DEUS Vayanne

The DEUS Vayanne, an all-new electric supercar, debuts today at the New York Auto Show. DEUS Automobiles has only existed for around two years. It emerged from a group of around 30 other companies from a wide range of sectors and is based in Vienna. For its debut vehicle, the Vayanne, it worked closely with Italdesign and Williams Advanced Engineering. One of the goals was to build the first electrically powered sports car with more than 2,200 horsepower. At the same time, comfort and luxury on board the Vayanne and suitability for everyday use in general shouldn’t be neglected. For this reason, for example, they ensured a ground clearance of 12 centimeters and actual usable storage space for luggage. On the other hand, the acceleration time from a standstill to 62 mph is under 1.99 seconds.

Series development until 2025

The collaboration with Italdesign wasn’t about designing the body or the interior. That work took place internally at DEUS under the direction of Adrian-Filip Butuca. Italdesign instead helped with the planning and development phase with its in-house Automotive Business Development department. The entire electric drive technology came from Williams Advanced Engineering. With over 2,200 hp (more than 1,640 kW) and 2,000 Nm of torque, the Vayanne is said to be capable of reaching over 248 mph. At the same time, the battery pack enables a range of more than 310 miles. The curb weight is currently around 1,810 kilograms. It remains to be seen whether this figure can be reduced on the way to the production version. This is scheduled to hit the roads in 2025 at the earliest. A total of just 25 units of the Vayanne are to be built.

Geometry and symmetry

The design team led by Adrian-Filip Butuca placed great emphasis on geometric and symmetrical shapes. To this end, the front air intake and rear air outlet were given the basic shape of the horizontal figure eight, the symbol for infinity. The hexagonal shapes in the grilles are carefully aligned and increase in intensity toward the center. At the rear, the taillight strip surrounds the air outlet. Italdesign’s engineering department worked closely with DEUS designers to arrange and align the side vents. In this way, the batteries and brakes receive exactly the amount of cooling air they need. At the same time, air resistance remains low and the flow around the vehicle as undisturbed as possible.

Sustainable natural leather

Inside, the gently dominant curves of the exterior design continue. The basic ideas of geometry and symmetry are also continued here. All physical controls are ergonomically positioned to be within easy reach of the driver. Thanks to the fully digital instrument cluster and the additional control display, the driver can concentrate on the essentials: driving. Only natural leather is used for the upholstery, which has undergone sustainable and technologically advanced treatment throughout the entire manufacturing process. For the first time in the automotive industry, the entire interior of the DEUS Vayanne features the Halo Infinity mirror. This design feature extends across the dashboard, door panels and other trim pieces. It conveys a sense of infinity that changes depending on the viewing angle. To match, the car’s Active Sound is also said to be configurable to suit the owner’s preferences.

Images: DEUS Automobiles GmbH