New Ferrari Elettrica: Has the first Ferrari electric car finally got a name?

Ferrari Elettrica – those are the words that were featured in the brand’s recent shareholder presentation, and could be the name of its first-ever electric car, which we’re expecting to be unveiled fully in October. 

There’s no deep meaning or historical reference to the name Elettrica, because it simply means electric in Italian. However, choosing to name its car this way is hardly surprising from the brand that launched some awe-inspiring cars with unimaginative names, including ‘The Ferrari’, ‘812 Superfast’ and ‘12Cilindri’.

Admittedly, Ferrari hasn’t confirmed the Elettrica name just yet, and even if it were correct, there’s still time before the company’s Capital Markets Day on October 9 – when the car is likely to be revealed – to have another brainstorming session.

Prototypes of the new EV have been spotted testing several times already, all wearing similar camouflage. Despite having some body panels and rear lights taken from a Maserati Levante, the test car has been modified extensively to fit not only Ferrari’s electric powertrain, but also a lower and more driver-focused chassis. 

Ferrari hasn’t said what segment the new EV will compete in, although we strongly suspect it will be pitched as an alternative to the Ferrari Purosangue, given its four-door practicality and size. The test car also provides some clues as to what’s in store for Ferrari’s electric car in terms of design.

The headlights look like they’ve been taken from the Roma, and the tail-lights and boot lid are from the Levante. But the flared front wings are bespoke to the Ferrari and feature a more streamlined profile than the Purosangue’s. The front bumper showcases an open and aggressive style; we assume the side air intakes will help to cool the front brakes, which we expect will have carbon-ceramic discs. Sitting over those brakes are a set of massive 24-inch wheels.

During Ferrari’s 2024 results presentation, when it celebrated registering a profit of more than 1.56bn Euros (roughly £1.26b) – a 21 per cent increase over 2023 – CEO Benedetto Vigna also linked the new Ferrari F80 hypercar, with its 800V architecture and self-charging hybrid system, to the firm’s electric plan moving forward. 

He said: “The will to progress that has always characterized Ferrari has led to innovation in our infrastructure, with the inauguration of the e-building; in our products, best highlighted by the new supercar, the Ferrari F80; and in R&D, with the new E-Cells Lab that will further strengthen our electrochemical knowledge to prepare us for the future.” 

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“It will be an important moment in our history. For the first time we will have three kinds of traction: ICE, hybrid and electric,” added Vigna.

The ‘E-Cells Lab’ Ferrari is building is expected to open its production line this year. The company is planning on producing electric motors and key powertrain components in-house, although batteries are expected to be sourced from external suppliers.

The new electric vehicle is likely to be lower than its V12-powered Purosangue sibling, though, with the photos suggesting the prototype has a comparatively low windscreen base. In order to offer the performance we’d expect of any Ferrari, it’s certain to feature at least a dual-motor powertrain, which will make it all-wheel drive, too.

Channelling Ferrari’s character will be an essential part of the new model, so the approach it takes in terms of the noise it produces will be one of the key factors. Just as with Porsche, and more recently Lotus, Ferrari will probably augment the natural sound of the electric motors, rather than directly faking the soundtrack of an internal-combustion engine. 

Some of the technical advances made in the Purosangue will also be deployed, with the use of fully active suspension and rear-wheel steering to make the big EV drive like a Ferrari should.

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