Ferrari to unveil $586,000 electric car Luce as rivals tap brakes on EVs

Ferrari is roaring into the electric era, even if many of its rivals are slamming the brakes.The iconic Italian supercar maker was set Monday to unveil the Luce, its first fully electric vehicle, in a high-stakes gamble that deep-pocketed buyers will shell out more than $586,000 for a Ferrari that hums instead of howls.The four-door EV, the name of which means “light” in Italian, tops out at 193 mph and marks perhaps the boldest transformation in Ferrari’s history as the company tries to preserve its mystique without the signature roar of a combustion engine.The new car is intended for global sale, though there’s no release date for the US.The launch comes as luxury automakers increasingly question whether wealthy gearheads actually want electric supercars.Ferrari quietly delayed plans for a second EV model until at least 2028 due to weak demand, while Italian rival Lamborghini has abandoned a project to roll out a fully electric model in 2030.But Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna is betting the company can pull off what others have struggled to achieve with their top-of-the-line vehicles: making an EV feel like a Ferrari.The automaker has spent years preparing for the moment, investing heavily in electrification and opening a sprawling new “e-building” facility at its headquarters in Maranello, Italy.Leaked prototype images circulating online ahead of the unveiling fueled feverish speculation among Ferrari fans.Spy shots posted to social media showed camouflaged Luce test vehicles undergoing road testing near Maranello in recent weeks, offering the public its clearest glimpse yet of the closely guarded EV.One widely shared Instagram post from a “supercars” account described the Luce as Ferrari’s “final prototype” and claimed the vehicle would produce 1,000 horsepower while hitting 0-100 kilometers per hour in 2.5 seconds.Ferrari has not publicly confirmed those specifications.The leaked images suggested the Luce will depart sharply from...