Ferrari EV to bring 1000bhp, huge battery and handling "to thrill"

While the EV has been developed to perform and handle on the same level as Ferrari’s ICE cars, its primary objective is to help the firm “widen the possible client [base] that will enjoy this type of car” - which is one of the reasons, Vigna said firmly, that “this is not a supercar” - but rather a more practically minded four-seat GT.

But there’s also a crucial technical factor behind the model’s positioning, explained product development boss Gianmaria Fulgenzi - which is that this sort of car makes the best use of an EV drivetrain.

"A few years ago, we started a deep research investigation about a new concept for the marque, that would represent an addition to our range,” he said.

"We believed an electric vehicle would be the ideal addition for the specification we had in mind in terms of driving traits, on-board space and visibility, and which could appeal to clients who would not usually think about buying a Ferrari."

Fulgenzi explained that if Ferrari electrified a two-seater, "the overall improvement in performance and usability would be really modest - not enough to justify the offset in overall weight”. 

"Electric technology would not be at all competitive for a two-seater concept, even [with] an incredible output in terms of horsepower," he said.

By contrast, a “more versatile” model like the Elettrica can benefit in terms of dynamics, visibility and comfort “compared to an equivalent ICE version”.

But regardless of the car’s shape, size and positioning, Fulgenzi assured that driver engagement and capable dynamics were priorities of its development: "It is an electric car, but first and foremost – conceptually and in practice – it is a Ferrari."

AN EV PLATFORM LIKE NO OTHER

Ferrari’s electric car platform – as yet unconfirmed to underpin any other models – is described as having minimal overhangs, an "extremely short" wheelbase and a layout inspired by Ferrari's mid-rear-engined 'Berlinetta' (coupé) models. 

A defining characteristic of this format is a driving position that's close to the front axle, which Ferrari says will mean the 2300kg Elettrica offers "the purest dynamic feedback while also facilitating accessibility and maximising comfort" - comparable to its GT cars.

Integrated into the floorpan under the seats is the battery, which with a total capacity of 122kWh will be among the largest of any EV sold in the UK - and one of the fastest-charging, with a peak speed of 350kW enabled by its 800V wiring.

However, as the engineering focus was on maximising performance and driver engagement on a repeatable basis, rather than achieving an outright distance record, the range is claimed to be around 329 miles – competitive for a high-output, dual-motor EV, but some way short of the market's longest-legged EVs.

It unusually features 13 modules in a single layer under the floor and another two on top, beneath the rear seats. This format helped Ferrari to keep the wheelbase as short as possible without denting battery capacity, while also optimising weight distribution - contributing to a 47:53 split front to rear. 

Ferrari also claims that the arrangement – with 85% of the battery mass concentrated under the floor – gives the Elettrica a centre of gravity that's 80mm lower "than an equivalent ICE model".

The battery itself is designed and assembled entirely in Maranello, from cells supplied by South Korean firm SK On, and said to have an energy density of 195Wh/kg - which Ferrari claims is "the highest of any electric car" on sale. 

HOW FERRARI REPLACES ENGINES

The battery sends its power to a quartet of motors – one for each wheel – which combine to give more power than any road-going Ferrari so far - and a torque output that's several times higher than most road-going cars.

The rear motors produce 416bhp apiece, combining for 832bhp, while the fronts contribute another 282bhp. Ferrari has not given an official combined figure, but it will be one of the most powerful cars the firm has yet built. 

The firm does say that the system gives more than 986bhp under full throttle, which is enough for a 0-62mph time of 2.5sec (just 0.3sec slower than the F80 - a dedicated hypercar) and a top speed of 192mph.

Ferrari also claims that the front axle can send up to 2580lb ft of torque to the road, while the rear produces an incredible 5900lb ft after the gearboxes have multiplied the output from the motors themselves - which can go from stationary to their 25,000rpm top speed in less than a second. 

The quad-motor arrangement allows for full torque vectoring to all four corners, maximising agility and stability, while the front motors can be disconnected (in just half a second) when not in use to make the car purely rear-wheel drive - at a high-speed cruise, for example, to boost efficiency. 

The motors are housed in e-axle units developed and built entirely in-house - even the casings are made in Ferrari's own foundry to ensure "impeccable build quality allowing the company to keep the entire production process under tight control".

They use the same Halbach array set-up as that in the F80's EV motors, wherein the magnets are all arranged with their polarity facing in different directions, which allows for nearly all of the magnetism to be concentrated on one side of the rotor, facing the stator, avoiding any power-sapping energy losses.

SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF

A keen focus on refinement is cited as one of the main reasons that the Elettrica is the first Ferrari road car to have a separate subframe at the rear - a set-up that allows engineers to better isolate road noise and powertrain vibrations from the cabin.

The largest single-piece hollow casting Ferrari has yet produced, this structure suspends the rear e-axle, active suspension and four-wheel steering system from the car by way of 'elastomeric' bushings which are said to give the same level of dynamic rigidity as a chassis without a subframe, while also minimising noise and harshness.

The Elettrica is aided in this endeavour by its 48V semi-active suspension system – evolved from the system used by the Purosangue – comprising a motorised damper on each corner, which moves up and down on a threaded screw in response to dynamic load and changes in surface.

The system is controlled by a central computer which measures all dynamic parameters across the chassis 200 times per second, and responds accordingly. It can firm up the outside dampers in a tight corner, for example, to keep the body flat, and pushes each wheel down into surface undulations to maintain contact with the road and eliminate rebound. 

The coil springs are thus redundant while driving, and serve only to keep the body from resting on the ground when the car is off - otherwise the motors in the dampers would have to be powered up at all times.

With this highly advanced part-active suspension, four-wheel steering (up to 2.15deg at the back) and full torque vectoring, this is the first Ferrari to offer "control over vertical, longitudinal and lateral forces in all dynamic conditions", says the company.

The result, said Fulgenzi, is that “the wheels are like four spheres” - capable of being moved in any direction at any time, independently of one another.

A BEV YOU’LL LOVE TO REV

Ferrari's commitment to ensuring its EV is as engaging as its ICE sports cars extends to an innovative harmonics system that it has created to provide a soundtrack for the powertrain on the move.

Rather than synthesising an engine note and pumping it into the cabin, or artificially enhancing the whirring and whining of the motors, Ferrari has developed a high-precision sensor that picks up the vibrations of the mechanical components and amplifies them - like a pick-up on an electric guitar. 

The result, says Ferrari, is "an authentic aural experience that reflects the dynamic driving experience" - but it is only heard when "functionally useful" to provide feedback and enhance certain physical sensations. At a 70mph motorway cruise, for example, it will remain silent.

"The sound of our electric Ferrari is not fake, not fake at all", said Fulgenzi, emphasising the importance of authentic means of boosting engagement.

There is also a dedicated Ferrari Order Noise Cancellation system (FONC) that monitors and "selectively cancels undesirable current harmonics produced by the motors", like high-pitched whines, to boost refinement on the move.