Maserati GranTurismo EV Previewed, Brand to Go EV-Only by 2030
The 1,200-plus horsepower GT will join the soon-to-be-announced Grecale in leading the Italian automaker's Folgore electric transformation.
Maserati has yet to produce a single EV, but as part of a rapidly developing about-face, the Italian luxury automaker announced Thursday that it will offer electric versions of its entire model lineup by 2025 en route to becoming an EV-only brand by 2030. In doing so, the brand claims it will become the first luxury marque to offer dedicated electric versions of all of its models, pulling ahead of rivals such as Porsche that have already had EVs on the market for some time.
Maserati's Folgore (Italian for "Lightning") full-electric strategy will pick up substantial speed with the debut of the next GranTurismo sports car, which the automaker previewed at a virtual business roundtable on Thursday.
Slated to hit the market in 2023, Maserati says the new four-seat model's electric variant will have "way over 1,200 horsepower" with a 0-to-62-mph time in the 2-second range and a top speed of over 186 mph. The model will arrive at those performance figures with a three-motor powertrain and Formula E-derived inverters. The platform will incorporate a "Bone-battery" architecture that promises the lowest center of gravity in the luxury market.
The company is also promising the GranTurismo will have "top-class charging performances," but during a subsequent Q&A session, executives declined to provide more specifics on charging performance, or details on who will build the vehicles' battery packs.
In a press release, Maserati calls the next GranTurismo "a true icon for the brand, [that] will offer cutting-edge technical solutions derived from Formula E, superb performance, comfort and elegance, all typical of the Trident." Set to be built at the company's factory in Mirafiori, Italy, the new, electric-only GranTurismo range will be rounded out by a GranCabrio convertible variant in 2023. Next year, those sports cars will also be joined by an all-electric Folgore version of the company's new Grecale SUV, itself due to be revealed on March 22 with US sales targeted for this summer.
Maserati 2021 sales results
Part of Stellantis' brand portfolio, Maserati sold 24,269 units globally last year. Sales were up 41% year-over-year, including substantial growth in North America (up 50%) and China (up 32%). On the surface, the brand's model range has remained largely static since the Levante SUV hit global markets in 2016, at least until the first examples of the company's stunning new MC20 sports car hit showrooms late last year (the automaker delivered 200 examples in 2021).
However, beyond slight midcycle refreshes and the addition of higher-performance variants, the automaker has seen newer hybrid models take hold with buyers. Two-thirds of Ghibli sedan sales are hybrid and half of Levante sales are battery-backed in markets where an electrified powertrain is offered. Nearly 60% of the brand's 2021 sales were Levante SUVs and 33% were the Ghibli. Despite the latter's strong performance, Maserati executives declined to confirm that sedan will receive a successor, with officials noting the marketplace's switch toward SUVs.
During Thursday's online presentation, officials also confirmed an all-electric Folgore MC20 variant will arrive by 2025, as will a next-generation Quattroporte sedan and Levante SUV models that will include dedicated Folgore EV versions.
Maserati's Folgore (Italian for "Lightning") EV rollout includes next-gen Quattroporte and Levante EV models by 2025.