{"id":1964385,"date":"2026-05-30T22:23:32","date_gmt":"2026-05-30T19:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1964385"},"modified":"2026-05-30T22:23:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T19:23:32","slug":"ferrari-wanted-to-take-on-chinese-evs-with-the-luce-then-the-backlash-started","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1964385","title":{"rendered":"Ferrari wanted to take on Chinese EVs with the Luce – then the backlash started"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/branded_news\/eda2\/live\/10992360-5a49-11f1-a7f6-656c5ce9b72d.jpg”]<\/p>\n

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\"FerrariFerrari<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The Ferrari Luce EV has been heavily criticised<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The new Ferrari Luce, the brainchild of iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive, is unlike anything the Italian carmaker has ever created – so is the backlash it is facing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Its launch was such a big deal that Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Pope Leo were invited to view the luxury brand’s first electric vehicle (EV).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But internet critics, investors and even politicians have hit out at the Luce – which is Italian for “light”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The firm’s shares fell 8% the day after the unveiling, as a host of memes mocked the $640,000 (\u00a3475,625) car, which is also its first five-seater.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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It comes as the global motor industry faces a number of major challenges, including fierce competition from Chinese carmakers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"ShaunShaun Baker<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
High-end car dealer Shaun Baker calls the Luce the “Loser”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The unveiling of a Ferrari EV marks a major shift for a brand built on sleek petrol-powered supercars, known for their roaring engines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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For years, the firm resisted going electric – even as much of the motor industry was making the transition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Luce is certainly as fast as many supercars: 0-60mph (96km\/h) in about 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of more than 190mph.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But it is the way it looks that has drawn the most criticism.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Former Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo told reporters on Tuesday that the Luce is “risking the destruction of a legend” and the firm should remove its iconic badge from the car.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Australia-based high-end car dealer and collector Shaun Baker told the BBC that he refers to the Luce – which is pronounced “loo-chay” – as the “Loser”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Ferrari was the aspirational brand to own. But with the Luce, they’ve hurt their image,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Pope Leo inspects Ferrari’s first fully electric vehicle<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Luce does not have the low-slung profile of a typical Ferrari. Powered by electric motors, it also does not have the distinctive engine noise.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“This is supposed to be innovation? I wonder what Enzo Ferrari would say,” Italy’s deputy prime minister and transport minister Matteo Salvini said, referring to the company’s founder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Luce “looks like anything but a car from the prancing horse”, he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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While some on the internet have praised the car, for example, as a “masterclass” of design, there is no shortage of critics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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An “abomination”, one commenter said. “Enzo Ferrari will rise from his grave and take control of the company again,” wrote another.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Some social media users drew comparisons to the far cheaper Nissan Leaf and Chinese EVs, suggestions Ferrari boss Benedetto Vigna was quick to push back at.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Others posted AI-generated reworkings of the Luce’s design, giving it a sportier look.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“They were made in 10 seconds and still look better than what Ferrari has come up with,” said Baker, who has owned more than 50 of the firm’s cars.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"GettyGetty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Ferrari F1 driver Lewis Hamilton has a Purosangue, Ferrari’s first SUV<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Vigna, who has led Ferrari for the last five years, is no stranger to controversy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Purosangue, the firm’s first sports utility vehicle (SUV), split opinion when it was launched in 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Critics said the four-door model would tarnish Ferrari’s image as an exclusive supercar brand. But it sold well, helping the firm move into a new market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ferrari isn’t the only motor industry giant to face a backlash over going electric.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In 2024, Jaguar sparked fierce debate when it announced plans to become a high-end EV brand and unveiled a concept vehicle called the Type 00 that looked unlike any of the British luxury carmaker’s previous models.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Critics said the car, with its ultra-long bonnet and chunky wheels, was a departure from the E-Type maker’s roots.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Jaguar needs to be bold and disruptive in order to cut through and get our message across,” the firm’s boss Rawdon Glover told the BBC at the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"GettyGetty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The Jaguar Type 00 concept car faced a backlash when it was launched in 2024<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Today, Ferrari is facing similar claims that it has lost its identity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Singapore car analyst James Wong praised the design of the Luce’s interior but said as a whole the car is “unrecognisable” as a Ferrari.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Luce’s “eye-popping price tag” also looks particularly high given the increasingly cheap and luxurious EVs already on the market, said sustainable industry expert Jessica Cheam.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But Vigna has said it is a fair price to pay for innovation and that the car has received strong interest from potential buyers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ferrari’s move into EVs comes as several other big brands have been rethinking their plans for battery-powered cars.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Rival supercar maker Lamborghini has scrapped its EV programme due to weak demand and customers’ preference for petrol engines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Following the Luce’s launch, Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann said his company’s focus on hybrid cars over all-electric models was “the right way to go”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Every brand, every company has to decide for themselves,” Winkelmann told business news channel CNBC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Other carmakers – including Porsche, Honda and Ford – have also scaled back their EV programmes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"GettyGetty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Critics say the Luce doesn’t look like a typical Ferrari<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Global carmakers have also faced stiff competition in China – a major market for luxury brands like Ferrari. Car buyers there have come to expect low prices, long battery ranges and innovative features.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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China is home to vast supply chains for EV parts that helps to lower the cost of production by at least 30% compared to the rest of the world, according to the International Energy Agency.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Aggressive subsidies in the country have also led to huge growth in the number of carmakers, forcing firms to cut their prices and innovate to win over customers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That fierce competition has also forced Western firms, including Tesla and VW, to slash their prices in China.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Chinese EV makers are increasingly targeting the premium market to boost their profit margins, competing with Porsche and Tesla’s high-end models.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Electric supercars have also been rolled out by Chinese firms better known for SUVs and saloons. An example of what Western brands are competing against is the $250,000 all-electric BYD Yangwang U9. It can reach 60mph in just over 2.3 seconds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That is perhaps why, with the Luce, Ferrari is targeting a completely different market from those looking to buy a conventional supercar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Luce could appeal to younger buyers who are more open to EVs compared to Ferrari’s die-hard fans, Cheam said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Given how unfamiliar it looks as a Ferrari, the Luce may also attract new customers to the brand, Wong said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The firm could have done with a “dipstick test” with loyal customers to see whether such a design would resonate with them, Wong said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“But then again, all this could have been intentional, given the huge media storm that the Luce has attracted.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The BBC has asked Ferrari for its response to criticism of the Luce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/c1l2y7j7454o”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/branded_news\/eda2\/live\/10992360-5a49-11f1-a7f6-656c5ce9b72d.jpg”] Ferrari The Ferrari Luce EV has been heavily criticised The new Ferrari Luce, the brainchild of iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive, is unlike anything the Italian carmaker has ever created – so is the backlash it is facing. Its launch was such a big deal that Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Pope […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[35,226],"class_list":["post-1964385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-bbc-com","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1964385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1964385"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1964385\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1964385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1964385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1964385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}