Can Ferrari Persuade the Superrich to Buy an EV Sports Car That Won't Rev? | Hacker News Reader

Can Ferrari Persuade the Superrich to Buy an EV Sports Car That Won't Rev?

wsj.com

5 pointsthm12 comments

I would love a Roma EV - https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-roma

If the new Tesla Roadster comes out before something like a sexy Ferrari Roma EV, I would go with the Roadster.

The next generation care less about the noise a “sports car” makes, in fact the opposite; it is obnoxious.

Using public roads as a racetrack is also obnoxious - so what you're really saying is that these cars aren't needed. And you're right: they're not needed. That’s why it’s important to understand why people buy them.

ICE cars demonstrate a prowess of engineering that EVs do not, and people are willing to pay for that. People still buy Swiss watches instead of an Apple watch for the same reason.

> Using public roads as a racetrack is also obnoxious - so what you're really saying is that these cars aren't needed.

High-end sports cars are generally bought because they are sexy, aesthetically superior to regular vehicles, have brand cachet, and signal status. They’re also the trophies of people who adore the motor vehicle. They generally lead in high technology.

People who buy them and wanna race them typically do it on racetracks, not speeding in neighborhoods or cities. That racing is the domain of your average driver, cab driver, etc. who drives more mundane vehicles.

My point is the EV is the mundane vehicle. Apple can pack features into their watch all day, but the Swiss mechanical watch - despite doing far less - is still seen as superior.

That’s the same reason people buy high-end ICE cars. It’s not about utility or noise - it’s about engineering excellence. ICE vehicles showcase mechanical mastery in a way EVs simply don’t.

Yes, the stratospheric price and artificial scarcity will drive demand. They'll sell every single one.

Lot of salt in this thread. Supercars are gorgeous regardless of their propulsion method.

Alfa Romeo did an experiment for you. The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale comes with two different propulsion systems: pure ICE and pure EV. The buyer chooses which one they want. Before you check it out, what are your expectations for which propulsion system chose? What you expect both propulsion methods to sell roughly equally, one propulsion method to maybe sell a little more than the other, or one propulsion method to vastly outsell the other?

Once you looked at that, check out the sales numbers of the Lotus Evija.

Then we can talk salt.

Thats becuase EV moves the goal post. You are no longer buying an expensive thing, now you are buying expensive thing that is supposed to be FAST. Whats the point of >$2mil Evija when Plaid Track package at 1/20 the cost is equally quick? not to mention Sapphire, YangWang U9, or $70K Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Its downright embarrassing. With combustion version you can at least pretend to care about sound (annoying noise) and experience (smell of fumes), EV erases all that and puts you on equal footing with frickin family sedans going 9 second 1/4.

It’s true the Plaid Track Edition is brutally quick off the line, Tesla nailed the 0–60 quarter-mile game. But saying it’s 'just as fast' as the Lotus Evija misses the point. The Evija hits 200 mph in about 13 seconds. That’s not just fast - it’s hypercar territory. The Plaid tops out at 200 mph and takes much longer to get there. Meanwhile, the Evija goes beyond 200 mph and can sustain that speed. That’s what hypercars are all about: pushing the boundaries of engineering, not mass-producing performance sedans. They’re built to showcase what’s possible, not just what’s practical.

All 3 cars I mentioned hit 185mph in 14 seconds at fraction of the price. I find arguing about the last 15mph by Evija silly in light of Rimac Nevera doing 200mph in 10 seconds. Makes Evija look overpriced for what it delivers from one end, and slow and outdated from the other. https://carbuzz.com/lotus-evija-slower-than-rimac-nevera-r/

EV is a great equalizer and that frightens supercar makers. Porsche is outright terrified and seems to be in panic mode together with all other German car makers under political pressure to go electric. Loud smelly combustion engine cars seem to be their last stand.

Both the Nevera and Evija are pushing the envelope, are comparably priced, and have comparable performance numbers.

My whole point of bringing up the Evija in the first place was to compare the sales numbers to that of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, which doesn't even match the Evija's performance numbers. Yet more people are buying the Alfa Romeo and they're buying the ICE version, not the EV version. The Nevera, despite its performance, is struggling to sell. Which gets to what this article is about - can Ferrari succeed in the hypercar EV market where the others are struggling? My bet is: no.

The moral of the story is auto enthusiasts prefer ICE cars. Everyone understands the engineering behind EVs and how they can beat ICE cars in almost every respect - but auto enthusiasts don't care. They appreciate the engineering that goes into the ICE car. It's like I've said, the Apple watch does more, but a horophile will prefer a Swiss made watch.

unpaywalled link: https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/can-ferrari-persuade-the-...

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