Ferrari unveiled the interior of its first electric vehicle Monday, designed by iPhone creator Sir Jony Ive with a surprising emphasis on physical controls. The Luce EV cabin features machined aluminum switches, glass dials, and tactile buttons instead of the touchscreen-heavy layouts common in modern EVs.
Ive, who spent five years working with Ferrari through his creative collective LoveFrom, called large automotive touchscreens "easy and lazy" in a media roundtable. The designer who popularized multi-touch technology now says it's the "wrong technology" for car interfaces because drivers must look away from the road.
The Luce interior combines 100% recycled aluminum components with Corning Gorilla Glass surfaces. A physical key made of glass with an E Ink display docks into the center console, triggering a startup lighting sequence across the dashboard.
Each mechanical button underwent over 20 evaluation tests with Ferrari test drivers to perfect tactile feedback. Ive's design philosophy focuses on "eyes-busy, hands-on" interaction, with every switch engineered to feel different to the touch, allowing drivers to adjust climate, suspension, or drive modes by muscle memory alone.
Ferrari's first EV will reportedly cost between $500,000 and $600,000 when it launches later this year. The company revealed the interior in San Francisco but will show the exterior design in Italy this May. The name means "light" or "illumination" in Italian, signaling Ferrari's new electric era.
The vehicle features four motors producing over 1,000 horsepower, with a 0-62 mph time under 2.5 seconds. Ferrari confirmed a 122kWh battery pack providing more than 330 miles of range. It will be a standard production model rather than a limited edition, though it remains a special-order vehicle.
The collaboration between Ferrari and LoveFrom began in 2021, with Ive reportedly joining parent company Exor's Partners Council. The five-year partnership marks Ferrari's most significant design collaboration with an outside firm. Ive previously worked on Apple's abandoned car project before joining forces with Ferrari.
"Ive's argument that the entire car industry copied the wrong part of the iPhone."
Social media reaction to the interior reveal was mixed, with some praising the tactile approach and others criticizing the departure from Ferrari's traditional design language. Automotive journalist Jordan Golson noted it represents this perspective.
Ferrari stock rose 0.7% to $336.13 following the announcement, though it declined slightly in after-hours trading. The EV completes Ferrari's transition into electric vehicles as the European Union phases out combustion engines.
