BOLOGNA, Italy — Ferrari is looking to enhance its knowledge in battery cells as part of its transition to electrified vehicles, CEO Benedetto Vigna stated on Monday, but the company has no intentions of producing the cells themselves.
The luxury sports car manufacturer from Italy has been offering hybrid-electric cars since 2019 and has committed to releasing its first fully electric vehicle by the end of next year. Ferrari, which sold nearly 14,000 cars last year, may not have the capacity to manufacture its own cells at a profit.
“We aim to delve into cells and grasp their composition,” Vigna mentioned at the inauguration of a battery cell research facility in collaboration with Bologna University and chipmaker NXP Semiconductors.
“Production will always be outsourced to external manufacturers, leveraging the knowledge we hope to gain from this research center,” Vigna explained during a presentation.
“We cannot simply accept cells as complete enigmas,” he added.
The E-Cells Lab concentrates on electrochemistry and is designed to enhance Ferrari’s long-term knowledge in battery cells, which are currently purchased from external suppliers.
“We anticipate using a greater number of cells and will require an understanding of the chemical processes,” Vigna indicated.
The E-Cells Lab will initially look into lithium-based, liquid-state cells, but is prepared to explore new chemistries and technologies, although Vigna stated that solid-state batteries are not currently a viable option.
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