Maserati’s electric plans: Formula E, new GranTurismo and more

► All about Maserati’s electrification plans
► Company will return to racing in 2023
► New Grecale and GranTurismo due same year

Maserati has a big to-do list to clear before the end of the decade. The brand is planning an enormous electrification push, which will see it enter the Formula E championship in 2023 and launch a slew of new electric cars – including the all-new Grecale SUV and a replacement for the GranTurimso.

Maserati’s involvement in Formula E marks the end of the company’s 13-year absence from racing. During the early 2000s, the brand raced its Ferrari Enzo-based MC12 supercar in the FIA GT Championship, where it enjoyed success claiming two constructors’ titles.

‘We are very proud to be back where we belong as protagonists in the world of racing,’ said Maserati CEO, Davide Grasso. ‘We are powered by passion and innovative by nature. We have a long history of world-class excellence in competition and we are ready to drive performance in the future.’

Jean-Marc Finot, Senior VP of Stellantis’ motorsport division, added: ‘Formula E will be our technological laboratory to accelerate the development of high-efficiency electrified powertrains and intelligent software for our road sports cars. Formula E is the perfect Championship for this purpose and we are very proud to be the first Italian brand to join in.’

Formula E’s ninth season will bring a fresh set of racing regulations – and Maserati believes the series is the perfect platform for drawing attention to its increasingly electrified road car range. After all, everything from the Grecale to the MC20 will soon be available in battery electric vehicle (BEV) form. The brand’s racer is teased in the image above.

Tell me more about Maserati’s forthcoming electric road cars

By 2025, Maserati says there’ll be an electric version of every model in its line-up. We’ve got two new cars to look forward to in 2023 – the Grecale SUV (which will become a rival for the upcoming electric replacement for the Porsche Macan) and the new GranTurismo Folgore, an electric grand tourer.

The former is a compact crossover that’ll be built alongside the Alfa Romeo Stelvio on the FCA-developed Giorgio platform. However, there’s a good chance that Maserati won’t use the Stelvio’s engine, as it’s already developed its own 3.0-litre V6 powertrain for the MC20 which could be made to fit the Grecale. The supercar has an output of 621bhp and 538lb/ft of torque, but we expect that’ll be reined in if the engine is slotted into the SUV.

Maserati has previously confirmed that the Grecale will be sold with a pure-electric powertrain, but the layout and the performance of the system hasn’t yet been confirmed. One thing Maserati has said is that the system will feature an 800-volt electrical system (like you get in the Porsche Taycan), which should allow for superfast charging speeds.

Shortly after, Maserati will launch the next-generation version of the GranTurismo (previewed above) – and we expect it will follow the same formula. So, it should be offered with both a pure-electric powertrain and a version of Maserati’s Nettuno V6, which will allow it to compete with everything from the Jaguar F-Type to the BMW i4.

In its most recent announcement, Maserati said the GranTurismo will be the first model in its range to adopt its new electric powertrain, meaning we’ll probably only have petrol-powered versions of the Grecale from launch. The brand also claims its sports coupe’s electric drivetrain will be derived from its Formula E racer.

Beyond that, Maserati will unveil the next-generation versions of its Quattroporte saloon and full-sized Levante SUV by 2025 – both of which will feature an electric model. The range will be crowned by the electric version of the MC20 supercar, which will make its debut within the same timescale.

All of this innovation points towards the Italian marque ultimate goal of becoming an electric-only manufacturer by 2030. This means the company will pretty much fall into step with the rest of the brands under Stellantis’ wing, all of which are also aiming to achieve the same goal before the end of the decade.

Anything else I should know about?

Oh, only what could be the biggest change in the way we interact with our cars since the invention of the electric starter motor. Yes, we’re talking about autonomous driving.

Just like all the big German brands, Maserati has committed to offering all of its new cars with Level 2 autonomous systems – and the firm says it will roll out Level 3, ‘hands-off’ technology as soon as it’s ready. Or as soon as legislation allows, whatever comes first.

The system will have ‘the ability to manoeuvre in and out of lanes or bring the vehicle to a safe stop at the side of the road if the driver is unable to take control of the vehicle.’ That means there’s a distinct safety benefit as well as the more obvious comfort aspect.

Maserati also confirmed it was building a new paint shop in Modena, where customers will be able to come and watch their car being painted for the first time. Presumably in a nice shade of green, to mirror this new, more saintly electrically powered and ecologically aware age.

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