It could be argued that Ferrari is THE brand most people think of when they hear “sports car.” Ferraris are flashy, Italian, expensive, fast, loud, romantic, and beautifully-crafted luxury items that have no practical purpose in the world. That last point, in particular, might be why Ferrari is vowing never to go full-electric. 

Of course, Ferrari released its first production hybrid car last year, the SF Stradale. This news had some leather-gloved enthusiasts wringing their hands and clutching their linen scarves over the thought of their favorite horse, possibly making the shift to electric.

According to Jalopnik, Ferrari said fans could expect to see several new hybrid models. The Italian supercar maker also said an all-electric model would be available by 2030. Ferrari specifically stated that the prancing horse brand would never go all-electric. 

Ferrari’s CEO speaks on the issue

Louis Camilleri, who drives the Ferrari ship was quoted as saying, “But there should be cost savings longer-term as battery technologies improve as well. However, my own sense is that, you know, to sort of say 100 percent electric, that’s pushing things. I really don’t see Ferrari ever being at 100 percent EV and certainly not in my lifetime will reach even 50 percent.” 

As Jalopnik points out, Camilleri is 65-years-old currently, and on average, that timeline that he lays out should be somewhere between 15-20 years from now. Do we really believe that Ferrari will stay running on dinosaur juice come 2035 or 2040? It feels unlikely, but that is what the man said. 

Many of us need that 15 years to believe we can maybe buy one

There is a strong point to be made that although EVs are likely to be the dominant vehicle sooner rather than later, super high-end marques like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti might hang on longer than others. 

Those carmakers aren’t trying to serve the public with eco-friendly machines that serve any practical purpose. I’m talking about two-seaters with V12 engines that get 8 miles to the gallon. These are the stats of a car that was made to adapt. Ferrari, like these other brands, exists only to be excessive. I don’t mean that as a dig; it is just the simple fact of the matter.

People buy Ferraris to have a Ferrari, not because they needed something nice to commute to work or pick the kids and their friends up from school. 

But Ferrari seems pretty invested in Hybrid tech

Jalopnik points out that this seemingly staunch stance against going totally electric seems a bit odd because the marque seems to be knee-deep in hybrid projects. Ferrari’s F1 team is running Hybrid cars, and its top-of-the-line hypercar, the LaFerrari, is a hybrid model. I guess the argument is the hybrids aren’t fully-electric vehicles, so it doesn’t count. That’s true, but it seems strange to stop the conversation there for such a seemingly hybrid-friendly company.

I get it. Like I said earlier, Ferrari is here to do red car stuff. It doesn’t make the fastest cars in the world. Ferrari makes Ferraris. I know that sounds reductive and possibly overly simplified, but I think it’s true. 

Ferrari simply doesn’t need to change to continue being the marque we all know and love, which is to say, THE sports car company everyone who loves cars wants to own. Hell, people who aren’t car people still buy Ferraris because they understand it’s the car you are supposed to want when you have money. I’m not going to argue that Ferrari’s self-awareness is good or bad; I’m just saying it’s there.