Maserati is a century-old company that is world-famous for producing luxury cars, and the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) brand recently joined Ferrari's sports car group. The Italian automaker is developing an electric car that it hopes to unveil by 2020. It is designing a unique electric vehicle (EV) that will be more like its GranTurismo coupe than Tesla's Model S sedan or Model X SUV.
Maserati shared the news with Car and Driver. The company's Chief Technical Officer Roberto Fedeli explained that the carmaker's first green car will not try to compete directly with Tesla.
The auto engineer stated that the new EV could be launched by 2019 and the company plans to show a prototype during the next few years.
The luxury automaker's parent company already manufactures the Fiat 500e. However it is mainly built to follow zero-emissions rules instead of as a mass-produced model.
One of Maserati's goals is to design an EV that is fun to drive. Fedeli explained that today's green cars have super-fast acceleration but the weight of lithium-ion batteries creates a less invigorating experience on curvy roads, according to Engadget. The carmaker would have to figure out how to make quick turns easier.
The Italian company will also have to give the luxury EV special features without the loud sounds of a gas engine. Its 2020 goal gives enough time for e-car batteries to catch up with the company's plans for electric powertrains.
Maserati's first EV will be a low-volume car. It will be one of the last major automakers to launch an electric car, which explains why it wants to design a one-of-a-kind vehicle.
Fedeli criticized the world's top EV maker Tesla. He argued that its products' quality was the same as German original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of the 1970s.
Maserati was founded by Alfieri Maserati and his brothers in 1914. The company's first model introduced in 1921 included a body, engine, and transmission from three different car companies.
In related news, India's largest SUV maker Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. plans to sell EVs in China, according to Bloomberg. Its electric car unit wants to team up with a Chinese company to sell EVs in the world's largest auto market.
The Indian company is considering the Chinese market because it has a full range of EVs including buses, three-wheelers, and two-wheelers.
Here's the 2015 Fiat 500e: