Why Ferrari asked NASA to help make its cars slower

A high amount of anticipation has surrounded the Ferrari Luce, the car which will be the brand’s first all-electric offering, signalling a new era for Maranello.

With its platform capable of producing up to 735kW and 0-100km/h sprint times in the 2.5-second range, it’ll be one of the most potent Ferraris on sale, though that in itself created a new problem.

Rapid EVs are nothing new, with even $60,000 in Australia getting you an electric SUV with more than 400kW and a 0-100km/h time of 4.0 seconds or less, but this – according to Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna – is an issue, with accessible speed being too much for drivers.

Ferrari goes retro with the help of the iPhone’s designer

Speaking to Autocar India, Vigna said that Ferrari enlisted the help of the likes of NASA, whose rockets leave the earth with more than 3g of force, to stop the Luce EV scrambling the brains of its drivers.

“Sometimes it’s disturbing our brain,” said of the rapid acceleration times capable in EVs.

“We did a lot of study with different medical centres and with NASA to understand ‘what is the level of acceleration that is disturbing people?’”

When asked if he thought ‘too much’ acceleration wasn’t a good thing, Vigna said, “No, you are just waiting for (the car) to stop accelerating”.

Ferrari wants to learn from what EVs are ‘doing wrong’

Ferrari has previously said the Luce’s full 735kW output will only be available in a boost mode, while it’ll feature three drive modes (Range, Tour, Performance) while it’ll also feature a ‘Torque Shift Engagement’ system, with five levels of power and torque available “to deliver progressively stronger acceleration over a very broad range of speeds”.

Feeding the Luce’s’s electric motors is a 122kWh (gross) battery, while the Elettrica platform itself runs on 880 volts. Ferrari claims a driving range of more than 530km, and a maximum recharging rate of 350kW.

According to the brand, the Elettrica will top the scales at about 2300kg, with a 47:53 front-to-rear weight distribution. Its 2960mm wheelbase is 60mm longer between the axles than the Porsche Taycan.

A full reveal will take place in May 2026.