Automobili Estrema is an Italian manufacturer of electric hypercars founded in 2020. The company is known for developing the Fulminea, a high-performance all-electric hypercar featuring an innovative hybrid battery system that combines solid-state cells with ultra-capacitors.
| Company Information | |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founder | Gianfranco Pizzuto |
| Headquarters | Modena / Turin, Italy |
| Key Product | Fulminea Hypercar |
| Website | fulminea (assumed) |
History
Automobili Estrema was founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Gianfranco Pizzuto, a South Tyrolean businessman with extensive experience in electric mobility. Prior to founding Estrema, Pizzuto was an initial investor and co-founder of Fisker Automotive in 2007, where he contributed to the development of the Fisker Karma hybrid sports car.
The company was established during the COVID-19 pandemic, with operations based in Modena (engineering and assembly) and Turin (design and modeling studios). Pizzuto serves as CEO, with Roberto Olivo as Chief Operating Officer.
Pizzuto has been actively involved in electric mobility advocacy, serving as a brand ambassador for the Jaguar I-PACE launch in Italy (2018) and supporting Ionity’s infrastructure development in Italy.
Fulminea Hypercar
Overview
The Fulminea (Italian for “lightning-fast”) is Automobili Estrema’s debut vehicle, unveiled digitally from the Turin Auto Museum in 2021. The production was planned for the second half of 2023, though later reports indicated the prototype would arrive in 2026. The vehicle is a two-door coupe with a carbon fiber body, measuring 4,683 mm in length and 2,052 mm in width, with a curb weight of 1,500 kg.
| Fulminea Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Production | 61 units (planned) |
| Power | 1.5 MW (2,040 hp) |
| Battery | Hybrid (solid-state + ultra-capacitors) |
| Battery Weight | 300 kg |
| Range (WLTP) | 520 km (323 miles) |
| 0-100 km/h | ~2.0 seconds |
| 0-320 km/h | <10 seconds |
| Top Speed | ~350 km/h (217 mph, electronically limited) |
| Price | €1,961,000 (approx. £2 million) |
Powertrain and Battery Technology
The Fulminea’s most distinctive feature is its “hybrid” battery system, combining solid-state lithium cells with ultra-capacitors. This configuration was developed in collaboration with Avesta Battery Energy Engineering (ABEE) for the cells and IMECAR Elektronik for system integration.
The battery pack has a capacity of 100 kWh and achieves an energy density of 500 Wh/kg. The hybrid configuration places smaller ultra-capacitors on the front axle and larger solid-state batteries in the mid-rear section to optimize weight distribution.
The vehicle is equipped with four electric motors (one per wheel) producing a total peak power of 1.5 MW (2,040 hp). The Battery Management System (BMS) incorporates artificial intelligence software supplied by Electra Vehicles, a company that has worked with NASA on Mars rover technology.
Charging and Performance
The Fulminea is designed to support DC fast charging from 10% to 80% in under 15 minutes. The vehicle’s claimed acceleration includes 0-100 km/h in approximately 2 seconds and 0-320 km/h in less than 10 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of around 350 km/h.
The company announced plans to attempt the Nürburgring electric production car lap record following initial production.
Production Plans
Only 61 units of the Fulminea were planned for production—a number Pizzuto selected as both his birth year and his lucky number. The company aimed to sell approximately 20 cars per year without relying on traditional auto show presence. In 2022, Automobili Estrema announced a partnership with KEBA for charging station recommendations and customization.
Future Projects and Retrofit Initiative
Beyond the Fulminea, Pizzuto has announced plans for additional model lines, stating, “We love cars, and there will be another series”.
In November 2025, Pizzuto revealed a separate initiative: an industrialized retrofit kit for converting internal combustion engine vehicles to electric power. The kit is designed specifically for Fiat’s “mini platform” vehicles—the Fiat 500, Fiat Panda, and Lancia Ypsilon.
The proposed kit would include:
- A 30 kWh LFP (lithium-iron-phosphate) battery with 300 km city range
- 7.4 kW AC charging and 50 kW DC fast charging
- A motor-inverter powertrain electronically set to replicate original performance characteristics
- A modern central display with connectivity and navigation features
Pizzuto aims for the conversion cost to be under €8,000, achievable through standardized production and mass homologation rather than vehicle-by-vehicle approval. He has proposed government incentives similar to building renovation tax credits to make the conversions economically viable.