Ferrari CEO: Gas Supercars May Live on E-Fuel

One of Ferrari's greatest attractions is the sound of its engines.

Ferrari, which has built some of the world's most desirable supercars and now also makes SUVs, understands that the aural excitement produced by a V-8 or V-12 engine cannot be matched by an electric car. As a result, the company's CEO revealed that the company may turn to carbon-neutral alternatives to gasoline, such as synthetic e-fuel and hydrogen, to keep the internal combustion engine viable against a backdrop of tighter emission regulations.

In an interview with Autocar published Tuesday, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said, “We believe there is still a valid path for ICE cars, and this will be supported by the development of carbon neutral fuels.”

He also revealed that Ferrari is already working with partners in the e-fuel industry to prepare for a possible switch to e-fuel in F1 as early as 2026, with F1 set to introduce 100% sustainable fuel by the 2026 season, and a promising solution is the use of e-fuel Aramco, the Saudi Arabian oil giant that is a major sponsor of F1, is part of the team working to develop e-fuel for use in motorsports and, ultimately, road cars.

Vigna also revealed that Ferrari is looking at hydrogen, but he does not expect it to be widely available by 2030; like e-fuel, hydrogen will first be tested in motorsports.

The first hydrogen-powered racing series, “Extreme H,” will begin competition next year. This off-road racing series will feature race cars powered by electric motors that draw energy from a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and batteries.

However, it may not be long before a race series powered by hydrogen engines becomes a reality. Organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans are looking to introduce a class of hydrogen-powered cars as early as 2026, and many concept cars were on display at Le Mans this year. Le Mans competitors such as Alpine and Toyota have already presented concepts for hydrogen-powered racing cars, and Porsche and Ferrari are believed to be planning something similar. According to the patent, Ferrari has already begun work on a hydrogen engine.

Apart from this, Ferrari is working on its first EV. It is scheduled for late next year and is said to be another SUV.