Ferrari has made a plug-in hybrid car—that’s right, Ferrari has made a plug-in hybrid car. Sorry, it’s hard not to repeat that sentence over and over. Now you can own a refined supercar while ostensibly doing something good for the environment. You can save the environment by buying a Ferrari, who knew? Seriously, though, this is one awesome supercar. With the superior engineering of Ferrari, it was only a matter of time before they jumped into the plug-in arena.
Horsepower, and Lots of It
Sure, the La Ferrari also used hybrid technology, but not to the extent of the SF90 Stradale. The La Ferrari was a mild hybrid where the electric power could not move the car forward independently. With the SF90 you can drive up to 16 miles on all-electric power. That’s quite a feat considering the power you have at your disposal when you tilt the gas pedal. Try zero-to-sixty in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 211 mph. The 4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, when combined with the three electric motors, gives you 986 horsepower. The V8 gives out 769 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque on its own, with 214 additional horsepower coming from the three electric motors. On the electric engines alone, the vehicle can reach a top speed of up to 84 mph. Of course, going that fast in all-electric mode might shorten the peaceful tranquility of your quiet ride through town. It might be just too tempting to throw it into Qualify mode, or insanely high-performance mode, and hit the nearest freeway. You probably won’t be getting many errands done in this supercar.
An All-Wheel-Drive Ferrari?
Once the battery does run out, if you can find the willpower to stay away from the freeway, the V8 will automatically recharge the battery while driving, and, of course, you can plug it in. So there’s hope one day to actually get something done in this car other than driving way too fast. The three electric motors are positioned on the front axle with one in the rear between the engine and gear-box. The engines on the front axle also allow for torque vectoring. Another interesting note about this design is that when operating in EV-only mode, power comes from the front wheels, making it the first front-wheel-drive car from Ferrari. Of course, that’s only when it’s operating in EV-only mode.
Aero Features
With power like this, you’ll appreciate the 860 lbs of downforce. The aerodynamic features are not lacking, as you’d expect from a Ferrari. The drag reduction system employs a “Gurney Flap,” which is a system at the rear of the car that regulates airflow over the upper body, thus reducing drag at high speeds in a straight or gentle arc. This increases downforce when cornering, braking, and changes of direction. The system is designed to allow the car to go into low-drag mode on straight-aways. The redesign from a more upward rear wing to the current design exerts more pressure on the front wheels since they are now active. You can start to see the level of thought and research and development that went into the SF90. It truly is the future of Ferrari, and a new pinnacle for the Italian automaker.
Interior
If you were to describe the interior in one word, it would have to be: handsome. Its minimalist approach to the interior emphasizes the classic feel of a road car. It truly looks like a comfortable ride as the seats are designed to hug the driver and passenger. There’s a 16-inch display screen for driving information, and for infotainment purposes as well. There’s also another first for Ferrari: the employment of a Heads-Up Display (HUD ) system that projects onto the windshield is another first for a Ferrari road car. This goes along with their message: focus on the road.
The Ferrari Steering Wheel
Just about all of the controls for the car are all on the steering wheel. You won’t find physical buttons on the dashboard, which contributes to the minimalist, classic look. Everything you need is located on the steering wheel, so you’ll have to get used to this, but once you do, it’ll be incredibly convenient to have all of your driving-related controls at your fingertips. Imagine having headlights, windshield wipers, and all driving modes located on the steering wheel. This goes along with Ferrari’s hands-on-the-wheel philosophy so you can focus on what matters—driving, that is. What you have here is an impressive computer system at your fingertips. We know how serious Ferrari takes their steering wheels, and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Which Mode?
From the steering wheel, you can control which driving mode you are in as well. There is a driving mode for any situation. With eDrive mode, you can power the car from the electric engines exclusively. This is a great option to have if you want to take a quiet ride around town and don’t want to engage that big V8. Imagine being able to switch to eDrive when you are stuck in traffic. That’s a convenient feature to have at your fingertips. If you need a combination of gas and electric, you can turn on the Hybrid setting. And if you need to harness the power of the gasoline engine, there’s a Performance mode that keeps the V8 engaged at all times. When you really need to move, there’s a Qualify mode, which eliminates the burden of recharging the electric motors and allows the car to go for it. This is the mode you’ve bought the car for in the first place.
Luckily the SF90 Is a Production Car
And while that might sound wild—the notion of buying a Ferrari in general—you might actually have a chance at buying one. It’s true, if you have the money, you have a chance to own one. Because this is a production car and not a limited series car, you can apply and hope for the best. Of course, you will have to have the money before you can entertain this fancy, but there is at least a chance that someone you know might own one of these someday, and wouldn’t that be something?
Ferrari’s mission to seek out higher and higher levels of performance led them to bring hybrid technology to their road cars, and they have outdone even themselves with the SF90. Surpassing the La Ferrari in performance and power, the SF90 is truly a feat of engineering. Derived from Ferrari’s F1 cars, they’ve brought the technology and racing know-how you would expect from their experience on the track. It’s evident that Ferrari’s singular mission of ultimate performance has been realized. Now the only thing left to do is check your couch cushions, empty your piggy bank, and go get yourself one. Just think of all of the money you will save on gas.
