Ferrari is preparing its first electric car, the Luce
Despite certain difficulties in the premium electric car market, Ferrari is persistently working on its first fully electric car, named Luce. The brand, perhaps the least expected in the EV world, is confident that this model will provide all those driving sensations expected from a prancing horse.
Five key elements of driving pleasure
During a recent interview, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna insisted that the Luce will deliver each of the five key driving factors, ensuring it is worthy of the brand’s emblem. He believes this will allow it to succeed where some electric cars have failed: to strike an emotional chord.
Vigna noted that one of the elements is “longitudinal acceleration,” agreeing with the interviewer that in electric cars it is too linear, and sometimes “too strong, because sometimes it disturbs our brain.” He revealed that Ferrari collaborated with NASA to “understand what level of acceleration disturbs people,” and that too strong acceleration is not good.
Sounds and gear shifting
Other important components of driving pleasure are “lateral acceleration, followed by braking feel, gear shifting, and sound.” As recent images of the Luce’s interior have shown, it will include steering wheel-mounted gear shift paddles. Unlike some electric cars, they will not be used to adjust the level of regenerative braking, but to adjust the level of torque connection.
Vigna did not confirm that the system would mimic traditional gear shifting like in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, but it certainly sounds as if Ferrari is aiming for just that. Then comes the extremely important sound.
Authentic electric motor sound
As patents have shown, Ferrari will not aim to mimic the sound of an internal combustion engine in the Luce, but will instead amplify the sounds of the electric motor.
The electric motor is not silent, there is sound. The problem sometimes today is that most of us associate the sound of an electric motor with something high-frequency, which is disturbing. But there are also low frequencies, there are also ways to capture the sound in an authentic way, an original way, to avoid the two things sounding like a DJ.
Vigna added that the Luce will have a range of over 311 miles (500 km). While this may not sound very impressive, he noted that it was not designed with track use in mind, indicating that battery technology is not yet ready for such cars.
Ferrari’s approach to building an electric car proves to be very thoughtful and driver-oriented. Instead of simply offering instant torque, engineers are studying the physiological impact of acceleration. The emphasis on authentic motor sound rather than artificial imitation, and the idea of using paddles to control power rather than regeneration, indicate a desire to preserve the sense of control and engagement characteristic of their sports cars. This could be the key to convincing the brand’s traditional enthusiasts to embrace an electric future, offering familiar driving pleasure in a new form.