Ferrari Faces Outrage Over New, All-Electric Luce

Ferrari is facing outrage from customers, fans, and even politicians after the release of their first-ever all-electric car– the Ferrari Luce. View official images of the new vehicle below.

The Ferrari Luce is a four-door, five-seater sedan that serves as Ferrari's first venture into the EV high-performance vehicle industry. Porsche and Audi have already released the Taycan and e-tron GT, respectively, while Rolls Royce launched the all-electric Spectre in 2024. However, luxury carmakers like Lamborghini, McLaren, and Ferrari had not released a fully electric vehicle due to the unique feel of an internal combustion engine, which provides certain auditory and tactile feedback that a battery cannot produce.

With their latest model, Ferrari took a step into that direction, unveiling the Luce– their first all-electric vehicle. The car has 1,035 horsepower and a four-motor, all-wheel drive, providing it with a top speed of 192 mph and a 0-60 mph time of just 2.5 seconds. Nevertheless, it comes at a steep cost, with an MSRP of $640,000.

Open grills on the front and rear end of the car are meant to enhance aerodynamics and boost airflow, allowing for a smoother drive, more downforce, and higher top speed with less battery power. The car was developed with Apple designer Jony Ive and his partner Marc Newson, both of whom helped design the Apple Watch.

Unfortunately, the car sparked massive controversy from Ferrari fans, particularly over its minimalistic, retro design concept. Fans described the look of the exterior as ultra-minimalistic and felt that the design was too large of a departure from Ferrari's traditional, timeless style, inspired by Enzo Ferrari's initial creations. Instead, sports car fans that the Luce had a distinct, Silicon Valley-style look – similar to minimalistic exteriors like those of Tesla – prompting online jokes that roasted the Luce for its appearance.

Viral memes announced that the car looked like it had been "designed entirely in airplane mode" or as if "an Apple Store made a minivan and gave it trust issues." Another popular take consisted of comparisons to Apple products– some described it as an oversized Apple Magic Mouse, coupled with images depicting the car being charged with a USB-C cable.

Ferrari has also previously refrained from building sedans, making the Luce an even further deviation from other recent designs like the Purosangue, 12Cilindri, or Amalfi. However, reviewers found the interior to be a step forward, with a roomy interior and well-designed, modern-yet-mechanical components that fitted the overall vibe of the vehicle while matching Ferrari's classic looks. They also noted that the reverse-hinged rear doors make entry and exit incredibly easy, while the spacious cabin and flat floors enhance a passenger's experience.

Even Italian politicians took to social media to denounce the new Luce, with critics including Italy's transport minister, a prominent lawmaker, and Luca di Montezemolo– Ferrari's former chairman.

Ferrari stock plummeted after the backlash, dropping by as much as 8% in European markets.

Nevertheless, Ferrari officials remain confident that the public will adjust to the new design, though they have acknowledged that the shift may take some time.

What do you think?

• I love it! Ultra-minimalistic and retro is my jam!
• It's nice.
• Meh.
• I'm not a big fan.

See All Options

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All images courtesy of Ferrari