Tech Tonic Ferrari Luce, Sir Jony Ive, and the destruction of ethos
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Sir Jonathan Paul Ive, or fondly known as Jonny Ive, and his design firm’s first car is a Ferrari. This balance of history and personality makes sense. Luce means ‘light’ in Italian. As I analyze this intersection, steam is probably coming in through the window on a hot summer day. The Ferrari Luce is Maranello’s first fully electric car. Prancing Horse took its time with a method that is considered the future of mobility.
Ferrari Executive Chairman John Elkann with Sir Jony Ive. (Official Image)
Ferrari announced its intention to partner with Love in 2021. Since then, automotive purists and enthusiasts alike have wondered how the architects of the Apple iPhone would influence automobile design. As the answer turns out, and ironically, it’s a complete demolition of the ethos that has defined the iPhone (and all modern smartphones since). It may well illustrate the moment when Sir Ive’s design collaboration with the firm Lovefrom sparked more conversation about Lovefrom than the car’s key specifications.
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Speaking of which, the Luce has a rated power output of 1,050 CV (that’s about 1036 horsepower; trust the Italians to add some flair), can accelerate to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds, has a top speed of 310 km/h, and has a range of 530 km on a full charge. The battery pack is rated at 122 kWh, 800V architecture and the car weighs 2,260 kg. Ferrari developed a Vehicle Control Unit, or VCU, which keeps an eye on everything. The front motors deliver 210kW of power to the axle, while the rear motors can deliver up to 620kW of power.
Ferrari says that “Efficiency, energy density and thermal management have all been given priority. The front engines can spin up to 30,000 rpm, and go from zero to maximum in less than a second.” And of course it’s a Ferrari, so prices start at €550,000.
‘People are dying because of stupid design’ This is essentially the thought process with which Sir Ive designed the Luce, and defines his approach to car design in general. In an interview I saw a while ago he had this to say: “Multi-touch is wonderful for a phone because you’re looking at the phone when you’re using it. I believe a car shouldn’t have multi-touch, because if you have to do basic things, it certainly by definition requires that you’re not looking where you’re going and you’re looking at the display.” Before he says that multi-touch as a technology needs to be used thoughtfully and appropriately.
Car manufacturers have not done this. This is something I wrote about in my Tech Tonic column a few weeks ago, pointing out that even something as simple as an outside rear view mirror adjustment requires you to tap through multiple layers of interface on the touchscreen in some cars on sale in India. Sir, I know you can’t put a touchscreen tablet inside the car, put all the controls in there for the sake of minimalism, and get away with thinking it’s a good idea.
Of course the Luce has a nice big touchscreen and an immersive binnacle. But mechanical buttons, toggles and switches have their right uses where they are more intuitive than a touch interface. However Sir Ive, Lovefrom and Ferrari integrated the AC controls on the touchscreen infotainment system. But it’s not just a touchscreen Bolt because it had to be. This weighted design sits between the front seats and has an integrated grab handle built into the architecture. This allows the driver or passenger to steady their hand before interacting with a touch or physical button interface.
A simple engagement you won’t even notice, acoustically and intuitively tuned for response, accuracy and stability.
The instrument binnacle integrated into the steering column simply has no display. In fact, it uses multiple transparent OLED sheets paired with a physical motorized needle for that parallax effect, blending modern with traditional. “The binnacle and the steering wheel are deeply connected. It’s about driving, and everything else enhances that experience. It’s essential to being able to drive, and all the controls are physical and mechanical. We tested these big organizational principles. We felt they were very important, but we also worked hard to verify the assumptions we were making. Luckily, the best engineers in the world are at Ferrari,” says Sir Ive.
The impact of design is not only inside but also outside. The insistence on aerodynamics to shape the 5 meter long electric vehicle defines Loos’ design. Ferrari says it has the lowest drag coefficient in the history of car manufacturing. It has a ride-height logic that lowers the front by 10 mm during travel.
It’s clear that the Ferrari Luce is a milestone for Maranello. A course search not only for Ferrari, but also for Sir Ive and Lovefrom, with new powertrains that define dynamics. You might have expected the Luce to be like a really fast driving car with the cabin feeling like a wonderland of tablets and touchscreens, but it’s far from that. A good designer always knows how to craft an experience and wrap it in logic and security. Turns out, the man who designed the iPhone all those years ago knows this trick doesn’t work everywhere.
Vishal Mathur is Technology Editor at HT. Tech Tonic is a weekly column that looks at the impact of personal technology on the way we live our lives, and vice versa. The views expressed are personal.
