If an electric Maserati passed you on the Pacific coast, you likely wouldn’t realize it was electric. Even if you were inside, you might still need a second to realize it.
And that’s by design.
And it’s a design I can get behind.
Italian design philosophy
I spent a few days in Santa Monica with the Maserati team, driving their vehicles through the most terrifying canyons (including an SUV) and listening to their passion for design. During part of the drive, we even had a detour at an art gallery, where Klause Busse, Maserati’s Head of Design, talked about the importance of every design detail, down to the exact colors they picked for the vehicle lineup.
Of course, this driving session focused on two of their gas-powered options: the 2027 GranCabrio Trofeo and Grecale Trofeo. But this obsession with perfection applies to their EVs as well.
And I wouldn’t really blame you if you didn’t know they had EVs. Maserati hasn’t really announced an all-electric lineup in a big way, like other automakers (who later had to pivot back). And their electric vehicles are not designed to say I’M ELECTRIC like most automakers do.
You know a vehicle is electric because it gets that “futuristic” LED light strip in the front and other dorky elements meant to differentiate it from the “past” of gas-powered vehicles. But not Maserati’s EVs. They were designed to look exactly like their gas-powered fleet. The only difference? They have a battery.
During a presentation before the drive, Maserati explained that their EVs are for those who don’t want to scream to the world that they have an EV. And honestly, that’s their MO for everything.
“You can wear Italian fashion, French fashion, British fashion… I’m sure in your head, you know exactly what you would put where,” Klause explained in an interview with AutoNotion. “Italian fashion stands for certain things. For example, Armani. It has a timeless style. It represents a certain approach to elegance and lifestyle.
“What I like about that brand is it doesn’t overpower the person wearing it. That is also true for our cars. If you drive a Maserati, I can still see you.”
This design philosophy has definitely worked. In Top Gear’s review of the GranTurismo Folgore, they wrote: “Maseratis are supposed to be elegant, restrained and sophisticated – if peacocking’s your thing, see the Ferrari dealer down the road.”
Same driving position, way more power
But it takes more than elegant, subtle Italian design to make an electric Maserati remain a Maserati. Head of Engineering Davide Danesin took to the floor before our drive to discuss the hidden complications of electrifying a vehicle without changing its looks.
Usually, the battery changes a vehicle’s driving position and weight distribution. This makes the driving experience feel completely different. But none of this has changed with Maserati’s electric vehicles. This obviously took a lot of engineering trickery, including a “T-Bone” battery layout that keeps the driver low and the vehicle feeling sporty.
“It looks damn near identical to its snarly V6-powered sibling, and the two cars were developed side-by-side, but underneath, the Folgore — Italian for ‘Lightning’, by the way — is obviously a very different beast,” reported Car Throttle.
In fact, the Folgore may be more your thing. The Trofeo has 542 horsepower, but the Folgore has 751 hp, which is a huge jump. It also delivers 996 lb-ft of torque from its three electric motors. But this isn’t a hypercar or Tesla SUV that’s gonna lurch you forward. It’s very smooth, almost gradual.
Car Throttle continued: “While it’s the most powerful car Maserati’s ever made, it’s perhaps best thought of as a laid-back, high-speed cruiser. Here, it’s exquisite — the ride is superb, ironing out bumps and ruts as if they don’t exist, and the cabin is wonderfully isolated from the outside world. It would be a great car for covering long distances, assuming you don’t mind a few charging stops.”
Again, it’s that Italian restraint. This isn’t a sports car meant to lurch forward at a green light.
