Ferrari Luce electric luxury car debuts with shocking Jony Ive design

Ferrari Luce electric luxury car is (finally) here

The luxury automotive world has just experienced a massive shockwave. Ferrari has officially taken the wraps off its first ever fully electric vehicle, and it is safe to say that nobody saw this coming. Dubbed the Ferrari Luce, which means light in Italian, this vehicle represents one of the riskiest and most polarizing bets the legendary Italian carmaker has made in its long history.

For decades, the prancing horse badge has been synonymous with low slung bodies, screaming combustion engines, and aggressive tracks. The Ferrari Luce electric luxury car throws that entire playbook out the window. This dramatic shift is due to a historic partnership with LoveFrom, the creative design house founded by legendary former Apple design chief Jony Ive and Marc Newson. The result is a machine that looks less like a traditional low profile supercar and far more like a futuristic, high riding luxury crossover.

A design that shatters traditional boundaries

When you look at the Ferrari Luce electric luxury car, your brain might not immediately register it as a product of Maranello. Instead of the typical razor sharp aerodynamic lines found on gas powered supercars, the Luce features a clean, single volume shape. The exterior revolves around a shell style glass house with Jony Ive signature minimalism on full display.

Interestingly, the nose of the vehicle invokes the muscular stance of classic American muscle cars rather than Italian exotic curves. Move to the side profile, and the vehicle reveals its true surprise. It features a distinctive shape that mimics a luxury SUV in size and stature. This choice was necessary to house the massive battery packs resting beneath the floorboard.

To make entry and exit a true red carpet experience, the vehicle utilizes a pair of rear hinged suicide doors that swing shut automatically at the touch of a button. It is also the first road going Ferrari production vehicle to comfortably seat more than four people, supported by massive twenty three inch front and twenty four inch rear custom wheels.

Inside the clinical and tactile cockpit

Step inside the Ferrari Luce electric luxury car, and you are instantly transported into a space that feels like a cross between a luxury lounge and a premium tech device. Early critics called the cabin too cold and clinical, but being surrounded by the scent and premium feel of warm leather brings the concept together beautifully.

Jony Ive and the LoveFrom team wanted to combat the modern trend of boring, all touchscreen dashboards. They focused heavily on physical, tactile connection. While there is a pivoting ten inch central touchscreen, it is perforated with holes to allow chunky, beautifully finished aluminum switches to pop through. The cockpit also boasts over forty individual pieces of Corning Gorilla Glass. Even the vehicle key features an E Ink background screen. When you place the key into its receiver, the yellow glow appears to physically transfer into the glass shifter, symbolizing a transference of life into the machine.

Outrageous electric power meets mechanical sound

Purists might worry that an electric Ferrari will lose its soul, but the performance figures of the Ferrari Luce electric luxury car prove otherwise. The vehicle generates a staggering 1,035 horsepower out of a four motor powertrain. When you engage launch control via an aluminum lever on the ceiling, that output bumps up to 1,050 horsepower. This setup allows the heavy luxury car to rocket from zero to sixty two miles per hour in just 2.5 seconds, reaching a top speed of 193 miles per hour.

To keep this heavy machine nimble, Ferrari packed it with a highly advanced Vehicle Control Unit. This system samples the road surface and motor output every five milliseconds, instantly adjusting the active suspension and independently steered rear axle. Furthermore, Ferrari chose not to fake traditional engine noises. Instead, when driven in performance mode, the car amplifies and cleans up the actual natural vibrations of the electric axles. The result is a unique, authentic sound that isn’t far off from the company historical V8 engines.

Range, charging, and the road ahead

The backbone of this luxury vehicle is a massive 122 kilowatt hour battery pack. Ferrari notes that testing is still wrapping up, but they claim a driving range in excess of 329 miles on the European WLTP cycle. Thanks to its modern 800 volt architecture, the vehicle can handle fast charging speeds of up to 350 kilowatts. This means drivers can recover up to 70 kilowatt hours of capacity in a quick twenty minute charging session.

This ground breaking EV is expected to launch first in Europe toward the end of this year with a jaw dropping starting price of 550,000 Euros, which translates to roughly 640,000 US dollars. Buyers in the United States will have to wait a bit longer, as the car is not scheduled to arrive on American soil until the second quarter of 2027. Whether traditionalists love it or hate it, this machine successfully expands the community and proves that the electric future can still carry the spirit of the prancing horse.