Bezos quip, Ive design shaped Ferrari's Luce EV, Elkann says
RACE•Ferrari chairman John Elkann said a 2016 conversation with Jeff Bezos helped prompt the company to pursue electric vehicles. The Luce, Ferrari's first fully electric model, was developed with Jony Ive's LoveFrom team over five years.
1. Luce project origins
Elkann said a July 2016 conversation with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos helped convince him Ferrari needed to think seriously about electric vehicles. Ferrari unveiled the Luce, its first fully electric model, in May; it was created with former Apple design chief Jony Ive and his LoveFrom team.
2. Design approach
Ive said LoveFrom spent nearly a year researching Ferrari's history and culture before development began. Teams in California and at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters then worked together for five years. The Luce uses physical controls and tactile feedback rather than relying heavily on touchscreens and digital controls.
3. Reaction to the car
The Luce's unconventional styling sparked social media mockery and criticism, and some investors questioned Ferrari's electrification strategy. Elkann and Ive said seeing the car in person often changed perceptions; Elkann said the debate strengthened the company's conviction.
