Maserati GranCabrio Folgore EV revealed with 750 hp

Maserati opens its electric car chapter with the GranCabrio Folgore. The carmaker says that Folgore’s powertrain is developed with Formula E-derived technology like the silicon carbide inverters for a better energy flow and higher efficiency.

The car uses 800-volt batteries that power three 300-kw permanent magnet motors that are located in the front and the rear – to deliver up to 1,200 hp and a whopping 1,350 Nm of torque across all four wheels. The motor layout is one up front and two at the rear axles.

Built with technologies developed specifically for the project, the car’s body makes extensive use of lightweight materials such as aluminium and magnesium, together with high-performance steel for the most critical functions. Over 65% of the car is made of aluminium, says Maserati. The 0-100 km/h sprint time is 2.8 seconds and top speed is 290 km/h, which makes it the fastest electric convertible on the road.

Each motor can be controlled independently of the others via the Vehicle Domain Control Module (VDCM) by the driver. The GranCabrio Folgore can therefore be driven as a RWD or AWD.

In terms of torque distribution, the set-up allows for 100% distribution of the available power.In fact, it can send up to 400 hp of power on a single rear wheel when demanded.

In addition, the features of the GranCabrio Folgore system provide regen levels of up to 0.65 g, to recover energy during braking and achieve optimal conditions up to the peak charging rate of 400 kW.

The battery, produced at the Mirafiori Battery Hub assembly plant in Turin, has a nominal capacity of 92.5 kWh and a discharge capacity of 610 kW, to continuously deliver around 750 hp to the wheels.

The car comes with asymmetric wheel configuration, larger at the rear (21" 295/30) than at the front (20" 265/35). Torque vectoring and traction control are provided and the driver can programme the chassis settings for extreme drift manoeuvres. Other modcons include digital displays, high end multimedia systems, many connected features and luxurious seating for four adults.

Although the car is all-electric, it's virtually soundless on the move. However, the company has factored in a sound tuning function that via a sophisticated signal processing software, audio synthesisers and high-quality speakers on the inside and out recreates the exact V8 aural exhaust note.