With an eye on more efficient production as it prepares to roll out its first all-electric vehicle, Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) unveiled its €200M new factory in its hometown of Maranello, Italy, equipped with white robots operated by employees dressed in Ferrari red.
While the factory will produce internal combustion engine (“ICE”) vehicles, it’s now the hallmark location for the company’s venture into the EV/hybrid market.
Ferrari recently revealed its most powerful supercar yet, the Ferrari SF90 Spider, with a 1000 horsepower plug-in hybrid system and a price tag north of €500K with other versions of the Spider priced close to €1M.
And for that price, EV drivers can count on the powerful Ferrari roar. According to a patent filing, Ferrari (RACE) has developed technology that allows the EV to amplify sound from its electric motor while redirecting the noise to the rear of the vehicle where a traditional combustion engine would normally sit.
The engine’s roar will allow drivers to “have an immediate feedback on the conditions of the vehicle and on what has to be done in order to reach given performances,” the company said in its patent filing.
In addition to EVs, the new factory will allow the company to shorten the time to produce ICE vehicles and raise the company’s profitability through increased personalization of its supercars rather than through increased volumes. The 42,500 square meter facility is expected to raise Ferrari’s production capability to ~20K vehicles per year versus current production of ~14K, according to Reuters.