Italian luxury automaker Maserati is entering the fourth year of its all-electric strategy and is about to launch its BEV moment: the Grecale Folgore SUV. I invited the south of Italy to take the Grecale Folgore to the road (and off it). road) to see if the prominent automaker’s niche of strength and luxury translates into the all-electric era.
Maserati S. p. A. will celebrate 110 years in the automotive sector later this year and its lifestyle has remained true to its Italian roots. Founded in Bologna and recently founded in Modena, the “Trident” logo operates under the umbrella of Stellantis.
Like its parent company, Maserati has made business commitments to electrification (we love to see it), especially as many of its Italian sports car competitors are dragging their feet on the issue. In 2020, Maserati shared a five-year BEV transition strategy. Proposing and promoting all-electric versions of their models.
Maserati has called those variants “Folgore,” which means “lightning” in Italian, and carries a “rame” (copper) badge that embodies a must-have element in BEV components. This initial strategy began with the announcement of two all-electric models: the GranTurismo Folgore and the Maserati Grecale Folgore.
The GranTurismo came first, unveiled at the end of 2022 before hitting the market in 2023. Simultaneously, Maserati began unveiling its all-electric successor, the Grecale Folgore, a custom electric edition of a combustion SUV that was first introduced as a 2023 model. style and discovered a huge audience of female drivers (more than 40%).
As the Grecale Folgore nears the start of sales, Maserati has invited the media to its Italy store to see how the SUV drives in person. Here are my thoughts.
As the first all-electric SUV, the Grecale Folgore’s good fortune depends heavily, but it deserves relatively good results. First of all, I need to share the percentage of what I’ve worked on with my Mediterranean travels in Italy.
I drove a dual-motor all-wheel-drive vehicle with Folgore’s iconic ‘Rame’ paint, a glossy matte that looks grey with darker lighting and then glows a brighter copper colour in the sun (see above). I found that the 3 outer shades look wonderful under the Italian sun, however, I had a comfortable place for the Rame tone, especially with the SUV’s copper accents that can be seen above and below.
Alright, let’s start with the specs before I focus my thoughts. The Grecale Folgore is the first style to be based on Maserati’s all-electric Giorgio platform, which consists of 33 modules housing lithium-ion cells. This translates to a whopping 105 kWh (97 kWh usable) that weighs 1,500 pounds. It’s by no means a lightweight and nimble electric vehicle, but Maserati aimed to deliver the strength for which it has been celebrated for the past century.
Two 205 kW electric motors deliver 820 Nm (~604 lb-ft) of torque and propel the SUV from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 4. 1 seconds. It’s not exactly “Folgore”: fast on the straight, but it gets the job done. We’ll communicate more on that in a moment.
Giorgio is a 400V platform, so unfortunately its charging capabilities are limited. The Grecale Folgore can reach a maximum DC charging speed of 150 kW. This equates to a speed of 20-80% in about 29 minutes (again, 400V platform). He hooked it up to an IONITY battery and got 122 kW, which reflects the tester itself, not the BEV.
AC charging can reach 22 kW, which is at most twice the average speed of your 400V EV, which is a huge plus, especially when most owners will qualify primarily at home. Speaking of which, each and every all-electric Grecale Folgore comes with Maserati brand AC cable and Level 2 tester included, a huge plus.
Next, let’s move on to the appearance of this copper-clad bad boy. Here are some shots of the interior:
While the Grecale Folgore may not be the fastest all-electric SUV on the roads today, it’s still a Maserati, and the automaker has spared no step to ensure its consumers have a comfortable, stylish and quality vehicle. Enjoy each and every trip.
The cabin oozes quality, starting with the unique ECONYL seats that feature a mix of black and copper separated by a very good laser strategy that you can see above. The texture is unique, comfortable and most importantly (for me) sustainable: recycled fabrics like plastic. Bottles and fishing nets for a momentary life. The design also allows for impressive ventilation, as well as warmth and air conditioning. You KNOW I love air-conditioned seats. I kept this setting on all day and enjoyed it.
Maserati has ditched the electric Grecale’s front display in favour of a glass-transparent group display that is integrated into the dashboard and looks seamless while driving. The Grecale Folgore is also the first Maserati to feature a virtual edition of its iconic watch in the center of the dashboard.
The intermediate demo was easy to navigate and didn’t require a lot of pressure. Especially since drive and regenerative braking modes can be adjusted directly from the idler, some consumers will prefer more physical buttons, especially with HVAC controls. Still, I dug them out, and had no problems with them, even while driving.
