Ferrari debuts first electric supercar Luce in India as CEO targets growing luxury market

Ferrari has brought its first all-electric supercar, the Luce, to India for its national debut at the Universo Ferrari exhibition in New Delhi. The unveiling at the state-of-the-art Yashobhoomi convention centre in Dwarka marks a significant milestone in the Italian luxury manufacturer's expanding focus on India's rapidly growing high-end automotive market.

Speaking during the Delhi showcase, Chief Executive Benedetto Vigna confirmed that Ferrari is actively drawing on Indian engineering expertise and engaging with top technological institutions across the country, including the Indian Institutes of Technology. Vigna also highlighted the potential benefits of an upcoming India–European Union free trade agreement for the supercar brand's commercial operations.

The Luce features a four-motor powertrain delivering 1,035 horsepower and a 122 kilowatt-hour battery providing an estimated driving range of 529 kilometres. Styled by design firm LoveFrom, founded by former Apple designer Jony Ive and Marc Newson, the electric model represents an addition to Ferrari's traditional sports car lineup rather than a total replacement of internal combustion engines.

During the event, Vigna addressed engineering innovations, confirming a 2019 Ferrari patent for compressed-air thrusters designed by engineer Fabrizio Favaretto. The technology uses high-pressure air nozzles to push the vehicle towards the asphalt, enhancing cornering grip, braking, and acceleration without lifting the car off the road.

How Ferrari and Tesla approach compressed-air technology

While Tesla recently demonstrated compressed-air jets designed to elevate its Roadster off the ground, Ferrari's system focuses entirely on track dynamics and downforce.

First filed in Italy in December 2018 and subsequently granted in the US as patent 11,072,381, Ferrari's design utilizes a compressed-air tank stored at up to 900 bar. Nozzles fired at supersonic speeds press the car down at its centre of gravity or counteract lateral forces during sharp turns. An integrated compressor recovers kinetic energy during braking to recharge the air reservoir.

Vigna emphasised that technology in Maranello must serve driver engagement rather than theatrical effect, stating in an interview with Hindustan Times that any advance must deliver unique driving thrill rather than purely sensational spectacle.

Growing footprint in India

The Indian showcase at Yashobhoomi runs alongside the national debut of Ferrari's F80 hypercar from 17 October to 1 November. Although Indian pricing and launch timelines for the Luce remain unannounced, initial global demand has been swift, with China's initial allocation of 88 units selling out on its launch day in June.

Vigna expressed strong optimism regarding India's industrial trajectory, praising the energy of young Indian engineers and noting that human skill remains central to Maranello's assembly line, where only a single automated robot is used to position windscreens across its annual production of roughly 14,000 vehicles.