Ferrari Luce Electric Car - Why it could Succeed

Opinion Piece and a little bit newsy

Much has been discussed about how the Ferrari Luce looks, but little attention has been given to what Ferrari’s goals are with it, and who its targeting.

I have deliberately not written an article about the new, all-electric Ferrari Luce until now, because I very much wanted the dust to settle. So far, all the content about the Luce has been focused on its looks, and I don’t think its a bad looking car, it’s just not Trad Ferrari.

So that leaves me with a question; if it’s not a traditional Ferrari, then who is the target audience?

The delay in publishing an article has given me the space to reflect on this question, whilst sitting back and observing others comments, and then drawing my own conclusion.

Undoubtedly Ferrari has worked extremely hard in delivering their first electric car, having filed 60 new patents. It’s nothing short of futuristic in its conception with some truly new ways of thinking applied to various parts of the car. So let’s start with what its about.

Performance

The Luce is based on Ferrari’s own bespoke EV platform with innovations in engineering drawing from Ferrari’s huge experience in motor racing. Remember, this is Ferrari’s true heritage, and the engineering talent behind that has been focused on their new EV.

Kerb weight is 2260 kg, which from a 5 meter long electric car, is actually very good. This helps with a best‑in‑class performance delivering a 0-62 mph dash in a somewhat rocket-like 2.5 seconds. Ferrari even quotes a 0-125 mph sprint in 6.5 seconds and topping out at 192 mph. All this from 1,035 bhp and 11,500 Nm of torque, with a rear-wheel bias. So far, so good.

Ferrari utilises 800v architecture for its 122 kWh battery pack, complete with rapid charging capabilities up to 350 kW. The battery pack also forms a part of the cars structure, ensuring body rigidity whilst lowering weight and build complexities.

Driving Dynamics

The active suspension system is derived from the F80 and an independently steering rear axle to provide ‘control of each wheel’s motion in every direction’.

Ferrari says that “Each wheel is equipped with one actuator for traction and regeneration, one for the steering angle and one to control vertical movement. The ability to adapt torque distribution in real time to road conditions and desired performance provides exceptional freedom and precision of control.”

This approach allows for genuine driver engagement and feedback, moving the car around the driver and providing a sense of masterful fluidity.

Active ride height can lower the front by 10 mm at speed maximising efficiency at higher speeds, too.

And the all-wheel drive system is optimised for torque vectoring providing a precise and responsive car, while the regenerative brakes simulate engine braking worthy of their sports cars.

With a huge amount of torque available, torque management provides strong, instantaneous acceleration. But Ferrari has been clever by developing a system that allows variable torque, which can be increased via the right-hand steering wheel paddle. The left-hand paddle varies the regenerative brake levels.

The Ferrari Roar

Ferrari knows that the sound of the engines cause an emotional attachment to its customers, and fans, so they have approached noise in an entirely unique way, but with the mandate that it must be authentic and be functional.

Sounds from most electric cars make very little noise, or just a feint whine. Some have an artificial noise overlay, but very few have an emotive attachment. However, Ferrari has used a precision accelerometer at the centre of the axle that captures the “dynamic texture and vibration of the rotating components while the sound waves are moving”.
This system filters, equalises and amplifies the signal - think an electric guitar but for cars - with the sound level based on the use of the peddles. An external amplifier creates the natural sound, and an internal system emits it in high fidelity.

The sound alone should engage with the driver’s input, and their desired result. Ferrari has gone to extraordinary lengths - as manufacturers do tuning their internal combustion engines and exhaust systems - to generate a sound with passion.

Interior

Built as a four-door, five seat luxury car - a first for the Prancing Horse - it’s aim is to accommodate occupants in comfort surrounded by a collection of luxury products that has been designed with passion and curated with care to form the interior. Glance around the inside and you’ll find characterful designs integrating core functionalities of the car.

