He bought his Ferrari LaFerrari V12 for only 1.5 million $... but just paid another 200,000 $ to change his batteries

Today we're talking about a Ferrari LaFerrari, a six-figure battery bill, and a Japanese collector who had a nose for it long before anyone else.

In a recent video posted on YouTube by Daily Driven Exotics, the team visits Mr. Mera in Japan, a collector renowned for owning some of the most incredible cars on the planet. His private showroom includes a Ferrari F50a Enzo, a LaFerrari, a F40 Yellow LM (more on that later), but also extremely rare Lamborghinis. Cars bought decades ago, sometimes at prices that today seem almost derisory.

A LaFerrari bought at the right time

Amidst this impressive collection, the Ferrari LaFerrari obviously catches the eye. Introduced in 2013 and produced in just 499 examples, it remains one of the most desirable modern Ferraris. With its 6.3-liter naturally-aspirated V12 combined with a Hy-KERS hybrid system inspired by Formula 1, it develops 963 hp and symbolizes the transition from Ferrari into the hybrid era.

But in the video, one detail in particular catches the eye: Mr. Mera is said to have bought his LaFerrari for just $1.5 million. A surprisingly low amount for a car that was already worth much more when it came out, but this may correspond to an approximate conversion, an old estimate, or confusion in the discussion. For the record, the cheapest models that sold around 2019 and 2022 were more likely to be in the $2.5 to $3 million range. What's certain is that the story takes a spectacular turn when he mentions the cost of replacing the hybrid battery...

32 million yen to replace the battery

According to the information given in the video, Mr. Mera recently had to replace the batteries in his LaFerrari. The bill was announced as 32 million yen, or around $200,000 at today's exchange rates. A staggering sum, even in the world of vintage Ferraris. The owner presents his perfectly organized maintenance documents, and shows the invoice for this operation.

The Achilles heel of hybrid hypercars

This story is reminiscent of another we reported on last year: that of a LaFerrari that broke down in Croatia after just 1,440 km. In this case, Ferrari would have offered to replace the entire battery pack. for approximately €180,000. The owner finally avoided the bill thanks to EV Clinic, a specialist workshop that repaired the battery cell by cell. The LaFerrari carries a pack weighing around 60 kg and comprising 120 cells. On the car in question, the problem stemmed from faulty cells and a faulty assembly. So the battery wasn't totally dead, but Ferrari proposed a radical solution: replace the whole thing.

In Mr. Mera's case, the video doesn't specify whether the battery was repairable or not. But the amount announced shows a reality: on these hybrid hypercars, the technology that was the stuff of dreams ten years ago can become a colossal maintenance item.

When investment meets passion

What stands out most from this visit is that Mr. Mera didn't buy these cars just to speculate. He knows them, he documents them, he preserves them with extreme care. Some have been driven very little, while others are accompanied by their original accessories, luggage and even items that have never been unpacked.

The LaFerrari's battery bill tells two stories at once. On the one hand, there's the story of a hybrid hypercar whose maintenance costs can be staggeringly high, almost putting the price of the Ferrari F40's fuel tanks into perspective. On the other, that of a collector who bought the right cars at the right time, out of passion as much as instinct.