New Ferrari Luce Is A 1,035 HP EV Sculpted By Apple’s Former Designers

At long last, after teasing its highly tactile interior earlier this year, the new Ferrari Luce has finally been revealed. The Luce is probably the most controversial Ferrari to date, whether that would be due to its design or its fully-electric drivetrain. Whatever the case, this vehicle won’t please everyone, as its controversy already begins with how it looks.

For starters, the Luce has been designed by Johny Ive and Marc Newson. If you may recall, these names already made a mark when it comes to smartphone design, as they were primarily responsible for the iPhone. They created the design firm LoveFrom, which so far has mostly designed electronics and other items. The Luce means that this is the first time that they will design an entire car, yet Ferrari outsourcing its automotive design isn’t unheard of. Remember, a lot of Ferraris were penned by Pininfarina and Bertone.

So what was the design brief for the Luce? The Italian supercar manufacturer gave creative freedom to LoveFrom. In this case, Ferrari says that the Luce’s design is centered around the ultra-clean glasshouse. The body creates a circular motif that surrounds the glass house, with a sculpted hood at the front that features a floating wing, channelling air to help with downforce and aerodynamic efficiency. The LED headlights are also hidden within the insides of the frontal wing.

At the sides, the Ferrari Luce rides on 23- and 24-inch wheels–the largest ever fitted to a Ferrari production car. The side profile has a vertical black trim piece that mimics a vent. It also happens to be Ferrari’s most aerodynamic car to date–even more so than its supercars–though the Italian supercar brand hasn’t revealed a figure yet. It also has a lower center of gravity than the Purosangue V12-powered crossover SUV, but as a pure electric vehicle (EV), we aren’t surprised. Hidden door handles and Rolls-Royce-style rear-hinged rear doors are the other highlights of the Luce’s side profile.

Moving towards the rear, there are more contrasting black elements, this time surrounding the circular LED taillights inspired by the 360 Modena and 458 Italia. These are perhaps the only shared design DNA points between the Luce and other Ferraris. The rear end also features a full fastback tailgate and not just a sedan-like trunk. Now, while the iPhone has become a design icon, we don’t think the Luce will go down the same path, but what’s your take? Sink it all in for a moment if a four-door, five-seat Ferrari EV fastback is your cup of tea.

When Ferrari teased the Luce’s interior, we were left impressed with the sheer amount of tactility it offered. Now that we’re seeing its interior in full, we think that it’s the interior where the Luce is truly impressive. The steering wheel is from a solid piece of recycled aluminum, while the three digital OLED displays and the entire instrument cluster move with the steering wheel as you adjust its reach and rake.

See those black panels and displays? Those are made out of Gorilla Glass for maximum scratch resistance. Meanwhile, the OLED panels don’t have a clear border with the black bezels, resulting in a very seamless design. LoveFrom has done a top-notch job combining digital with analog controls. E-Ink has also been utilized for the Gorilla Glass smart key. Laying the key onto its dock in the center console triggers a startup sequence, in which the yellow hue of the key spreads across the cabin interface. Was it necessary? Absolutely not, but it’s peak theater for an EV.

Lastly, all of the knobs and switches may look simple, but behind these knobs are complex mechanisms that become the driving force behind their very satisfying tactile feel.

At the rear quarters, you’ll see a spacious three-seat bench, perhaps the first Ferrari to offer seating for five. The rear occupants also get their own climate controls and secondary screen, which once again cleverly blends digital and analog. And then, as for features, there are amenities like optional massaging seats, a 21-speaker 3,000-watt surround sound system, and a full advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) suite.

The new Ferrari Luce goes against the brand’s norm by offering a four-motor setup with no internal combustion engine (ICE) in sight. The four electric motors deliver 1,035 horsepower, which is good enough for a 2.5-second 0-100 kph time and a 310 kph top speed. Yet Ferrari knows simply making a fast EV wouldn’t be enough. A Xiaomi SU7 Ultra or the YU7 GT for a fraction of the cost can offer even more breathtaking speeds, and so Ferrari focused on making the Luce special and extravagant in other ways.

Sound is an unmistakable Ferrari ingredient, and what they did to achieve this is to implement a similar feat with electric guitars. Rather than use fake synthetic robotic noises, Ferrari uses a precision accelerometer in the rear axle to capture the real vibrations of the electric drivetrain. The Ferrari-developed and patented system “filters, equalizes, and amplifies the signal in a similar way to an electric guitar, but only when functional to the driving experience.” Power delivery across various EVs feels very similar, and so Ferrari created a unique torque shift engagement which helps in delivering an authentic engine braking sensation that is “worthy of a sports car.”

As for the other specifications, the Luce has a 122 kWh battery that Ferrari claims is good for a 330-mile WLTP-rated range. That battery is an integral part of the Luce’s structure, which results in a 25 percent increase in bending rigidity and a 35 percent gain in torsional rigidity versus previous four-door Ferraris. Furthermore, the 800-volt EV architecture allows for DC fast charging speeds of up to 350 kW.

The new Ferrari Luce is going on sale in Europe first by this year, while North America won’t see the Luce until 2027. It is being sold in Europe for a base price of €520,000 or about PHP37 million. Is the idea of a multi-million dollar electric Ferrari right up your alley? Let us know in the comments section.