively toward the tail, a shape that is as much aerodynamic statement as visual expression. There are no unnecessary creases or decorative shut lines. The result is a profile that looks as credible emerging from water as it does arriving at a motor show stand.
The 1+1 seat layout borrows from aeronautical thinking: the passenger is seated behind and slightly offset from the driver, reducing frontal area and reinforcing the pilot-and-aircraft relationship between driver and machine.
Electric Powertrain and Autonomous Technology
Each rear wheel houses an independent brushless electric motor in a plug-in, plug-off configuration, giving the Scilla near-total wheel-by-wheel torque control. The plug-in powertrain is matched with semi-autonomous driving logic centred on a smart steering interface. The wheel continuously surveys road conditions and driver behaviour, identifying dangerous or critical situations and intervening as needed. The vision is of a 2030 in which the driver can choose the level of involvement, from full manual engagement to guided supervision, without giving up the emotional experience of driving.
Electric Concept Cars Available Now
The Scilla points toward a future that is already arriving. TheArsenale carries a range of electric performance vehicles for those who want to get ahead of that curve. The Nitid Trinity Electric Hypercar is a zero-emission performance machine available today. The RAESR Tachyon Speed is an electric hypercar prototype that proves high-performance electric motoring is already real, not hypothetical. For track driving technology at its most advanced, the Roborace Robocar is an autonomous electric race car that takes the Scilla's semi-autonomous vision to its logical extreme. Browse the full TheArsenale selected cars collection for the complete electric and performance vehicle lineup.
Sources
For a detailed look at the Scilla project from the team that built it, read the IED Turin project page for the Scilla. Carscoops covered the Geneva reveal in depth, including the collaboration structure and technical intentions, in their article Scilla Concept: Italy's Vision of the Car of 2030.
