“It looks like public transport”: why the 1,050-hp Ferrari Luce is so divisive

On May 25, 2026, the Prancing Horse brand reached a milestone it had been postponing for years. Ferrari unveiled the Luce, its first 100% electric car, and it didn’t take long for reactions to divide enthusiasts, investors and observers of the luxury market.

An electric sedan with dizzying figures

The Luce is a four-door, five-seat sedan. It is the second four-door Ferrari in the brand’s history, and the first to seat five passengers. The Maranello-based automaker is positioning this model as a turning point in its strategy, with the aim of battery-powered vehicles accounting for 20% of its offering by 2030.

Under the body, the figures are striking. The sedan develops 1,050 hp thanks to four independent electric motors. Its 122 kWh battery, assembled in Maranello, offers a range of 531 km on the WLTP cycle. What’s more, it can reach 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and top out at 310 km/h.

The front engines reach speeds of 30,000 rpm. The project brings together more than 60 new patents and relies on a network of technological partners. The vehicle weighs 2.26 tonnes, a weight partly offset by the use of recycled aluminum from secondary alloys.

An ecological commitment integrated into production

Recycled aluminum accounts for around 70% of the vehicle’s total weight. This choice of materials significantly reduces CO2 emissions during production. In this way, the industrial approach is part of a more sober vision, without sacrificing performance.

Benedetto Vigna, the automaker’s CEO, described the project as being “at the heart of an ecosystem of collaborations with exceptional technological partners”. This orientation marks a change of method for a company accustomed to designing everything in-house.

“With the Ferrari Luce, we are once again pushing back the boundaries of what is possible. Today we’re not just unveiling a new car, we’re inaugurating a chapter that makes our vision a reality, reinforcing the Ferrari tradition of anticipating and shaping the future.” – John Elkann, President of Ferrari

LoveFrom design polarizes opinion

For the Luce, the automaker made an unusual choice. Design was entrusted to the LoveFrom creative collective, led by Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson, a duo from outside the brand’s historic studio. The aim was to bring a fresh look and new ideas to the vehicle’s silhouette.

The lines are futuristic and uncluttered. Yet they have provoked strong reactions on social networks, where fans of the brand expected to find the sculpted, sporty curves that make up the visual identity of traditional models. The comments on the official Instagram post leave no doubt as to the extent of the disagreement.

These include “It looks like public transport”, “Enzo Ferrari must be turning in his grave” and “Take away the Ferrari logo… and what’s left? These reactions reflect a real tension between the brand’s historic identity and its new aesthetic direction.

• 1,050 hp and four independent electric motors
• 122 kWh battery assembled in Maranello, 531 km WLTP range
• Design by LoveFrom, collective of Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson
• The brand’s first five-seater sedan, sold at over 500,000 euros each.
• Over 60 new patents integrated into the project

The stock market punishes the day after

Online criticism coincided with a cool reaction from the financial markets. The day after the presentation, the share price fell by -7.8% in Milan. This decline reflects a certain skepticism on the part of investors in the face of this assertive electric shift.

On the other hand, the manufacturer’s fundamentals remain solid. In 2025, sales rose by +7% year-on-year to 7.1 billion euros. Sales volumes, on the other hand, fell slightly: 13,640 vehicles sold in 2025, 112 fewer than in 2024.

A long-term strategy to be confirmed in the marketplace

The Luce is priced at over 500,000 euros each. At this price, the target market remains narrow, and the question of real demand is already being asked. From now on, it’s the customer base that will determine whether this model can make its mark in an already hotly contested ultra-premium segment.

As a result, the challenge goes beyond mere technical performance. The brand has to win over customers who are attached to a strong heritage, while at the same time attracting new buyers who are sensitive to electric power and contemporary design. These two profiles do not necessarily share the same expectations.

The Luce has a clear ambition: to prove that a luxury car can be electric without compromising on technical excellence. While the power and range figures speak in its favor, the public and stock market reception is a reminder that for the Italian automaker, going electric remains a gamble as exciting as it is risky.

• Ferrari