It’s a strange time for veteran car manufacturers. While internal combustion engine (ICE) models aren’t going away for the foreseeable future, the shift in market demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has seen a considerable rise over the years, and as a result we’re witnessing big industry names enter the EV market, with some even going so far as to ditch their entire ICE portfolio altogether.
This time around though, it’s Ferrari that’s under the spotlight with the launch of its first all-electric car, the Luce. It’s a clear departure from the rest of Ferrari’s extremely high-end model lineup, and while it’s been divisive it’s obvious that the company is confident of where the Luce stands, describing its design as an “unconventional, multidisciplinary perspective.” Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna states:
We are convinced that a company demonstrates its leadership when it has the courage to dare and to take on the challenge of new technologies. The Ferrari Luce is the result of more than 60 of our new patents and lies at the heart of an ecosystem of collaborations with outstanding technology partners. We have created a car that combines unique driving emotions with extraordinary performance, driving pleasure, and comfort for the Ferraristi of today and tomorrow.
Perhaps what’s most “striking” (depending on who you ask) about the Luce is its exterior, which is massively different from the rest of Ferrari’s lineup. Available in three different colours, the car ditches a lot of aesthetic elements from its ICE predecessors, and instead comes with a lozenge-like passenger cell, with rear-hinged doors, and a windscreen that flows into the bonnet beneath a floating front wing. It looks very much like an EV from all angles—an SF90 this is certainly not.
Weighing at 2,260kg and measuring 5.1 meters, the Luce’s chassis also includes a virtual differential, four-wheel torque vectoring, active suspension, and the latest version of Ferrari’s Side Slip Control system. Ferrari adds that the car is designed with an elastically-mounted subframe to minimize cabin vibrations. It’s powered by four electric motors (one for each wheel) with a total output of 1,050 cv and 7,750 Nm of wheel torque. The car’s powertrain runs on a 122 kWh battery pack with an 800-volt setup, with a total range of up to 530 kilometers on a full charge; you’re also getting 0 to 100kph acceleration in just 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of 310kph.
Inside, there’s a five-seat cabin which combines analogue aesthetics with more modern elements. There’s a center console that features Corning Gorilla Glass and even comes with an E-ink docking station for the key, alongside a mechanical chronograph-inspired clock that doubles as a stopwatch and compass. The rear half of the cabin capable of can seat three adults, and also comes with a 21-speaker, 3,000-watt proprietary Ferrari audio system.
Priced starting at £474,320, the Luce first made headlines earlier this year after Ferrari announced that it was working with Sir Jony Ive’s LoveForm design firm on the car’s interior. As far as the EV market is concerned however, there’s certainly a lot of competition at the moment; on the other hand, it’s not everyday that you see an electric car with the iconic yellow badge in front.
