Who says EVs are dead? Not Ferrari. The Italian manufacturer has, if anything, provided new insight into what’s coming with the launch of its first all-electric model. And, to start with, it’s revealed the appropriately named Elettrica will punch out as much as 1,000 horsepower yet still manage to deliver 330 miles of range. Headlight.News has more.
The Ferrari Elettrica’s front drive unit can be decoupled.
Ferrari might be best known for high-revving internal combustion engines, but the Italian automaker has had a surprisingly long history of working with electric propulsion, starting with the hybrids needed for the Formula 1 series and then bringing gas-electric technology to the (well-heeled) consumer market with products like the SF90 Stradale.
Now, even as some other exotic brands retrench when it comes to going all-electric, Ferrari is going all-in with the upcoming Elettrica. The brand’s first fully battery-powered model will quite literally come as a shock to some Ferraristas, starting with confirmation it will boast four doors, long a no-no. And it won’t qualify as a “supercar,” according to CEO Benedetto Vigna.
But that might seem an odd parsing of terms considering what Ferrari has now confirmed Elettrica will be capable of. To start with, expect the Italian EV to deliver around 1,000 horsepower, enough to launch from 0 to 100 kph in a mere 2.5 seconds.
Electrifying Elettrica
Ferrari opted for a relatively large body to make room for a 112-kWh battery pack.
The name, as might seem obvious, is simply Italian for “electric.” Formally revealed during the company’s Capital Markets Day on Thursday, October 9, Ferrari described it as “the culmination of a long journey of technological research into electrification that began with the first hybrid solutions derived from the 2009 Formula 1 car. From the 599 HY-KERS prototype of 2010 to the 2013 LaFerrari del 2013, and from the SF90 Stradale – the Maranello-based marque’s first plug-in hybrid – and the 296 GTB to the 849 Testarossa presented recently.”
Elettrica weighs in at 5,070 pounds and has a wheelbase of 116.5 inches, about 2.4 inches shorter than the Purosangue SUV, Ferrari’s only other four-seater. It has a 47%/53% front-to-rear weight distribution.
The decision to go with such a large vehicle was driven by the realities of using battery power to deliver Ferrari levels of performance, according to CEO Vigna. Current technology “does not enable batteries to provide the necessary performance of a Ferrari sports car” in a smaller form factor. At the same time, he noted, “Dealers told us they hoped we would choose a large car for EV.”
Fast off the line and quick charging, too
Portion of a spy shot reveals the Ferrari Elettrica to follow a similar design language as the Purosangue SUV.
Power comes from a 122-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack driving four electric motors. The final, combined output is a little unclear, Ferrari indicating Elettrica would make “more than 986 hp,” while also signaling the actual figure could cross the four-digit mark. Either way, Elettrica is expected to not only launch from 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) in 2.5 seconds but top out at 310 kph, or 192 mph.
Ferrari officials said during the Thursday reveal that Elettrica will get up to 530 kilometers, or 330 miles, of range per charge. It wasn’t made clear, however, whether this was based on the WLTP standard. If so, the numbers would typical drop by as much as 20% when subject to the stricter EPA test cycle used in the U.S.
An 800-volt electrical architecture is one reason the EV will be able to deliver so much power. That also will translate into more rapid charging. Though exactly how long it will take to top off wasn’t revealed, that should be reasonably quick, at least when plugged into a DC quick charger delivering up to 350 kW, about the fastest publicly available in the U.S. right now.
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Not a supercar
Ferrari Elettrica is the automaker’s first model with a fully independent rear subframe.
Vigna cautioned that Elettrica won’t quite match the traditional performance and feel of a Ferrari. But that doesn’t mean it would be described as slow or stodgy. It will still deliver “our unique driving thrills,” with an electronic control system updating suspension, traction and steering systems up to 200 times a second.
To enhance both ride comfort and handling, the EV becomes the first Ferrari to use a fully independent suspension. Meanwhile, the use of four separate electric motors, one for each wheel, offers some distinctive advantages, especially when it comes to handling. That approach makes it even easier to deliver torque vectoring through corners by varying the amount of current delivered to each motor.
The front motors can also be decoupled, allowing a feel more like that of a traditional rear-wheel-drive Ferrari, or to allow for drifting. While Elettrica uses a single-speed gearbox, meanwhile, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters “let the driver access five progressively higher levels of torque and power delivery to offer a sensation of gradual acceleration and involvement,” Ferrari said in a statement.
To make up for the lack of the classic Ferrari engine note, the automaker equipped Elettrica with a simulated audio system. “A high precision sensor picks up the mechanical vibrations of the powertrain components,” it explained, “which are amplified to offer an authentic aural experience that reflects the dynamic driving experience and provides the driver with direct aural feedback.”
Pricing and availability
Ferrari hasn’t yet announced pricing for Elettrica but it has been widely anticipated it will come in around 500,000 euros, or $535,000 at current exchange rates. That’s before factoring in Trump auto tariffs for models shipped to the U.S.
As for availability, Ferrari has moved forward the launch date and it should reach showrooms about a year from now,
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