What a bummer: Maserati has confirmed that its electric MC20 Folgore project will not go forward due to a lack of customer demand. It’s frustrating to see the MC20 EV die before ever getting a chance to live, as it stood to demonstrate what such a powertrain could do in an Italian supercar. Sadly, according to multiple outlets out of Europe, Maserati won’t be the one to do it.
Maserati’s official line, per British publication Evo, is that “The project was stopped due to the current forecast for insufficient demand in the super sports car market for a battery electric vehicle.” Maserati initially planned on producing six EVs by 2026, the MC20 Folgore among them. However, during an earnings call last week, parent company Stellantis’ CFO Doug Ostermann said the Italian supercar company would be losing a previously planned $1.59 billion investment. The company admitted that would bear out in the deaths of many of the Trident’s upcoming EVs, though the MC20 Folgore is the only one that’s gotten the axe so far.
The cause for such EV slashing isn’t only Maserati’s 58% sales slump in 2024 versus 2023, but also because of particularly poor sales in China, its second-biggest market.
“We have to recognize the dynamics in that business, particularly in the Chinese market, and our expectations in terms of how quickly that luxury market would transition to electrification,” said Ostermann, per Autocar.
Instead of the MC20 Folgore, Maserati is said to be giving the normal MC20 a facelift sometime soon, likely with improvements from the new GT2 Stradale. However, that seems like something that would’ve happened independently of the electric version. And an electric MC20 Folgore seems like a better investment than the GT2 Stradale anyway; Maserati isn’t likely going to pull many customers away from established cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, so it might as well have brought something new and unique to the market. The MC20 is already such a great driving car, and giving it the 818-horsepower, triple-motor powertrain shared with the GranTurismo Folgore would have made it absurdly fun. I’m also in the enthusiast minority because I think convertible EVs are cool, so I would’ve even liked to see an MC20 Cielo Folgore.
Speaking of the GranTurismo Folgore, that better not be on the chopping block. I had the chance to drive the electric grand tourer on track, and it was an absolute blast. It can hold slides like the very best sports cars on sale, and it feels so natural from behind the wheel thanks to the clever packaging of its batteries. It doesn’t feel like an electric sports car; it just feels like a sports car without engine noise. It’s still the best EV I’ve driven, and it’d be a shame for it to die prematurely.
Update Friday, March 7, 2025, 3:30 p.m. Eastern: Maserati responded to The Drive’s request for comment about the MC20 Folgore’s cancellation after publication. That response is shown below:
“Market studies for the super sports car segment and especially for MC20 customers has demonstrated that they are very keen on driving powerful ICE engines like the Maserati Nettuno V6, which incorporates F1-derived technologies, but are not ready to switch to BEVs for the foreseeable future.
“In light of this, Maserati is currently managing the manufacturing ramp-up of the GT2 Stradale version of the MC20 in Modena, which will be available to North American customers this summer, but has decided to discontinue the MC20 BEV Project due to a perceived lack of commercial interest.
“The brand remains committed to electric mobility, already offering a mix of BEV, MHEV, and ICE models created to meet diverse customer and market needs. As the only luxury brand within Stellantis, Maserati continues to focus and invest in innovation, performance, and Italian craftsmanship.
“Maserati recalls that its current range of six models (Grecale, GranTurismo, GranCabrio, MC20, MC20 Cielo, and GT2 Stradale) and the next generation of its model lineup will continue to be 100% manufactured in Italy.”
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