Park/drive settings are physical buttons on the center display, which I didn’t like. Admittedly, I sat in the driver’s seat to start the day and had to ask my driver spouse how the hell to make it happen. . I didn’t see them at first. I can’t communicate about the navigation formula because Maserati made us use Google Maps from a phone. Still, I’d probably pass that direction (literally and figuratively, anyway) because maximum infotainment cards suck.
The software had some bugs, dragged or showed a black screen for a second, but it wasn’t anything too serious. Overall, the vehicle statistics and diagnostics were very good in real-time. You can monitor many attractive metrics from the center display, adding things like admission rate, efficiency, and regeneration features. Check:
I’m more mindful of the feedback below. Finally, the interior of the Grecale Electric was spacious. From the outside, it’s a relatively small SUV, but its 2,903mm wheelbase and absolutely flat Giorgio platform offer plenty of space for passengers and cargo. The rear seat offers enough legroom and the trunk is stealthily large, especially when the seats are reduced. However, there is no frustration. It’s not a huge loss, but it would be fantastic to have that extra area for luggage, tools, or any seafood I fed on my layover (SO much fish).
After finding the all-electric Maserati Grecale Folgore (let’s say five times faster), I set out to put it to the test in the countryside and the picturesques of southern Italy; Here are my thoughts.
The first impression behind the wheel of the Grecale Folgore is a feeling of comfort and tranquility. Laminated windows keep the exterior out, although at high speeds you hear some wind noise, which is normal.
The 4 riding modes (Max Range, GT, Sport, and Off-Road) were easy to use, although I noticed few differences. Regenerative braking can be used in 4 levels, from an ICE-type roll to a stiffer D-setting. As I say, I’m a firm believer in one-pedal driving and this SUV didn’t suit my preferences. Even the highest regen required a lot of braking.
The sport mode made us laugh our hearts out as we tackled open and winding roads along the Italian coast, away from the speed traps, stiffening the suspension a bit with a polarizing effect: simulated engine noises. That’s right, Maserati, accustomed to noisy engines, has internal and external speakers added to the Grecale Folgore to give it a feeling of greater audible resistance, most importantly in Sport mode.
Personally, I’m indifferent since I blew up Blink-182 anyway, but I can see why some other people would need the nourishment noises and others wouldn’t. But here’s the thing: you can’t mute the sound. Keep the Of Course feature, but give consumers the option to turn it off if they choose.
In addition to the Sport mode, we also had the opportunity to drive the Grecale Folgores off-road. . . Which, in my opinion, seemed more “all-rounder”. We drove through giant puddles and dust on a dirt road to show off the versatility of the SUV at maximum height. It’s an excellent and attractive feature for unpaved terrain, however, the suspension was still bumpy, so I found it a bit gimmicky. I wouldn’t take this off-road EV because I probably wouldn’t be able to take care of it, it’s also too pretty to get dusty.
While on paper the acceleration of the all-electric Maserati Grecale is average, its strength cannot be overlooked and it is still a well-designed vehicle for overtaking slow drivers or taking sharp corners. The trip didn’t seem as sporty as you might think. When you think of the Trident brand, its manufacturers describe the SUV as a complete and flexible electric vehicle, and you may not disagree.
Overall, the quality of the Grecale Folgore shines through, especially in the looks. Personally, I’m indifferent to the external design and found it a bit boring from a profile point of view, but the copper paint is the winner in this case. Its WLTP diversity of 426 km (264 miles) leaves a bit to be desired for the average consumer, but most of those consumers probably wouldn’t need more than that to get to and from work.
Rather, a failure was announced
it’s more expensive, with less performance, with 80 km less range, less efficient, with much longer charging times than a Macan Turbo
Indeed, that heavy battery plays a vital role, but Maserati was looking to supply all the power of all-wheel drive, but that comes at the expense of efficiency. I would have liked to see a dynamic engine feature that automatically shut down the front engine. when it’s appropriate to maximize reach, but that’s easier said than done.
We don’t have an official price for the electric Maserati Grecale Folpassre yet, but I’m guessing it starts at an MSRP of between $90,000 and $100,000. Considering the specs you get, it’s too much for my blood, but most Maserati consumers buy for the lopass and luxury; after all, it’s also an SUV. If you need speed, opt for one of the electric coupes.
Overall, the Grecale Folgore is a step in the right direction for Maserati, although it’s possible that power will be increased on long-life models to maximise diversity and performance. However, they look and feel depressed, that’s for sure. I’m also very inspired by the brand’s long-term commitment to BEVs. It’s reassuring to see a company rooted in loud-burning sports cars that has the foresight to keep up and adapt its philosophy for long-term compatibility.
I’m looking forward to the official debut of the GranCabrio Folgore next month, as well as other surprises that may or may not be revealed later this year. I intend to keep you informed about all of this as soon as possible. possible, so be sure to check back with Electrek soon. See you in the next one.