Let there be light: Ferrari EV gets ‘Luce’ name and Apple-designed interior
The debut electric Ferrari will be called the Luce, and come with an interior penned by iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive when it arrives in May this year.
Meaning ‘light’ or ‘illumination’ in Italian, Ferrari says that the Luce “is not defining a technology, but a philosophy: electrification as a means, not an end – a new era”.
A four-door, four-seat GT, the Ferrari Luce has been designed inside and out by LoveFrom, a creative agency formed by Sir Ive and fellow designer Marc Newson. LoveFrom worked with the Ferrari Styling Centre, led by Flavio Manzoni, to create a “new, carefully considered expression of Ferrari”.
Previously in his career, Sir Ive oversaw the styling of the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, and the visual interface for Apple’s iOS operating system. As such, the Ferrari Luce’s cabin is heavily inspired by Apple, courtesy of swathes of aluminium and strengthened glass. Moreover, the movable 10-inch centrally-mounted touchscreen bears more than a resemblance to an iPad.
Sitting in the top right corner of the screen is a clock with physical dials but a digital face, allowing it to be converted between either a compass or a laptimer. In a break from current trends, the Luce relies heavily on physical switchgear, and the cabin uses them for car controls, including the climate control and infotainment.
The 12.5-inch driver’s instrument binnacle combines the past with the present, courtesy of three separate dials, created using two custom-made, wafer-thin Samsung OLED screens placed atop each other and convex glass to create an analogue effect.
Despite appearing to be plastic, the black surface surrounding the Ferrari Luce’s driver setup is an OLED screen displaying warning lights, turn-by-turn navigation, and the shifting light usually found atop newer Ferrari steering wheels.
The needle for the centrally positioned digital odometer is actually a physical component, as are the switches on the manettino on either side of the steering wheel – these control each of the electric modes and powertrain settings, and the paddles behind the steering wheel manage the car’s torque.
Conjoined to the driver display, the three-spoke, thin-grip wheel is a reference to the Nardi-designed unit fitted to some of the most iconic Maranello cars in history.
A ‘floating’ centre console appears to be finished largely in pure leather and glass, and atop it sits physical switchgear to control the boot, windows, and central locking. Like the rest of the cabin, the key is fashioned from aluminium and glass, with its own front-of-console holder. The inverted-L-shaped shifter is also made of glass.
The Luce’s launch control system is activated by pulling down a roof-mounted grip above the driver and is flanked by toggle switches for exterior lighting and defrosting the front windscreen and rear window.
The Ferrari Luce is being launched in three stages, with Maranello having now announced the technical details, name, and interior design. The final phase of proceedings will be the official unveiling in a few months.
We already know that the first all-electric Ferrari will come with a quad-motor setup, producing up to 1000bhp. When it goes on sale, the Luce will ride on a dedicated 800V platform paired with a 122kWh battery.
It will also have a peak charging speed of 350kW, making it one of the fastest-charging EVs. While competitive for a four-motor, 329-mile range performance EV, the Ferrari Luce still falls somewhat short of some less expensive rivals.
