Ferrari rolled out its first all-electric car, the Luce, in Rome on May 25, 2026, and the €550,000 machine already has a fight on its hands. The four-motor powertrain cranks out over 1,000 horsepower, seats five, tops 310 kph, and promises more than 500 kilometres of range from a 122kWh battery. Deliveries start in the fourth quarter of 2026. But the biggest noise came not from the motor but from a former boss.
Montezemolo's warning
Luca di Montezemolo, who ran Ferrari for more than two decades, did not hold back. Speaking at a business conference in Rome — after initially showing reluctance to weigh in — he warned that the Luce risks 'the destruction of a legend.' His remedy: strip the prancing horse logo off the car. Montezemolo did not elaborate on what exactly he finds threatening, but the comment landed hard in an Italian automotive world that treats the brand almost like a religion.
CEO's defense
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna pushed back hard. 'Real innovation is not democratic,' Vigna said. He called himself 'profoundly proud' of the project and made clear the company has no intention of slowing the electric shift. Vigna did not address the logo question directly, but his tone suggested he sees the Luce as a necessary evolution, not a betrayal.
Design by Ive's studio
The Luce's looks come from LoveFrom, the design firm founded by former Apple chief design officer Jony Ive. Ferrari filed more than 60 patents connected to the car, covering everything from battery packaging to aerodynamics. Online reaction has been split. Some compared the exterior to a Honda Accord. Others likened it to a luxury kitchen appliance. Still, the patents point to serious engineering beneath the sheet metal.
Market reaction
Investors were less impressed. Ferrari's stock (RACE) dropped more than 6% in Milan trading, wiping roughly €3 billion in market capitalization. The sell-off suggests some shareholders share Montezemolo's unease — or at least worry that the EV transition will squeeze margins and dilute the brand's exclusivity. Ferrari has said it will keep producing combustion-engine models alongside the Luce, so the gasoline V12 is not going anywhere yet.
What comes next
First deliveries are months away. Between now and then, Ferrari will need to convince buyers — and especially the purists who made the brand's reputation — that an electric Prancing Horse still deserves the badge. Montezemolo's warning will hang in the air until the first cars reach customers. If the Luce fails to sell, the criticism will only get louder.
