Ferrari Chairman: Conversation with Jeff Bezos Led to Electric Car

Ferrari Chairman John Elkann has revealed that the consideration for developing the company's first fully electric car began with a conversation he had with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos approximately ten years ago.

Elkann recounted that a 2016 discussion with Bezos made him realize the necessity of seriously exploring electric vehicle development. Bezos reportedly told Elkann, "I don't know anything about cars, but I know a lot about innovation. I think you really should seriously consider building an electric car."

This conversation ultimately led to the development of Ferrari's first all-electric model, Luce. The vehicle was unveiled in May and was created in collaboration with Apple's former design chief Jony Ive and his LoveFrom team. Luce has faced considerable debate regarding its distinctive design, with social media users and some investors questioning Ferrari's electric future.

Ive stated that his team spent nearly a year understanding Ferrari before starting the design process. "We had to understand Ferrari," Ive said. He emphasized Luce's focus on physical controls and tactile feedback, aiming to preserve the driver's direct connection with the car, moving away from prevalent touch-screen interfaces. Elkann acknowledged the controversy surrounding the car, noting that such debates ultimately strengthened their convictions.