Jony Ive helped Ferrari with the interior of their first electric car
Ferrari announced the name of its first production electric car and revealed the interior elements of this model. The design was developed by the LoveFrom studio, founded in 2019 by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive and renowned industrial designer Marc Newson.
What is known
The model was named Luce, which translates from Italian as "light". Despite Ive's reputation as the creator of iconic touch devices like the iPhone and iPad, he insisted on the extensive use of physical controls in this project.
The Luce interior features real buttons, switches, and rotary knobs with precise tactile feedback. According to Ferrari, prototypes went through 20 iterations of improvements to achieve the perfect feel and sound of each switch. Special attention was given to the Launch Control toggle, which is located above the driver's head in an aviation style.
The steering wheel looks like it came from the 1960s: three thin spokes, exposed aluminum, and a layout inspired by classic Formula 1 cars. It's especially light, yet accommodates a number of controls, allowing you to avoid constant reference to the touchscreen.
Behind the steering wheel is an instrument cluster developed jointly with Samsung Display. Two thin OLED screens partially overlap, creating a depth effect and a nearly analog look of the gauges. Additionally, a physical pointer moves over the digital graphics.
Ferrari notes that the instrument interface draws inspiration from both historical automotive solutions and the concise graphics of aviation — particularly helicopters and airplanes.
The company also learned from past mistakes. In the SF90 model, the touch start button on the steering wheel was received negatively, as it deprived the car-starting process of its emotional aspect. In the Luce, the approach is different: the driver inserts a hefty glass key into a slot on the center console, after which its color changes and the selector "comes alive" with a light animation.
The external appearance of the Ferrari Luce will be shown in May. Until then, more details about the powertrain and chassis design can be expected.
Source: Ferrari
