The ever-growing popularity of the SUV body style and the tightening emission norms compeling automakers to adopt carbon-neutral powertrain technologies will usher in monumental changes in Ferrari’s product line-up this decade. The Prancing Horse is delivering the first Ferrari SUV (FUV) in 2022 and then the first Ferrari electric car in the not-so-distant future.
We are also very excited about our first all-electric Ferrari that we plan to unveil in 2025, and you can be sure this will be everything you dream the engineers and designers at Maranello can imagine for such a landmark in our history.
John Elkann, Chairman and then-acting CEO, Ferrari (Annual General Meeting 2021)
Ferrari F244 & Ferrari F245
According to an older report from CAR, the Ferrari F175, which we officially know as the Ferrari Purosangue in the public domain, will have two pure electric spin-offs. Codenamed Ferrari F244 and Ferrari F245, these Ferrari EVs will debut in 2024 and 2026, as per the report. The British publication didn’t say if they are two-door, four-door, or a mix.
Introducing its EV tech in an SUV before a supercar would be technically easier, thanks to the added height that allows easy packaging of a large battery. Moreover, it would also avoid endangering the brand’s legacy if the EV tech developed compromises in range or performance for a supercar’s application. Sooner or later, after the electric SUV, though, Ferrari will produce an electric sports car.
On the battery pack
Images from a patent application Ferrari filed at the USPTO on December 19, 2019, are circulating on the web, and some publications suggest that they reveal details about a Ferrari electric car. TopElectricSUV.com has examined the files and understands that the patent application is related to the system used to mount a vehicle battery pack.
Automakers generally anchor the batteries to the vehicle floor and, in some cases, house them on the vehicle floor itself. Sports cars/supercars/hypercars need to be as low as possible and have robust protection for batteries. This calls for new battery positioning, as Porsche showcased with the Porsche Mission R concept in 2021 by installing batteries behind the driver seat. At least, as per the patent application we’ve seen, Ferrari is thinking about a similar approach. An additional advantage of this layout would be offering customers a driving experience similar to a mid-engined Ferrari.
The patent application shows a hybrid or electric Ferrari featuring two battery packs (BT1 and BT2) placed in different locations. Image Source: USPTO/Ferrari
Ferrari wants to combine the battery pack with at least one structural element. The patent image shows a hybrid or Ferrari electric car with a front battery pack (BT1) and a rear battery pack (BT2). The pack in the car’s rear part incorporates a pair of side members of the vehicle frame. It’s possible to mount a traditional engine in the front of the car or behind the rear battery pack.
The BT1 battery pack consists of cylindrical cells, but that does not mean the BT2 battery pack comprises the same. The latter is more regular, and so, it’s possible to use all types of cells, including prismatic and pouch cells. Another point worth noting is that the platform progressively gets farther from the ground, moving up from right from where the rear battery pack has been installed. Ferrari says that this elevation improves the aerodynamics of the car.
Ferrari electric car performance
As per the CAR report, pure electric Ferrari models may have a quad-motor setup. Each wheel could have its motor, enabling active torque vectoring for safe high-speed cornering. 610 horsepower could be the initially offered maximum power, but the potential could be higher.
The Ferrari Purosangue will debut later this year, and its future electric variant may have a different type of system for the installation of its battery pack. We should get clarity on future Ferrari launches during the premiere of the Purosangue.
Featured Image Source: USPTO/Ferrari
Keyword: Wait begins for the Ferrari electric car launch in 2025