Automotive News Europe — 2022-10-11
Automotive Industry
Swiss EV startup Piech Automotive has appointed the former Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers and the ex-global head of Hyundai’s Genesis brand, Manfred Fitzgerald, as co-CEOs.
Former CEO of Aston Martin, Tobias Moers, and the ex global head of the Genesis brand, Manfred Fitzgerald, will act as co-CEOs of Piech automotive.
Piech Automotive was co-founded in 2017 by Toni Piech, the son of former Volkswagen Group Chairman Ferdinand Piech. The company aims to launch its GT electric sports car in 2024.
Moers, 56, was ousted as head of Aston Martin in May after a tumultuous two years as head of the troubled luxury sports-car company. Prior to that he led Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance arm. At Piech Automotive, Moers will also be chief technology officer.
Fitzgerald, 58, spent three years as head of Genesis following his appointment in 2016. Prior to that he was director of brand and design at VW Group’s Lamborghini supercar division.
Fitzgerald will also take over the role of chairman at Piech Automotive, a job previously held by Matthias Mueller, the former CEO of VW Group. Mueller was appointed in 2020, but left on 2021, German business publication Spiegel reported.
“We are convinced that this new management team will steer the Piech brand to long-term success,” Toni Piech said in a statement.
Piech Automotive unveiled its two-seat electric coupe at the 2019 Geneva auto show, promising fast charging and a 500 km (311 miles) electric-only range.
The company has since released more technical details of car, which is said to accelerate to from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in under three seconds with help from three electric motors.
The firm has designed a modular vehicle platform that it says will become basis for developing different body and powertrain variants after the launch of the electric GT
Piech Automotive was co-founded by Rea Stark Rajcic, the head of Swiss company Quantum Group.
The group made the headlines on 2021 after VW Group rejected its €7.5bn bid for Lamborghini.