Italian luxury automaker Maserati is on a mission to electrify its lineup by 2025 and has even launched a sub-brand Folgore for the all-electric models. Maserati has now released the details of its first upcoming all-electric performance coupe, the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore. It is the second model to be introduced under the Folgore brand after the Grecale Folgore electric SUV was unveiled earlier this year. However, The GranTurismo Folgore will be launching ahead of the Grecale Folgore.
The electric performance coupe is expected to cost between $170,000 and $215,000 in the US market and will be available for sale in the US in September 2023. The soft top convertible version of the GranTurismo Folgore will also be launched next year and will be named GranCabrio. The Convertible GranCabrio Folgore is expected to carry even a higher price tag than the coupe.
The Maserati GranTurismo Folgore is built on an 800-volt architecture that has been developed using technical solutions derived from Formula E. The platform features a unique T-Bone battery layout that runs along the car’s central tunnel and towards the rear of the coupe. The T-shaped structure avoids placing the battery cells under the seats which further helps in achieving a height of just 1,353 millimeters (53.2 inches).
According to Maserati, the battery’s specific set-up and innovative layout allowed the company to retain those classic GT proportions. And it also optimizes the weight distribution and maintains a low center of gravity required to achieve higher speed levels & acceleration rates and improve the agility of the vehicle during changes of direction.
The T-shaped battery pack can store 92.5 kWh of energy and powers a tri-motor setup on the GranTurismo Folgore. Two independent electric motors of 300 kW each are present on the rear axle and one 300 kW electric motor is present on the front axle. The performance coupe is capable of Independent torque vectoring on the rear axle and it can also discharge 100 percent of the available power through the rear axle which makes the GT Folgore a rear-wheel drive if the driver wants to switch.
The GranTurismo Folgore courtesy of the tri-motor setup of 300 kW each offers the most powerful powertrain in this new GranTurismo lineup. It can deliver more than 1,200 horsepower and a maximum torque of 995 lb-ft but the company says it can only be available for short bursts. And the battery pack can only transmit around 750 hp of power continuously for a longer period of time due to its nominal capacity.
Maserati says the all-electric performance coupe can make zero to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds, zero to 124 mph in 8.8 seconds, and has a top speed of 198 mph. When it comes to driving range, the company estimates that the GT Folgore can travel 280 miles on a single charge as per the WLTP cycle.
Maserati, known to deliver luxury and performance to its loyal customer base, kicks off an interesting era with the launch of the new electric GT. The Italian automaker plans to launch the GranTurismo and GranCabrio EVs within the next year, it will then launch the electric Grecale Folgore which will be followed by the electric versions of the Levante, Quattroporte, and MC20 by the year 2025. The GranTurismo Folgore will be produced at the Mirafiori manufacturing hub in Turin.