Each component is designed with care, with passion, with emotion, evoking the same attachment that Apple customers have to their products, coming back for repeated upgrades when new devices launch. It’s the simplicity, quality and craftsmanship that people like so much. Are there better performing products? Sure, but its just not Apple, and Apple products seemingly just work, and last and can continue to be upgraded well past the shelf life of competitor products. This is the new luxury.

And this is what the Luce is aiming at. It’s a new take on luxury, undefined by generations of luxury cars before it and their traditions that dictate what luxury is. Luxury products now incorporate technology and they do this unashamedly. It doesn’t mean traditional luxury cannot exist, but it does mean that both takes on luxury can coexist.

Ferrari is curating luxury for a new era and the evidence of it will be seen by the quality and design of each interior stand-alone product, along with the space, the comfort and serenity that Ferrari has forged. Think more of the modern luxury offered by The Opus building in Dubai vs the traditional splendour of Buckingham Palace.

Conclusion

Ferrari are pitching a similar attachment to their new family car. This does nothing to dilute the brand, because no other cars in their line-up are making way for it, or compete with it, so the Luce is an addition.

Who will it appeal to?

Those who own Ferrari’s, and who have families, who have partners that drive, may find a Luce irresistible. It’s untraditional luxury founded on individual quality products, not shiny trinkets, chrome surrounds, wood and 3rd party gadgets that are found in other manufacturers lesser models. The Luce stands alone and stands out with its unique take on luxury. Its unstuffy.

And for those in a very fortunate position, the Luce can be shared with partners and be used for trips out with friends and family. Plus it’s the younger generation that will appreciate the interior better than traditionalists, being made from a collection of high-end products.

It also means Ferrari drivers can now go electric in upmost luxury, comfort and modernism should they need to take something more practical somewhere.

In doing this, Ferrari is tapping into ‘the rest of the family’ as a market to expand into. And it means some traditional Ferrari customers will add this into their family lifestyle becoming a more inclusive brand for families, not just exclusive for one member, albeit that it still a choice. But it doesn’t compromise or performance, driver engagement and thrills, either.
It is, after all, utterly unique in a market grappling to understand what luxury is in the modern era.

Importantly, Ferrari is keen to explore and experiment in a very public way, and that’s something that has been lost with many other manufacturers that chase generics and profits over innovation.

People wrap themselves in the comfort blanket of what they think a brand should be, and how they want it to remain, but by allowing it to not be defined by others, is exactly how the traditional moulds are broken, and how humanity forges ahead. The Luce may not float your boat, but Ferrari has broken the mould, created new technologies, redefined luxury in an unstuffy way and made - what looks on paper - to be a brilliant car.

The furore that the Luce has created is an enormous knee-jerk reaction by those who reacted to its looks alone. Look deeper than the skin, and the wonders of it make sense.

As for the looks, they will always be subjective. Many will not like the looks of the current range of Ferraris, and for me they piqued with the 348 - just my personal preference. Ferrari’s drew crowds for their tidy lines and undeniable sports car looks. They were handsome cars, some were even pretty, but above all, they were desirable. Nowadays, hypercars are shouty, attention seeking, aggressively designed and not that pretty, or handsome, yet undeniably they are optimised as driver focused cars that are incredibly good on a track.

The Luce is not being shouty, it isn’t seeking attention, it’s not designed for a track, but it is about providing a family with an amazing car, with a take on luxury that’s unparalleled in the industry, but it is still a joy to drive, as well as being something that perhaps will not be banned from city centres in years to come, too. I think this is a solid, and bold move by Ferrari, and that more manufacturers should take Ferrari’s lead and think outside the box.

Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari, sums it up:
"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. Ferrari Luce was born precisely from this challenge, offering our unprecedented vision of electrification. Never before have we offered our clients such freedom of choice. In line with our belief in technological neutrality, we are the first in the world to combine fully electric, hybrid and combustion engine architectures for sports cars. We have not limited ourselves to innovation in powertrains; with Luce, we have launched a whole new segment in our range. This model 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".

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About the Author

Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more.

You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb .