Pininfarina’s ‘Orbis’ taps Papal support for eco agenda

Orbis by Pininfarina, in front of the 1968 Ferrari P6 Berlinetta Speciale Concept

(Image credit: Vatican Media)

What to make of Orbis, a ‘symbol of sustainability and harmony for Pope Francis’, designed by leading Italian studio Pininfarina and presented to His Holiness at a ceremony in the Vatican this week? Part trophy, part mystic Catholic relic, part abstracted engine component, the Orbis is described as a ‘symbolic object’ by the studio.

Shaped by Pininfarina, with no clue given as to where it was crafted, the Orbis is a translucent asymmetric sculpture that has been designed to hold ‘significant meaning,’ splicing Catholic mysticism with the auto industry’s penchant for awarding itself trophies.

While the object itself was handed over to the supreme pontiff by a delegation of auto industry reps led by Silvio Pietro Angori, vice president and CEO of Pininfarina, amidst much ceremony, the backstory is a little more prosaic. In fact, it celebrates the fifth edition of ‘From 100 to 5%’, a massive annual test of EV efficiency organised by Motor1.com and this year launched from St Peter’s Square.

Described as a real-world test of battery life and range, ‘From 100 to 5%’ sees 12 key EVs pitched against one another in the urban traffic of Rome’s A90 ring road, the Grande Raccordo Anulare. Modest scaled models from Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Lancia, Mini, Omoda, Renault, Skoda, Smart and Volvo will duke it out on the autostrada to see which one does best, with results due in February.

Orbis in front of the 12 entrants to the 'From 100 to 5%' test

The Orbis project might actually be a canny political play. Pininfarina speaks of the object representing the ‘shared values of sustainability, innovation, and commitment to building a better future’, its circular form ‘symbolising harmony and unity, while the dynamic, intertwined inner surfaces represent the creative tension required to build a sustainable future’.

In a world where the social, economic and political impetus to go all-electric threatens to be undone by rogue presidents guided by grudges and bad advice, Europe’s car makers are smart to get the papal authority on their side.

‘This object is not only a gift for the Holy Father but also an invitation for all of us to work together for a more sustainable world,’ Silvio Pietro Angori said after the ceremony. 'At Pininfarina, we believe design can be a powerful tool to inspire change, bridging innovation and responsibility.'

The transition to sustainable mobility is a technological challenge but, above all, it’s a cultural transformation that involves all of us.’ We’re living at a time when gestures, loyalties and symbolism have taken on new and urgent importance.

Pininfarina.it

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Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.