Ferrari’s First Fully Electric Car Faces Harsh Internet Criticism
Ferrari, the esteemed Italian luxury automaker, has ventured into the electric vehicle market with the unveiling of its first-ever fully electric car, the Ferrari Luce. However, instead of receiving praise, the design of this high-tech vehicle has sparked widespread criticism online.
The Ferrari Luce, revealed on Monday, is a collaborative creation by Jony Ive, the former Apple designer, and Marc Newson, an Australian industrial designer. Priced at $640,000, the car is showcased in a video on Ferrari’s Instagram, presented by F1 drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
This innovative vehicle is equipped with four electric engines, enabling it to accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in a mere 2.5 seconds. Its unique design features a glass-encased body and is available in three colors: light blue, yellow, and the iconic Ferrari red. Notably, it is Ferrari’s first five-seater model.
Despite its impressive specifications, the design has not been well-received. Comparisons have been drawn between the Luce and the more affordable Nissan Leaf, particularly due to a similar blue and black color scheme. The online community on X (formerly Twitter) expressed their dissatisfaction creatively, with some likening its appearance to a car designed by Kia, while others dubbed it “one of the ugliest EV designs ever.”
One X user humorously pondered the possibility of purchasing the car’s interior without the exterior, while another expressed a desire for a design reminiscent of a Batmobile.
In response to the backlash, some users took to using AI tools like ChatGPT or Grok to reimagine the Luce’s design, envisioning sleeker and more streamlined alternatives.
Marc Newson, speaking on the Cleo Abram podcast, addressed the criticism, stating that “critics are part of the process” of innovation. He noted the challenge designers face due to society’s current nostalgia and inclination to look to the past rather than the future.
Ferrari joins the ranks of other luxury carmakers such as Porsche, Cadillac, and Rolls-Royce, who have also introduced electric vehicles. However, Ferrari has yet to provide a comment regarding the feedback received on their new model.
