The Interior of Ferrari's Luce EV Draws Inspiration From the Past

For many automakers, launching a new EV is a familiar task by now. The novelty of electric vehicles isn’t at play much in 2026. But if you’re an automaker that still hasn’t — with apologies to 1960s Bob Dylan — gone electric, there might be a bit of hype to summon up, especially if you’re a company known for impeccable design and engineering. Like, say, Ferrari.

This week, the Italian automaker offered a look inside its first electric vehicle, which now has a name: the Luce. It could best be described as a glimpse, as Ferrari has not yet provided a look at the entire EV, but instead showed off its seats, dashboard and steering wheel, among other features. Design aficionados, take note: Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson, celebrated for their work with Apple, among other companies, were involved in shaping the look of the car alongside Ferrari’s own design team.

According to Ferrari’s announcement, the design of the instrument panel was geared towards “tactility, clarity and intuitive interaction.” In practice, that means a lot of buttons, dials and switches, both on the dashboard and the steering wheel, bucking the modern automotive trend of ubiquitous screens. The look isn’t quite retrofuturistic, but it evokes that aesthetic. Ferrari’s announcement mentions “Veglia and Jaeger instruments from the 1950s and 60s” as being an influence on this design. Given that vintage instruments from these companies remain in demand, the appeal here is clear.

Presumably, when you’re Ferrari, you can stretch out the reveal of a new EV for months at a time. The company has already shared details of the chassis late last year, and the exterior of the Luce is set to be revealed to the public this May.

Given that initial reports of a Ferrari EV first emerged in 2021, industry observers have been waiting for this for a while. Will the Luce live up to the hype? We’ll know for sure later this year.

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Tobias Carroll

Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal.

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