Ferrari’s first all-electric car, the Luce, is redefining what a Ferrari looks and feels like, sparking a clash between tradition and a radical new design vision.
Early development and reveal
After months of teasers, Ferrari fully revealed the Luce, its first EV, a four-door, five-seat model designed in collaboration with Jony Ive and Marc Newson’s firm LoveFrom.1 Ferrari allowed LoveFrom to “define the design direction of the project from the outset,” shaping both the minimalist exterior and an interior packed with physical controls.1
The Luce was then unveiled to the public at the Vela di Calatrava complex outside Rome, positioned as one of the most anticipated and hyped electric vehicles in years.2 The launch marks Ferrari’s late but decisive entry into the EV market, at a time when many rivals are scaling back electric ambitions.2
Design shock and fan backlash
First reactions fixated on the styling. One reviewer concluded that “Jony Ive’s Ferrari looks nothing like a Ferrari,” arguing the smooth, rounded body “looks more like something Apple would make.”2 Another described it as “Amazing interior, controversial exterior,” calling the Luce “the most divisive yet” among Ferraris, given it is simultaneously the brand’s first four-door sedan, first five-seater, and first battery-electric vehicle.3
Some journalists noted the design cues were so Apple-like that they “could imagine it wearing that computer company’s logo rather than the prancing horse,” even as the four round taillights nod to 1990s Ferraris.3
Performance, pricing, and strategic stakes
Beneath the controversy, the Luce’s specs are firmly in supercar territory: four electric motors, 1,035 horsepower, and an 800-volt architecture, with an estimated 330-mile range.13 Early impressions say it “feels more like an SUV than a traditional sports car,” and its sound system amplifies real motor vibrations rather than using fully synthesized audio.1 Starting at €550,000 in Italy, it is set to be “the most expensive Ferrari yet.”1
For Ferrari, the Luce is less a one-off experiment than a strategic necessity: an emissions-free halo car for key markets like China and Silicon Valley, even if it means building what one observer called “the most controversial Ferrari ever.”3