It might surprise you to learn that Maserati is taking a fairly active role when it comes to electrification. Although the automaker doesn’t have a dedicated EV offering yet, Masi does produce an all-electric version of each of its cars under the Folgore branding – Italian for lightning. But while the gorgeous GranTurismo, al fresco GranCabrio, and fleet-footed Grecale EVs might get luxury consumers excited, Maserati is also getting feedback from its racing drivers about how to make electric cars even better in the future. And believe it or not, Maserati MSG Racing Formula E drivers Jake Hughes and Stoffel Vandoorne share many of the same opinions as mainstream consumers when it comes to electrification.
2025 Maserati GranCabrio Folgore
- Base MSRP
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$205,000
- Engine
-
Electric
- Horsepower
-
751 hp (818 hp with MaxBoost)
- Torque
-
995 lb-ft
- 0-60 MPH
-
2.7 seconds
- Top Speed
-
180 mph
The Instant Acceleration Is Great, But We Need More Speed
Speaking to a gathered roundtable of journalists ahead of this weekend’s Miami ePrix, Hughes and Vandoorne had a lot to say about Maserati’s all-electric racing effort. Hughes is a relative newcomer to Formula E, joining the series in 2021 after an early career in Formula 2 and karting. Nevertheless, Hughes heaped praise on Maserati’s take on the Gen 3 Evo Formula E chassis, echoing the EV road car market with his compliments.
“The experience of driving an electric racing car is different,” Hughes said. “The instant power on corner exit is, let’s say, it’s something I’ve never experienced before.” The racer also seems to be a convert in his daily life as well, saying that his Grecale Folgore has him convinced he’ll likely always have an EV for commuting thanks to its quiet, smooth ride and swift acceleration.
However, both drivers admitted that their racing cars are missing something that’s holding back their mass appeal. The Formula E Gen 3 Evo cars are limited to 200 miles per hour, which sounds blazing-quick, but considering Formula 1 and Indycars regularly crest 230 mph, there’s more speed on the table. Even Formula 2 outpaces the electric racing series, with a top speed of 208 mph.
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“The opportunity to make these cars faster is big, and there’s huge potential to make big strides forward compared to where we are now, to gain a bit more credibility,” says Vandoorne. “It looks like that is coming in the next generation of cars.” Hughes also said that he is looking forward to the Gen 4 cars due for the 2026-2027 season, for both their higher top speed and improved regen and charging capability.
Technology Transfer To The Real World
Today’s Formula E cars can recharge at a rate of 350 kilowatts (echoing today’s fastest public EV chargers), but in the future, that number will likely double. That means the cars could see in-race recharging, adding 4 kilowatt-hours of the battery’s usable 38.5 in just 30 seconds or so. That could extend race distances by 10 percent and enable greater performance over a logner period of time than today’s cars, which would combine with higher top speeds and longer, faster tracks to make Formula E more entertaining for race fans. But there may also be some real-world benefits to the advancements.
“Some people are still reluctant toward electric cars, but I think they are much better than normal combustion engines. They are much easier to use, the power delivery is a lot nicer, and maybe the only constraint is the infrastructure … but I also think that with Formula E, the technology we’re producing there, particularly the battery technology, is going to help road cars too.”
– Stoffel Vandoorne, Maserati MSG Racing Formula E Driver
Hughes said that although there are some hard regulations and restrictions in Formula E, each team is able to fine-tune their software, aerodynamics, and suspension setup. The level of customizability is so extensive that the cars have a unique feel from race to race, which could benefit performance-oriented EV road cars as well and imbue them with the personality that many enthusiasts feel is lacking – at least those who’ve never driven a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
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Maserati Changes Tune On EVs, But Only Slightly
Worldwide EV adoption has been slower than usual, especially at the upper echelons of the auto market, so Maserati has altered its road car strategy for the future. The company is no longer pursuing a Folgore version of the mid-engined MC20 supercar, which Maserati Head of Motorsport (and former communications chief) Maria Conti chalked up to revised consumer demand. However, Conti underscored that the brand would focus its efforts on the three Folgore models already in production, enticing those less-than-enthusiastic luxury shoppers to try out an EV.
“The Miami Formula E race is crucial for us because we are combining brand experiences and special customer activations,” Conti said. Florida, especially Miami, is one of Maserati’s largest markets in the US, and Conti thinks the company can leverage its Folgore lineup at the electric racing series to give its target demographic a better opinion of EVs – both on and off track.
