The all-new, all-electric Maserati GranTurismo Folgore isn’t arriving until 2023, but that hasn’t stopped the Italian brand from sharing a video of its first EV, undisguised, driving along the roads around Monterey, California.
The video features Maserati’s head of design Klaus Busse and chief communications officer Maria Conti discussing some of the zero-emission GT’s key technical details, including a 0-62mph time of just 2.7 seconds and a top speed of over 200mph. Though, considering the GranTurismo Folgore packs a tri-motor setup, all-wheel drive and more than 1,200bhp, neither stat should come as a shock.
Maserati also claims you’ll be able to add 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes from a suitably fast ultra-rapid charger. We're yet to hear any estimates or predictions of how far the flagship EV will go on a full battery, but the automaker's head of product planning, Francesco Tonon, told us earlier this year that the maximum range will be “satisfying for our customers”.
Under the metal, the electric GT features technology derived from Formula E, including what the brand calls a “bone” battery, located under the centre console, where the transmission in the V8-powered models will go. According to Busse “this allows the car to remain very, very low and look like a sports car, like a Maserati should.” The brand has previously claimed this unique setup also helps improve weight distribution and the car’s centre of gravity.
In terms of the future Tesla Roadster rival’s styling, the GranTurismo Folgore is more of a subtle evolution of the outgoing GranTurismo, as opposed to a complete redesign. The silhouette is still the classic GT shape, with a long bonnet, gently raked windscreen and wide rear haunches.
Despite there being no engine to cool, the electric GranTurismo still features a large grille up front, which retains the vertical slats and large Maserati trident in the centre found on the current model. Other cues we can spot include the signature three gills on the side, a rather conventional set of tailights and tri-spoke wheels.
We don’t see much of the next-generation GranTurismo’s cabin in the video, but Conti does allude to the removal of a significant amount of physical buttons to create a cleaner looking interior, while Busse highlights the use of recycled materials like recycled nylon for certain elements. Like the current car, the GranTurismo Folgore will be a four-seater.
Finally, there’s the soundtrack of the Folgore, which you can hear throughout the video. Busse explains this has been designed by the same engineers responsible for the engines in Maseratis of old that created the brand’s signature sound.
The ‘Folgore’ badge debuting on the GranTurismo will be worn by all electric Maseratis and means ‘lightning’ in Italian. As well as the GranTurismo Folgore, 2023 will also see the launch of the GranCabrio Folgore convertible and an electric version of the Grecale compact SUV.
By 2025, the Italian luxury carmaker’s EV line-up will also include a zero-emissions version of its MC20 supercar, as well as the next iterations of the Levante SUV and Quattroporte saloon, which will both be electric-only and boast Level 3 autonomous-driving capability.
The latter two are expected to use Maserati parent group Stellantis’ new EV-dedicated ‘STLA Medium’ platform, which the company claims will allow for a range of up to 440 miles. The electric GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Grecale, however, will not use those underpinnings, in order to preserve their identity as Maseratis, according to the brand.
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