Euro NCAP will put the Ferrari Luce through its safety tests, according to Australian online newspaper Drive, which reported the news after a technical briefing organized by the Maranello carmaker. The news carries particular weight because it concerns Ferrari’s first fully electric car, a model designed to represent the brand’s technological transition and face public scrutiny under increasingly strict safety standards, far beyond the performance figures normally associated with Ferrari.
Ferrari Luce, the Prancing Horse’s first electric car will face Euro NCAP tests
The most unusual aspect concerns the cost of the operation. With an estimated list price of around €550,000, the Luce could become one of the most expensive cars ever tested independently by the European organization. The protocol requires several examples of the same model, generally at least four. In Ferrari’s case, that would push the total value of the cars involved beyond €2 million. Few tests reach that kind of figure, since Euro NCAP rarely evaluates supercars and limited-production luxury models because of their high cost and low sales volumes.
Maranello’s stated goal is to secure a five-star Euro NCAP rating, a result the Luce will have to earn under protocols that have become increasingly rigorous in recent years. Euro NCAP’s current assessment examines occupant protection in crashes, pedestrian safety, the effectiveness of driver assistance systems and accident-prevention technologies. According to Drive, a Ferrari spokesperson said that “Euro NCAP testing forms part of our performance target for the vehicle,” placing safety within the same logic the brand applies to dynamics, technology and road behaviour.
The result could also have consequences outside Europe. Carla Hoorweg, CEO of ANCAP, Australia’s equivalent of Euro NCAP, told Drive that if Euro NCAP assesses the model in Europe, ANCAP will review the specifications sold in Australia and New Zealand to decide whether it can apply the same rating in those markets.
Ferrari officially unveiled the Luce on May 25, and the car now faces a test that several markets will watch closely. This time, lap times and acceleration figures will not matter. Crashes, sensors, protocols and active and passive safety systems will shape the judgement, marking a significant step in Ferrari’s repositioning during this new technological phase.
