Ferrari Elettrica: A Bold Leap into the EV Future
Ferrari is stepping into the electric vehicle arena with a bold move, announcing its first EV, currently dubbed the Elettrica, slated for release in 2026. While the final design remains under wraps, Ferrari has revealed some enticing details about this groundbreaking vehicle, signaling a departure from its traditional supercar ethos.
This EV will sport a four-door, four-seat configuration, a notable shift for the brand. The design, crafted in collaboration with Jony Ive's LoveFrom, promises a radical aesthetic, moving away from conventional Ferrari styling. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna emphasizes that the Elettrica is designed for comfort, broadening its appeal beyond the typical Ferrari customer base.
This model aims to be similar in size to the Purosangue, albeit with a more spacious interior, thanks to its cab-forward design. Constructed with an aluminum-intensive chassis, it aims for a relatively light curb weight of 5,070 pounds. Despite being heavier than the Purosangue, it's projected to offer quicker acceleration while maintaining a similar top speed of 193 mph.
Ferrari is clear that the Elettrica isn't a supercar. The decision to create a multi-passenger EV stems from research indicating that current battery technology doesn't provide a sufficient performance advantage over existing Ferrari sports cars.
Power and Performance
- Four Motors, All-Wheel Drive: The Elettrica will be powered by a bespoke four-motor powertrain. The design utilizes a Halbach array for its magnets, maximizing torque density, similar to Ferrari's F1 powertrains. The rear e-motors each produce 416 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, while the front motors, which disconnect during cruising for increased efficiency, deliver 141 hp and 89 lb-ft each.
- High-Revving Motors: The motors are designed for high revolutions, reaching up to 30,000 rpm at the front and 25,500 rpm at the rear. This eliminates the need for a two-speed transmission, maintaining a high top speed without added weight.
- Advanced Battery Technology: The Elettrica features a 122-kWh battery pack, developed in-house. The pack is comprised of 15 modules, with cells sourced from SK On, ensuring substantial range exceeding 330 miles.
Chassis and Dynamics
- Optimized Weight Distribution: The battery placement contributes to a lower center of gravity, improving handling. The design achieves a sporty front-to-rear weight distribution of 47/53 percent.
- Active Suspension and Steering: The Elettrica will feature Ferrari's Gen 3 active suspension system, an evolution of the system found in the Purosangue. The rear-wheel steering system enhances agility at low speeds and stability at high speeds.
- Torque Vectoring: The four e-motors enable torque vectoring across both axles. Combined with the active suspension and rear-wheel steering, this allows for precise control of vertical, lateral, and longitudinal forces at each wheel.
Driver Experience
- Dual Manettinos: The steering wheel features two manettinos. The right-hand manettino controls dynamic settings, including modes like Ice, ESC-Off, and a new Dry mode for daily driving. The left-hand eManettino manages the car's energy architecture, adjusting powertrain output and the number of driven axles.
- Torque Shift Engagement: Paddles behind the steering wheel allow drivers to adjust power and torque levels, and to simulate engine braking.
- Authentic Electric Car Sound: Ferrari is engineering a unique sound experience for the Elettrica. Instead of masking the electric powertrain sounds, they are amplifying and modifying them to create an engaging auditory experience. By using a vibration sensor at the rear axle, the system captures and enhances the frequencies emitted by the powertrain, offering an authentic and functional sound that communicates directly with the driver.
