One of the latest to join the transition is Italian sportscar maker Maserati, The Driven reports. While there’s been no official announcement, the company’s chief operating office, Davide Grasso, made the announcement during an online event organized by daily newspaper Milano Finaza. According to the unofficial announcement, Maserati’s first fully electric vehicle will be an EV variant of its upcoming SUV, the Grecale. [Read: Why this security engineer loves working in infosec] The Grecale will be first offered as a combustion engined vehicle alongside a hybrid version in 2021. However, we could see a fully electric version of the SUV as early as 2022 if reports are accurate. Following the Grecale, we can expect the Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio models to be electrified too. “The new Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio models will be electrified too, all our line-up will be electrified in the next five years,” Grasso said. It’s worth noting that the word “electrified” is kind of ambiguous. While there are fully-electric Maseratis on the way, some will also get hybrid models. Earlier this year, Autocar shared images of the next generation Maserati Quattroporte saloon which is set to launch as a plug-in hybrid in 2023. Maserati is owned by the Fiat Chrysler Automobile group, which, alongside Fiat and Chrysler, owns brands such as Jeep, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia. So far FCA group has been somewhat hesitant over the switch to electric cars. It will have to make it sooner or later, but with Maserati pledging to transfer to electric drivetrains by 2025 it lays a stake in the ground for its sister brands to step up to. Ultimately, Maserati’s electric ambitions are found in its MC20 sports car. The centerpiece of the brand’s revival, the MC20 will come with a V6 McLaren engine capable of propelling it to 62 mph in under three seconds. There will also be an electric version, details on this are sparse, but it is said to be faster than its internal combustion brother. EVs have proven themselves to be all-round better vehicles when they’re designed from the ground up as electric vehicles, they tend to handle better, have more range, and make better use of space. So, if Maserati was really committed to going all-electric, why is it bothering with combustion engine versions at all? Update, Wednesday, December 2, 0815UTC: The headline of this article suggested Maserati was going “all-electric,” this is misleading. While Maserati is releasing some all-electric models, it’s also releasing a bunch of hybrids. We regret the lack of clarity. SHIFT is brought to you by Polestar. It’s time to accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility. That is why Polestar combines electric driving with cutting-edge design and thrilling performance. Find out how.
