Maserati has had electrification plans for a while, but we’re now getting some specific details about what to expect from the brand in the coming years. It was previously stated that “electrification will be a hallmark of the brand,” by 2023. There are several electric vehicles planned, but Maserati seems to be hedging their bet by offering gasoline versions of their electrified vehicles.
The company’s first foray into electrification will be a hybrid version of the Ghibli that will launch later this year. The Ghibli has been called “not worth its asking price” and “a terrible way to spend $85,000.” The addition of a hybrid powertrain is unlikely to fix that problem, but we’d love to be proven wrong.
In 2021, the company will release a new generation Granturismo and Grancabrio with a fully electric powertrain. The cars will also be available with internal combustion engines. Both will be built at the Mirafiori production hub where the company has allocated a large portion to be used for electrified car production.
Launching later this year, a “characteristically Maserati sports car,” certainly the Alfieri supercar will first be available as a fully electric. A hybrid version is expected later with the possibility of a purely gasoline version.
Designing cars for multiple powertrains will assuredly result in some compromises, but it may be a good hedge based on the slow sales of some luxury EVs and unpredictable battery availability.