Ferrari has unveiled its first fully electric vehicle, the Luce, engineered at the company's historic headquarters in Maranello, Italy, but designed in California by LoveFrom, the agency founded by renowned iPhone designer Jony Ive, according to a WIRED first-drive review. The car represents a significant departure from Ferrari's traditional design language and has sparked a polarized response from the brand's global fan base.
Benedetto Vigna, Ferrari's CEO since 2021, brought a unique background to the project. A physicist by education with a career in semiconductors, Vigna previously helped develop a three-dimensional motion sensor first used in airbags and later adapted for the Nintendo Wii and iPhone. "I prefer innovator," Vigna told WIRED, distinguishing between inventors and innovators. His leadership underscores Ferrari's shift toward technology-driven design.
Engineering and Design Collaboration
The Luce was engineered in Maranello but its aesthetic was conceived by LoveFrom in California. The collaboration, described by WIRED as a "union between like-minded innovators," blends Italian spirit with Silicon Valley lateral thinking. The result is a design that breaks from Ferrari tradition, with cab-forward proportions that position the driver closer to the front axle and higher due to the battery pack beneath the cabin.
Raffaele de Simone, Ferrari's chief test driver, explained the philosophy: "In the past 100 years, technology has changed for sure. But what hasn’t changed is our bodies. We have two hands, two eyes and ears, and two feet. The interface is the same—steering, brakes and throttle—but the Luce has a different sort of driving emotion." WIRED's reviewer tested a preproduction car at a northern Italy track in May, prior to the car's official reveal in Rome.
Interior Innovation and Haptic Focus
Jony Ive's influence is evident inside, where the interior rejects touchscreens in favor of haptic feel and clear dials. The three-spoke wheel is inspired by classic Ferraris, air vents pivot with precision, and seat runners are elegantly designed. The rear space is described as "almost limo-like." Ive's philosophy emphasizes input and output care, elevating tactile experience to levels previously unseen in automotive contexts, according to WIRED.
Fan Reaction and Market Implications
Despite the advanced engineering, Ferrari's fan base has not embraced the EV concept. WIRED notes that "Ferrari's immense global fan base is seemingly not on board with the idea of an electric car on a point of principle." The hiring of Ive to reimagine the aesthetic has also proven controversial. Critics argue that a Ferrari's design should deliver an instant dopamine rush, but the Luce intentionally breaks from tradition, as per the brief: "Do something different."
For manufacturing executives, the Luce project illustrates how legacy automakers can leverage external design talent and nontraditional leadership to enter the EV space. Vigna's semiconductor background and Ive's consumer-electronics expertise signal a convergence of industries. The preproduction testing completed in May suggests that serial production in Maranello is imminent, though WIRED does not specify start dates or investment figures.
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