Milan (awp/afp) – The Italian luxury car manufacturer Ferrari marked its entry into the electric era on Friday by inaugurating in Maranello, its historic headquarters, a new assembly site at the cutting edge of technology which will see the birth of its models of the future.
Without giving up its legendary brand DNA that makes car enthusiasts around the world dream, Ferrari is preparing to take the plunge towards a 100% electric model, a sports car expected before the end of 2025.
A huge challenge for the prancing horse brand, known above all for its powerful and roaring combustion engines.
Thanks to its “e-building” with a surface area of 4.2 ha, built to the north of the Ferrari campus, the group intends to improve “its production flexibility” and respect “its strategy which consists of favoring the quality of the product rather than the amount”.
The factory will accommodate the production of traditional internal combustion engines, hybrid engines and new electric motors, “all capable of guaranteeing the driving emotions specific to Ferrari”, assures the luxury brand.
Chief tester, Ferrari president John Elkann was enthusiastic on Wednesday: “I’ve driven it and it’s incredible, in every way”, the “thrills and excitement you’ll feel” on board of the future electric car “will be simply exceptional”.
The sound of the future
And what about the iconic roar of Ferrari engines? “There will be a sound,” he promised, without revealing further details.
The new site will also produce electrical components considered strategic, such as high-voltage batteries, electric axles and electric motors.
The building, which should be operational within a few weeks, is powered in part by more than 3,000 1.3 megawatt solar panels installed on the roof. By the end of the year, the factory will be entirely powered by renewable energy, Ferrari assures.
100% electric and hybrid models should represent 60% of the manufacturer’s production by 2026 and 80% by 2030, announced Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna during the presentation of his 2022-2026 strategic plan. two years ago.
This electronic chip expert took control of the group in September 2022, succeeding John Elkann who had taken over in the interim after the resignation of Louis Camilleri in December 2020.
The prestigious brand currently has four hybrid models, including the SF90 Stradale, Ferrari’s first plug-in hybrid sports car. The first hybrid car was produced in 2013, the LaFerrari supercar.
By 2026, a total of 40% of product investments will be allocated to hybrid cars and 35% to fully electric vehicles, according to the group’s strategic plan.
Record profits
Ferrari is targeting a turnover of 6.7 billion euros in 2026, clearly exceeding the revenue of 5.9 billion recorded in 2023.
An objective that the manufacturer intends to achieve in particular by launching fifteen new models over the period 2023-2026.
Ferrari unveiled three models for the road last year, the Roma Spider, the SF90 XX Stradale and Spider, as well as two for the track, the 296 Challenge and the 499P Modificata.
The brand founded in 1947 by Enzo Ferrari broke all records on the results front in 2023, with profits exceeding the one billion euro mark for the first time.
On the racing side, Ferrari made a resounding comeback after 50 years of absence at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, winning the event and thus ending five years of Toyota hegemony.
Last Sunday, the Italian manufacturer repeated the feat by winning again at Le Mans, after an epic battle with Porsche, Toyota and Cadillac.
Ferrari announced in February the arrival in 2025 of Lewis Hamilton, seven-time Formula 1 world champion, who will join the legendary Italian team after twelve seasons spent at Mercedes.
afp/rp
