JAKARTA, CNBC Indonesia \u2014 Ferrari officially introduced their first\nfully electric car, the Luce EV, to Pope Leo XIV at Castel Gandolfo,\nItaly. During the event, the Pope reportedly test-drove the luxury\nelectric vehicle priced at hundreds of thousands of euros.<\/p>\n
The moment occurred when Ferrari President John Elkann brought the\nLuce to the papal summer residence south of Rome on Tuesday (26\/5\/2026)\nlocal time. Pope Leo XIV was seen sitting in the driver\u2019s seat while\nlistening to the Ferrari test driver, Raffaele De Simone, explain the\nvehicle\u2019s features. Elkann sat in the passenger seat.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs this Ferrari\u2019s first four-door model?\u201d asked Pope Leo XIV,\naccording to local media.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first five-seater,\u201d Elkann replied.<\/p>\n
Ferrari named its first electric car \u201cLuce\u201d, meaning \u201clight\u201d in\nItalian. The car is powered by 1,000 horsepower and can accelerate from\n0-100 km\/h in just 2.5 seconds.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the Luce claims a range of over 530 km on a single\ncharge and uses four electric motors, one for each wheel.<\/p>\n
Italian media reported the Luce is estimated to cost 500,000 euros,\nor approximately Rp10.38 billion at an exchange rate of Rp20,770 per\neuro. The official price for the US market has not yet been\nannounced.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not just launching a new car; we are formalising a chapter\nthat turns our vision into reality, strengthening Ferrari\u2019s tradition of\nanticipating and shaping the future,\u201d Elkann stated, as quoted by ABC\nNews on Friday (29\/5\/2026).<\/p>\n
Despite the lavish launch and global attention due to Pope Leo XIV\u2019s\ninvolvement, market response to Ferrari\u2019s first electric car has been\nlukewarm.<\/p>\n
Ferrari\u2019s shares dropped 8.4% in Milan trading following the launch,\nwhile US-listed shares fell 5.3%.<\/p>\n
Criticism also emerged from automotive experts and netizens who felt\nthe Luce\u2019s design no longer represents Ferrari\u2019s signature character.\nAutocar Editor-at-Large Matt Prior said the electric vehicle appears\ntaller and less sleek than conventional Ferrari models due to the\nbattery placement under the floor.<\/p>\n
He noted that this design change poses a significant challenge for\nFerrari, long associated with low-profile, dynamic sports cars. Prior\nadded that transitioning to electric vehicles may be more difficult for\nFerrari than other automakers due to its strong brand identity.<\/p>\n
Ferrari has previously invested billions of euros in electric vehicle\ndevelopment. However, the company has become more cautious after\nreducing its target for full electric vehicles in its lineup by 2030\nfrom 40% to 20%.<\/p>\n
The Luce launch occurred amid a global electric vehicle market still\nfacing challenges. Several automakers are scaling back electrification\nefforts due to slowing demand and high development costs.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported global\nelectric vehicle sales reached 20 million units last year, equivalent to\none in four new cars sold worldwide.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pope-leo-xiv-tests-ferraris-first-electric-car-price-revealed-1780012557", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }