After revolutionizing the design of Apple products, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch, Jonathan Ive is ready to make his mark in the automotive world. The celebrated British designer, former right-hand man of Steve Jobs, has collaborated over the last three years with Ferrari on the interior design of the first electric model from the Maranello automaker, set to release on October 9, 2025.
Jonathan Ive brings Apple design philosophy to Ferrari’s first electric vehicle
The project began in 2021, when John Elkann, Ferrari’s chairman, contacted Ive to reinterpret the driving experience with a digital approach, drawing inspiration from the transformation achieved by the Apple Watch. Ive’s California studio, LoveFrom, has worked on every detail of the cabin, with particular attention to a symbolic element: the steering wheel.
During a visit to the studio in San Francisco, Elkann discussed the design and dimensions of the steering wheel with Ive and his team, which was also tested by a Ferrari test driver. According to Elkann, it will be “something very different from what we know.”
Patent applications filed by Ferrari in recent months offer a glimpse into possible innovations: visual startup systems with backlit rotary selectors, steering wheel with integrated screen, illuminated indicators on the hub, and biometric vehicle ignition systems such as fingerprint readers or facial recognition.
The onboard screens have also been reimagined: devices that can be oriented toward the driver or passenger, dual screens that can be unified on rails, rollable panels, and solutions compatible with the track driving experience. One patent shows a display inside the charger door, useful for viewing range and charge status. A detail: in the technical drawing, an estimated range of 442 km at 67% is shown, suggesting a possible target of 660 km.
LoveFrom has also designed a modular seat, made up of customizable magnetic cushions that can potentially be 3D printed, and a unique multifunction control to adjust all seat settings, with a shape reminiscent of a mushroom.
Ferrari, meanwhile, has inaugurated the new e-building in Maranello, where electric motors will be produced and battery packs assembled. The first electric model will be manufactured right there and, according to rumors, will have a starting price of over 500,000 euros. There’s talk of two variants: an elevated compact sports model, and one with a more compact profile.
To discover what Ferrari is working on, we will probably have to wait for the official presentation in October, as the automaker rarely releases details before the debut of its supercars. But if Jonathan Ive managed to make Apple products iconic, we are certain that he will do the same with Ferrari.
