Italian Brand Plans Its Own Lightning
Maserati, the luxury Italian brand that began in 1914, has made the commitment to have a battery electric version of everything they offer by 2025. Its fully electric models will be under the sub-brand Folgore, Italian for lightning. And yes, that could include the exotic MC20 sport car–or maybe it will be something completely new. The company’s most recent information on electrification is linked below:
- Maserati Grecale GT (GranTurismo), the new midsize SUV with mild hybrid
- Maserati Formula E Racing Team
- Electrification plans
- Grecale Folgore, the all-electric (our lead image above) version of the SUV that will come with a 105 kilowatt-hour battery using 400-volt technology for fast-charging.
Clean Fleet Report applauds it when auto manufacturers set a high bar for going fully battery electric with new or existing models. We are always rooting for what seems to be the impossible, so we are excited for what is an exciting time for them, and automotive enthusiasts.
Clean Fleet Report sat down recently with Bill Peffer, Maserati CEO of the Americas at the grand opening of the gleaming new Maserati of Anaheim Hills. His time was valuable, so we kept the questions short and to the point, specifically asking what was coming next and the line-up mix that would be powered by electricity. We are intrigued with what we heard.
CFR: What territory is the Americas, as in your title? What are the largest sales markets in this area?
Maserati: This includes South and North America. Brazil and Mexico are the largest outside the U.S. In North America we have three main sales markets that make up 50% of our sales; the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, the southern part of Florida, and California with a specific focus on Los Angeles and Orange Counties. This facility (the all-new Maserati of Anaheim Hills) has been several years in the making and provides a marque point in Orange County for our product renaissance to accelerate our growth.
CFR: It is a bold announcement that all Maserati models offered by the year 2025 will have a battery electric option. To meet worldwide demand, will these battery electric models be built throughout the world?
Maserati: All Maserati vehicles are built in Italy, and that is the plan going forward. Even though China and America are large markets, everything we produce will be from Europe. Editor’s Note: Maserati has three factories in Italy: Modena produces the MC20; Mirafiori the Levante, Ghibli, Quattroporte and GranTurismo; Cassino builds the Grecale.
People don’t realize Maserati is part of a much broader company, being at the top of the spear of thirteen brands owned by Stellantis. In that space we occupy we’re the only global luxury brand. We have access to engineering know-how, resources and prioritization that allows us to pivot with the market.
CFR: Does Maserati currently sell any electrified vehicles?
Maserati: The hybrid Ghibli sedan and Levante SUV are currently sold in Europe and Asia.
CFR: How do you see Maserati competing with other electric brands?
Maserati: As our competition brings products to market we have a runway to compete as a smaller, niche player, but with the big backing from Stellantis. The first stage before we go full-electric is to broaden our audience appeal, with an example being the MC20 halo supercar. Our next is the debut in fall 2022 of the Grecale SUV that will be our volume model, and which in its top trim has the heartbeat of the motor in the MC20. But we have made the commitment (to electrification) that in fall 2023, the Grecale will have a mild-hybrid, 48-volt system.
CFR: What is the timeline for the first all-electric Maserati to be sold in America?
Maserati: The all-new electric GranTurismo will be the first electric Maserati. It will be unveiled in 2023. We have shared teaser photos. A lot of people don’t put us on their (shopping) consideration list as we are synonymous with racing, performance grand tourers and even super cars like the MC20. But the Grecale will be a luxury performance SUV for a wider audience, and we are excited about it.
CFR: What challenges do you see with the move to offering battery electric vehicles?
Maserati: We will have made a considerable investment and (like all other automobile manufacturers) ask the question–“What is the adoption rate?” The adoption rate is affected by a number of factors, such as the cost of convenience of an all-electric vehicle, government regulatory issues, the charging infrastructure, and so on. Rather than solidifying a date on the calendar that after this date there will be no more (internal combustion engines), we are more loose with that.
CFR: To wrap-up, what is your vision of Maserati’s future?
Maserati: We know we sell on the cool factor and emotion, and something other than efficiency. Many manufacturers offer vehicles that are very good, but they aren’t emotive or inspiring, and they struggle. Maseratis have always been sold on desire, style and exclusivity, and we are not for everybody as we would lose our essence if we tried to sell to everybody. We want a part of the market and will do it in a Maserati way.
Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Maserati.
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