Alexandre
For several years now, Maseratithe Italian luxury brand from the Stellantis group, is resolutely moving towards an electric 100 % range. The arrival of the Grecale, GranTurismo and GranCabrio Folgore marked this transition, and by 2025 the Maserati MC20 will also have an electric variant. Maserati's ultimate goal is clear: to become an all-electric luxury brand.
This strategy marks a clear break with other Italian brands The Ferrari and Lamborghini brands continue to offer both internal combustion and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models. Although electric models are planned for these two manufacturers, they are the exception, while Maserati takes the risky step of going completely electric. The brand, once renowned for the distinctive rumble of its engines, is facing a thorny question: is there really a market for electric luxury cars?
Rimac CEO's warning
It's against this backdrop that the recent announcement by Rimac CEO Mate Rimac should set alarm bells ringing at Maserati. Speaking at the Financial Times Future of the Car, Rimac pointed out that enthusiasm for electric hypercars is already waning. In his view, high-end car buyers now want to differentiate themselves in a market where electric vehicles are becoming the norm. They want to combustion engines and analog sensationsrather than electric vehicles similar to those used by the general public.
Rimac said the electric vehicle market has changed dramatically since his company began developing the Nevera, its first electric hypercar, in 2017. Today, consumers around the world have access to far more affordable options than ever before. Although governments have imposed strict regulations to stimulate the adoption of electric vehicles, some brands may change their plans in the face of market forces.
Falling demand for high-end EVs
These regulations impose "things we don't want", said Mate Rimac, adding that people are "a bit disgusted by it", leading to a drop in demand for high-end electric vehicles. This decline directly affects his own brand, Rimac Automobili. Despite efforts to sell the Nevera, the company has delivered only 50 units, although a total of 150 are planned.
Mate Rimac believes that these consumer trends mean that the Nevera's successor could be equipped with some form of combustion engine. "Rimac isn't exclusively electric, he's doing what's most exciting at the moment," he asserts.
A pure electric vehicle won't do it, but a powerful hybrid might. This partly explains why the successor to the Bugatti Chiron, developed under Rimac's supervision, will be equipped with a V16 hybrid engine. Rimac revealed that in 2022, two years before merging with Bugatti, the company had already begun work on a combustion engine.
What does the future hold for Maserati?
For Maserati, the choice of an all-electric range remains a risky one. The brand has always been renowned for the characteristic sound of its engines, a quality that enthusiasts still seek. The warning from Rimac's CEO cannot therefore be ignored. As consumer preferences evolve, Maserati must ask itself whether a 100 % electric strategy is really viable, or whether a hybrid offering might better meet market expectations. As a reminder, Stellantis has in its engine bank the STLA Large-compatible Hurricane GME-T6, already used in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, and will be present in the future Dodge Charger and Ram 1500, and the GME T4 already exists in PHEV... But as far as we know, there are no developments on this subject...
In conclusion, Mate Rimac's message is clear The automotive industry is in a state of flux, and consumers of luxury cars are looking for a thrill. Maserati will need to keep a close eye on changing trends, and perhaps re-evaluate its strategy to ensure it stays in tune with the expectations of car enthusiasts.
Of course, if you want a luxury sports car, you don't necessarily want to buy an electric car.
What's worse is that Alfa Romeo is announcing the same mistake: going all-electric like Maserati for the future Giulia and Stelvio.
It's absurd and very risky. I currently have an Alfa Romeo Guilia and I will leave the brand with regrets if the entire Alfa range becomes electric, it's a real shame.
It's not that I'm defeatist, but rather a realist: whatever the warnings, whatever the evidence, Maserati is an abandoned brand in a poorly managed group, which moreover has no ambitions in this segment. Worse still, its management has no experience in the segment.
Giving the keys to FCA to the directors of PSA is like giving the keys to AC Milan to FC Sochaux.
Governments want electric cars
Gasoline is wanted by buyers and therefore the market
The market always wins out over governments
"As a reminder, Stellantis has the Hurricane GME-T6 and the Nettuno V6 in its engine bank ...
Yes, except that I personally can't imagine Stellantis spending a single euro to hybridize this engine. It's quite likely that he'll end his life with the MC20. My money's more on the stla large and giorgio compatible gme.