Why People Hate the Ferrari Luce Doesn’t Matter

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If you follow EVs or sports cars, you likely caught the heated reaction to Ferrari’s first all-electric model, the Ferrari Luce. The five-seater, co-designed by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and priced at nearly $650,000, was met with swift and sharp criticism.

Ferrari loyalists expressed horror. Critics compared it to the far cheaper Nissan Leaf. Memes flooded social media, and even Derek Jenkins, a designer at Lucid, took a subtle jab.

Senior reporter Sean O’Kane posed a different question amid the frenzy: Who is the Luce actually for? You’ll need to read his full analysis for a complete breakdown. But in my view, the real question is whether the Luce appeals to existing Ferrari owners. After all, Ferrari buyers often own multiple vehicles. O’Kane notes that more than 80% of the 14,000 people who purchased a Ferrari last year already owned one.

Ferrari insists there is demand for the EV. CEO Benedetto Vigna claims the Luce has already attracted orders from both returning and new customers. If demand exceeds supply, the automaker will face a familiar dilemma: who gets the car? (IYKYK.)

Ferrari may ultimately be proven right. Remember the Ferrari Purosangue? That SUV was widely dismissed at launch but is now considered a success. Sometimes, a product doesn’t need universal love. Ferrari doesn’t require mass approval,it just needs enough buyers.

Now, let’s shift from EVs to autonomous vehicles.

A new Texas law gives the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles more authority over autonomous vehicle testing and deployment. Companies must now license their AVs, and the data is public. After spending some time with the AV tracker tool, here’s what I found.

Waymo leads with 577 registered AVs, followed by Avride with 317, Nuro with 47, and Tesla with 42. Self-driving truck companies like Aurora, Gatik AI, Kodiak AI, and Waabi are also listed. (For the full details, read my story.)

Fleet size is just one metric,and it doesn’t always determine who wins. Many of these companies haven’t launched commercial services in Texas yet. I’m more intrigued by the complaints feature on the tool, which is also public. As of today, no complaints have been filed against any of the listed companies.

Deals!

A new single asset fund managed by Equip Capital has taken a majority stake in European e-scooter operator Ryde Technology. Goldman Sachs Alternatives is the lead investor.

Harley-Davidson’s electric motorbike spinoff LiveWire acquired electric off-road startup Dust Moto. Terms were not disclosed.

Matternet, an autonomous drone delivery company, raised $33 million in a private placement and completed a reverse merger with Los Altos Ventures Corp.

Revel, the EV charging company that shut down its ride-hailing business last August, is merging with Voltera. Terms were not disclosed, but the combined company will operate under the Voltera brand, led by Revel CEO Frank Reig, according to Bloomberg.

Stark, a German drone maker, is in talks to raise at least €300 million ($350 million), a round that could double its valuation to €2.5 billion, the Financial Times reported.

Volara Motorsports Group, a motorsports and performance-focused holding company, acquired Lynx Motor Works, an Austin-based maker of limited-production, reimagined classic vehicles.

WeRoad, the Milan-based group adventure travel startup, raised $58 million in a Series C round led by Airbnb. The funding brings total capital raised to roughly $100 million and will support WeRoad’s expansion into the U. S., starting with Austin.

Notable reads and other tidbits

American Airlines will install Starlink on more than 500 narrow-body Airbus aircraft starting early next year, the latest carrier to choose the SpaceX unit for in-flight Wi-Fi. The deal provides a financial boost for Starlink, the only SpaceX business unit generating meaningful revenue.

Rivian said it will begin deliveries of its new R2 SUV on June 9. Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating how Rivian services its vehicles’ rear suspension components.

Slate Auto is expected to announce pricing and begin taking nonrefundable preorders for its low-cost EV on June 24. Deliveries are slated for later this year.

Volvo Cars received a specification authorization from the Commerce Department that allows the Swedish automaker, majority owned by China’s Geely Holding, to continue importing and selling vehicles in the U. S. A law finalized in January 2025 effectively bans most Chinese vehicles from the U. S. market as part of a crackdown on connected car technology with ties to China.

Waymo has started giving select riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco access to its newest robotaxi: an all-electric, minivan-like vehicle designed to lower costs and handle heavy use. I had a chance to ride in the Ojai (pronounced oh-hi), a modified Zeekr-made minivan. Stay tuned for my full review this weekend. Here’s a teaser: Robotaxis have long struggled with a magic problem. The Ojai starts to solve it.

One more thing…

It’s poll time! Maybe you secretly like the Ferrari Luce and just don’t want to get trolled. Maybe you hate it. We asked our newsletter readers to share their opinion.

Sign up for the Mobility newsletter to participate in our polls!

And now one more thing, for real this time. Last week, I asked our readers, “Will SpaceX and Tesla merge?” More than 51% selected “Yes, within two years”; 34% picked “never”; and 14.5% chose “Yes, this year.” That means more than 65% believe a merger is inevitable.