Ferrari has always been synonymous with powerful roaring engines – it’s no wonder the company’s logo is a prancing horse, a literal symbol of horsepower. However, CEO Benedetto Vigna announced that the company will unveil its first fully electric model soon, with an availability date of October 2026. The reveal will occur in three stages, starting with just the “technological heart” on the 9th of October this year, with a lifting of the veil later on. It’s difficult to imagine what an ‘electric’ Ferrari would be – is a car really a Ferrari if it doesn’t have that signature V8 or V12 engine?
That said, the company did unveil the SF90 Stradale in 2021, their first-ever hybrid automobile, combining an 800 hp V12 engine with a 120 kW electric motor. This upcoming car, however, will ditch the fuel engine entirely, making it the first Maranello-original with a truly electric beating heart. What would such a car look like, you wonder? Designer Ki hyeon Kim has a vision – meet the Testarossa EV concept – a Ferrari that paves the way forward for future EVs.
Designer: Ki hyeon Kim
Moving to an electric powertrain seldom means abandoning your identity, which is why the Testarossa still comes with its iconic red colorway, and a menacing stare that Ferrari aficionados know too well. The name Testarossa harks back to the popular mid-engine sports car produced by Ferrari from 1984 to 1992 – now in its electrified avatar, it retains a few great elements, but sheds some of its older baggage.
Two very crucial details of the Testarossa back in the late 80s were firstly, its retractable headlights, and secondly, the ‘gills’ or strakes on the side of the car, guiding air into the intake at the door. The Testarossa EV holds dearly to those two elements, making it instantly connectable to the original.
The retracting headlights, however, are deadly sleek, integrating into the LED strip on the front. Just like the original had a static pair of headlights on the front, a strip running across the bumper is the Testarossa EV’s static headlight. Right above it, on the left and right fenders, however, are flaps that retract inwards to reveal more powerful headlights that kick in at night, illuminating the road ahead.
The running strakes can be found not just on the sides but even the front and the back, adding a bit of a cohesive element. The EV borrows from the original Testarossa’s taillights too, with the fins striping horizontally across the back. However, the conventional taillights get ditched for an LED strip that mirrors the one found on the front. Very punk, very edgy, and for those true-blue fans who think Ferrari must live and die by circular taillights, a prancing horse punctuates the linear taillight, reminding you well of the Testarossa EV’s origins.
Move onto the wheels and you see how detailed Kim’s design actually is. He retains the Ferrari’s five-spoke rims, but creates a pattern that resembles the leg of a galloping horse. Sure, the EV doesn’t have ‘horsepower’, but it pays true homage to the Ferraris before it.
The Testarossa EV is, however, just a fan-made concept that celebrates Ferrari’s legacy in a new ‘flavor’. Sure, purists will dunk on the company for going electric, but it’s worth appreciating how far the car company has come in the 86 years since its founding. For people looking for a trip down memory lane, below is the Testarossa EV placed beside its 40-year-old ancestor, the original Testarossa with its 12-cylinder engine.
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