The difficult transition of the luxury car sector to electric cars

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At a time when European legislation is becoming increasingly stringent, luxury car manufacturers are struggling to get their models electrified. Because the sector prefers internal combustion engines to electric motors – which are a major cost – only a few luxury car brands seem to have gone along with it.

 

In December 2019, Ferrari announced that it would not launch an electric car model before 2025, as did Bentley. At that time, the European Commission plans to introduce the Euro 7 standard, whose ambition will be to “ban cars with internal combustion engines” in the words of the president of the German Automobile Industry Union, Hildegarde Müller. The United Kingdom also recently announced the end of gasoline engine certification from 2030.

 

These new standards do not prevent Rolls-Royce from postponing its transition to all-electricity, envisaging only a development “within a decade”. At Bugatti, the only electric vehicle available in the catalog is a reproduction of the 1927 Baby. Indeed, the Volkswagen group brand is not about to abandon its internal combustion engine.

 

Synonymous with power and flexibility, this type of engine is traditionally used in the luxury car industry. The roar produced by internal combustion engines is also inimitable, so much so that some electric models offered by Porsche or BMW are equipped with a sound system that reproduces the roar of an internal combustion engine.

 

In addition to this historical attachment to combustion engines, the delay in the development of the luxury car sector can be explained by the price of electric motors, which implies a real upheaval in the brands’ product plans, as well as major investments. In particular, the Porsche program alone cost 15 billion euros.

 

This is why, after announcing the future launch of a 610-horsepower electric hypersports car – the Rapide-EAston Martin has finally retreated in front of the production costs of such a prototype. The only top-of-the-range brand in the Stellantis group, formed by FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) and PSA (Peugeot, Citroën, Opel), Maserati had also proclaimed the certain arrival of its “first electrified model”. However, the cost of this rechargeable hybrid model turned out to be too high in the end.

 

On the whole, the Italian brand turned to micro-hybridization. Minimal hybridization makes it possible to reduce the consumption of its models, although it is still important in the event of strong acceleration. That said, hybrid technology seems to be a relevant alternative by 2025. In particular, Ferrari has opted for hybridization with its SF90 Stradale supercar model, which has a power output of 1,000 horsepower.

 

In addition, some brands have begun to design fully electric cars, such as Porsche and its Taycan model, already the number three selling car in Europe and the best-selling luxury sedan in Germany. The Bentley company itself benefits from Porsche technology for its plug-in hybrid models, including the Bentayga SUV.

 

Although still rare, these initiatives represent a favorable outlook for the transition to all-electricity. In the coming years, Maserati, for example, plans to introduce a wide range of electric models, including the sporty MC20. To a greater extent, the fourteen brands of the Stellantis group also have promising electrification ambitions.

 

Read also > LOUIS CAMILLERI IS STEPPING DOWN AS CEO OF FERRARI AND PRESIDENT OF PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT 

 

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At a time when European legislation is becoming increasingly stringent, luxury car manufacturers are struggling to get their models electrified. Because the sector prefers internal combustion engines to electric motors – which are a major cost – only a few luxury car brands seem to have gone along with it.

 

In December 2019, Ferrari announced that it would not launch an electric car model before 2025, as did Bentley. At that time, the European Commission plans to introduce the Euro 7 standard, whose ambition will be to “ban cars with internal combustion engines” in the words of the president of the German Automobile Industry Union, Hildegarde Müller. The United Kingdom also recently announced the end of gasoline engine certification from 2030.

 

These new standards do not prevent Rolls-Royce from postponing its transition to all-electricity, envisaging only a development “within a decade”. At Bugatti, the only electric vehicle available in the catalog is a reproduction of the 1927 Baby. Indeed, the Volkswagen group brand is not about to abandon its internal combustion engine.

 

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At a time when European legislation is becoming increasingly stringent, luxury car manufacturers are struggling to get their models electrified. Because the sector prefers internal combustion engines to electric motors – which are a major cost – only a few luxury car brands seem to have gone along with it.

 

In December 2019, Ferrari announced that it would not launch an electric car model before 2025, as did Bentley. At that time, the European Commission plans to introduce the Euro 7 standard, whose ambition will be to “ban cars with internal combustion engines” in the words of the president of the German Automobile Industry Union, Hildegarde Müller. The United Kingdom also recently announced the end of gasoline engine certification from 2030.

 

These new standards do not prevent Rolls-Royce from postponing its transition to all-electricity, envisaging only a development “within a decade”. At Bugatti, the only electric vehicle available in the catalog is a reproduction of the 1927 Baby. Indeed, the Volkswagen group brand is not about to abandon its internal combustion engine.

 

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Thanks to its extensive knowledge of these sectors, the Luxus + editorial team deciphers for its readers the main economic and technological stakes in fashion, watchmaking, jewelry, gastronomy, perfumes and cosmetics, hotels, and prestigious real estate.
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