Although the automaker Ferrari does not disclose what form its first electric car will take, its management has made it clear: it will not replace supercars like the 296 or 12Cilindri, writes UNN with reference to InsideEVs.
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"This car will not replace another car or product. It is an addition," said Ferrari Product Development Director Gianmaria Fulgenzi in an interview with InsideEVs this week at the presentation of the technologies of its future electric car, tentatively named Elettrica.
In his comments during the event at the company's new sustainable factory, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna also emphasized that the company must master all technologies. Vigna and Fulgenzi also noted that if Ferrari is going to introduce a new technology in a segment, it must set a new standard in its class. According to Fulgenzi, EV technologies are not yet ready for a rethinking of the supercar market.
"We have seen that, despite the better components and technical capabilities that the market will be able to offer in 2026 or 2028, in terms of size, to make the best car with an electric powertrain, we see that an electric car for a two-seater sports car has not become a turning point in terms of architecture and basic physics," he said.
He is not alone in this opinion. Motor1 recently wrote that "no one wants an electric supercar," partly based on comments by Mate Rimac. His company Rimac entered the market with a 1914-horsepower hypercar. But it failed to attract customers.
This is partly due to the new brand, but partly to the "basic physics" that Fulgenzi spoke about.
While electric vehicles have one main advantage from a physics perspective – instant torque with virtually unlimited power – they have a perhaps more significant drawback. They are heavy. Weight reduction technologies are crucial in the supercar realm, as they allow for a car with better handling, dynamic, and more aggressive response. In addition, it is much more difficult to make a heavy car as "communicative" as a light sports car, as the heavy weight of electric vehicles requires more power steering assistance and stronger suspension components.
The company's choice is "driven by our customers," Fulgenzi said. "Our customers still prefer a special type of car – a two-seater, especially with an internal combustion engine. For example, with a V-12 engine in the front," he noted.
That is why the company aims to produce internal combustion engine, hybrid, and electric cars in the "foreseeable future." Currently, the company is implementing exclusively electric technologies in the segment where it is most appropriate: in larger Gran Turismo cars.
"You can have a large car with the same maneuverability as a compact car, and enjoy a four-seater car with the same maneuverability and comfort as a two-seater," Fulgenzi said.
But with modern technologies, the advantages of such an approach decrease as the size of the car decreases. While the main goal of the Elettrica is to hide and overcome its weight of more than 2200 kg, sports cars aim for complete weight reduction.
"You have to do this with [dimensions] that are, let's say, quite large," Fulgenzi said. "Otherwise, the possibilities to improve performance or driving feel will be very limited. Very, very limited, I tell you."
"[Fulgenzi] made it clear. It's not a supercar. Because battery chemistry is not suitable for creating a supercar," CEO Vigna told reporters.
When will this happen? Neither of the executives gave a precise answer. Fulgenzi admitted that it is possible even without a solid-state battery. And a slide at the presentation seemed to hint that the new two-door grand tourer Amalfi with a V-8 engine could be replaced by an electric car. But no one wants to say exactly when, the publication notes.
"We'll see," Fulgenzi said.
Ferrari unveiled its first all-electric racing car, the Elettrica09.10.25, 12:56 • [views_2257]