Ferrari’s Missteps in Designing Its First Electric Vehicle

For nearly 80 years, Ferrari has held a special place in car culture, representing a dream for many, even those who might resent the wealthy who can afford them. The brand’s high prices, exclusivity, and secretive purchasing process allowed it to rise above typical criticism. Even if you couldn’t buy one, you still wanted one.

However, with the recent debut of the all-electric Luce, Ferrari has faced a harsh reality check, drawing widespread mockery online through memes and derisive comments. The car has been likened to everything from a vacuum cleaner to a Magic Mouse, and most insultingly, a Nissan Leaf.

The Luce arrives at a time when wealth disparity and corporate excess are glaringly apparent, making its hefty price tag—more than most people earn in a decade—hard to swallow, especially given its bland, mass-market appearance. Ferrari has always sold aspiration across different social classes, but the $640,000-plus Luce seems to dilute that allure, frustrating loyal fans and enthusiasts alike.

“The reaction illustrates how intrinsically the brand identity, expectations, and design are tied together,” noted a design expert. “While there are elements that reference the brand, like the taillights and the red color option, the overall design lacks the visual excitement and performance expression that Ferrari is known for. The car’s face is unrecognizable… It doesn’t align with the brand.”

The Luce was crafted in collaboration with renowned Apple designers Jony Ive and Marc Newson, featuring four motors, 1,035 horsepower, and an electric range of about 500 km. Ive has previously criticized modern car designs, calling some “shocking,” but recently acknowledged the challenges of automotive design.

This model is the longest Ferrari ever made, moving away from the brand’s signature sharp lines to a more streamlined, aerodynamic shape. It’s also Ferrari’s first five-seater, with a low profile that gives it a hatchback-like appearance. The design features a sleek, dark cabin that seems to sit within a bulkier aluminum shell, and instead of a traditional grille, it has a unique S-duct design. The overall look is perplexing.

An expert in transportation design pointed out that industrial design and automotive design are distinct fields, and skills from one don’t always translate to the other. While Ive’s design for the iPhone was perfect for a handheld device, a Ferrari is a different beast altogether.

Hiring LoveFrom made sense in theory, as Ive is a brand in his own right. The Luce’s interior has received praise for its mix of analog and digital elements, but it feels more suited for a compact premium car than a supercar priced at half a million dollars.

Following the Luce’s unveiling, Ferrari’s stock dropped about 8 percent in Milan and 5.3 percent in New York, with analysts attributing this to a combination of design backlash and investor worries about R&D costs. Despite the negative feedback, Ferrari’s CEO claimed there was strong interest in the Luce, particularly from new customers, and the stock has since rebounded.

An automotive analyst noted that the backlash reflects the current economic and political climate. “This might just be a minor blip in Ferrari’s long history,” she said, “and I don’t see why this vehicle should tarnish the Ferrari legacy.”

The criticism has come from various quarters, including harsh remarks from Italian officials and even former Ferrari leadership. The former president expressed concern that the Luce could “destroy a myth,” while the Italian Transportation Minister echoed similar sentiments. Ferrari has chosen not to comment on these statements.

Competitors in the supercar arena are also taking note. The CEO of Lamborghini, while not directly addressing the Luce, stated that his company’s pivot to plug-in hybrids over full EVs was the right choice, emphasizing that innovation shouldn’t be forced on customers.

Among automotive designers, the feedback has been blunt. “It’s brutally bland, almost as if it was designed by AI,” one expert remarked, describing it as a generic amalgamation of various themes, lacking a distinct identity.

Critics have pointed out several design flaws with the Luce. Its stance and proportions feel off for a Ferrari, which is known for its sleek and aggressive aesthetics. The front end appears generic, even with the air vent design, which has been humorously demonstrated to be large enough for an arm to pass through.

“It’s not a sports car, nor a city electric, and it doesn’t really scream luxury,” the designer said. “It seems like they may have been misled by LoveFrom… The strategy is muddled, conflicting with the brand’s identity.”

Ferrari may have ulterior motives behind its design choices. The company has expressed a desire to strengthen its foothold in China, where electric vehicles are prevalent, and large gasoline cars face heavy taxes. The Luce’s design, with its expansive glass surfaces and polarizing exterior, seems aimed at competing in a market where domestic brands are launching high-end EVs.

This approach echoes BMW’s past, where the brand faced ridicule for enlarging its kidney grilles to appeal to the Chinese market. BMW’s design chief later admitted that in certain regions, larger grilles were desirable.

Benedetto Vigna, who took the helm at Ferrari in 2021, has described the Luce as a “Leapfrog moment” for the company, expressing pride in leading during this transformative period. While this may hold true from an engineering perspective, whether the design aligns with Ferrari’s storied legacy remains in question.

Ferrari’s cultural significance hinges on its authenticity, heritage, and unmistakable design. When you strip away the engine—the heart of Ferrari’s emotional appeal—you need to replace it with something equally compelling, which the Luce fails to deliver.

Despite the design misstep, the expert emphasized that it shouldn’t jeopardize Ferrari’s long-term health, calling it “a stumble in both concept and execution,” but asserting that the brand’s strong legacy will endure.

In light of the overwhelming criticism, one thing is clear: in attempting to signal a new era for Ferrari, the Luce has sparked renewed interest in the brand’s storied past.