Maserati first spliced into the electric-vehicle revolution with the GranTurismo Folgore, its reborn GT enhanced by elements from the automaker’s Formula E racing program. The wish-list specs on its data sheet include: a dog-bone-shaped battery for the lowest possible center of gravity, three motors that spin to 17,500 rpm, silicon-carbide inverters, 60 mph in a claimed 2.7 seconds, and a 202-mph top speed. And while it makes do with 818 horsepower, it stands ready to supply up to 1206 horses—it already makes 995 pound-feet of torque—once more robust high-performance batteries become available.
Maserati’s Grecale compact SUV, on the other hand, is marketed with the tagline “everyday exceptional.” Whether powered by an internal-combustion engine or, in this case, a battery-electric powertrain in Grecale Folgore trim, that “everyday” indicates fare closer to a staple dish than the GranTurismo Folgore’s five-star Modenese treat.
Thing is, anyone who’s been to a fine Italian restaurant knows that a proper chef can make even an earthy staple like pork ragu over polenta a molto insigne experience.
Grecale Folgore’s EV Stats
For the Grecale Folgore, engineers reworked the floor plan to fit a skateboard-style battery. The pack is made up of 33 modules, 29 laid out in a flat rectangle, four on a level above, hidden by the rear seat. Knowing they wanted the EV’s interior dimensions to match those of the gasoline-powered SUV, while maintaining aero efficiency, engineers lowered the floor instead of raising it. The ICE Grecale’s 8.3 inches of ground clearance becomes 6.7 inches in the Folgore, and the Folgore’s roof sits a third of an inch closer to the ground.
The Grecale Folgore’s reworked ingredients relative to the GranTurismo start with the battery. Whereas the high-performance coupe’s 83.0-kWh pack gets lithium-ion cells from LG feeding an 800-volt architecture, the Grecale Folgore’s 96.0-kWh pack is powered by lithium-ion cells from CATL electrifying a 400-volt architecture. The GranTurismo’s three motors are built by Marelli Motori to a Maserati design; the Grecale’s two motors come from Jing-Jin Electric (JJE). They spin considerably slower than the GranTurismo’s, and you’ll find no fancy silicon carbide in the inverters. Together, the two motors make 550 horsepower and 605 pound-feet of torque, split evenly between the front and rear axles.
Maserati estimates max European WLTP range at 311 miles. Peak DC fast-charging of 150 kilowatts refills the pack from 20 to 80 percent in a claimed 29 minutes. Plugged into the highest-powered Level 2 outlet, the 22.0-kW onboard charger restores 100 kilometers (62 miles) of range in an hour.
From a standstill, 62 mph takes 4.1 seconds, according to Maserati, while top speed is limited to 137 mph. However, you’ll only enjoy the best performance or range if you choose the appropriate options.
The Grecale Folgore is offered in a single trim, dispensing with the ICE model’s GT, Modena, and Trofeo divisions. Maximum range requires the 19-inch wheels, but the U.S. won’t get those; we’re limited to 20- or 21-inch wheels on either Pirelli Scorpion Zero all-season or Pirelli P Zero Elect summer tires. The 21-inchers, bearing a slightly more ornate, less aero-friendly design, drop range to an estimated 265 miles of WLTP range; the 20-inchers will fall between that and 311 miles. Maserati said the range delta between the 19- and 20-inchers would be smaller than the 19- to 21-inch delta, because of the smaller wheels’ identical design. We estimate EPA numbers coming in at 255 miles for the 20s and 225 miles for the 21s.
Of the four driving modes—Offroad, Max Range, GT, and Sport—only Sport frees the Grecale’s full power output, the circular Thrust gauge on the left of the digital dash running to 100 percent. In GT (the default), only 80 percent of the horsepower reaches the axles. In Max Range, it’s 75 percent, dropping to 50 percent if the power limiter is activated.
Changes vs. the Gas-Powered Grecale
Beyond the powertrain, the rest is effectively the ICE-powered Grecale we’ve known since last year. The Folgore barely diverges from the ICE version’s muted, muscular look. The regular Grecale’s grille features vertical slats, whereas Folgore gets slim oval cutouts instead. Solid panels outlined with body-colored brackets replace the standard model’s front side intakes. And, naturally, the Folgore sports no tailpipes; the rear-diffuser inserts obscure two loudspeakers that create the mandated sounds to warn pedestrians of an approaching EV.
Inside, the EV’s interior design and dimensions copy its ICE sibling’s. Instead of the wheel-mounted paddles operating a gearbox, they control four stages of regen (coasting, combustion-engine braking feel, 0.14 g of recuperation, and 0.21 g of recuperation). The infotainment system adds a folio of EV-specific pages. Econyl, a recycled nylon made from fish nets, supplies the seat center material for the Folgore’s standard chairs, trimmed with Feeltek imitation leather. The fabric is ornamented with patterns inspired by the Italian architect Pier Luigi Nervi, although the seats can be ordered in full bovine leather to match the dashboard, which always comes covered in stitched hides.
Pricing for the electric Grecale is expected to come in just north of $100,000; the gasoline-powered version starts at $69,995.
Driving the Grecale Folgore
When pressed to perform, the Folgore hits high notes like the Grecale Trofeo—and in a couple of ways, higher notes. The Trofeo’s 523 horsepower and 457 pound-feet stalk the Folgore’s outputs, the EV’s added gumption necessary to move its extra weight; the Folgore’s 1490-pound battery pushes curb weight to a claimed 5467 pounds, or by Maserati’s scales, roughly 1000 pounds more than the Grecale Trofeo.
As we’ve seen in other SUVs, no matter their power sources, the witchcraft of modern suspension tuning negates trends toward portliness. The steering feels less twitchy than the Trofeo’s, the low-down mass is a natural damper against minor road flaws, the standard air springs and adaptive dampers are more than up to the challenge of shifting copious weight smoothly. Only sharp bumps and potholes disturbed the ride on 21-inch wheels.
The Trofeo takes a claimed 3.8 seconds to hit 62 mph, versus 4.1 seconds for the Folgore. Even at the Max Range’s 75 percent power setting, the Folgore throws down compelling acceleration. In GT or Sport, passengers need to hold onto objects in the cabin they don’t want flying toward the rear window.
During a 120-mile tour of Italy’s Puglia region, the Folgore’s only sour note was its manufactured sound in Sport. In the other modes, synthesized sounds are subdued, in order to be inoffensive in the city, and they’re overwhelmed by driving noise at highway speed. The more emphatic composition in Sport, at a claimed three decibels louder, occasionally lacks harmony when accelerating and decelerating, then hovers on the cusp of droning when cruising. The sound can be turned down but not off. It’s possible a future over-the-air update could revise the soundtrack or allow full shutoff. We already have a hand up for a silent interior option.
The Folgore is pleasantly quiet otherwise, thanks to measures like double layers of isolation on noise-making electric-motor parts and acoustic laminated windows. And the Pirelli P Zero tires barely registered a whisper in the cabin, a boon compared to the Trofeo’s Bridgestone Potenza Sport summer tires that can’t help making an uproar on all but the kindest pavement.
Maserati doesn’t want to characterize the Grecale Folgore as an electric version of the twin-turbocharged V-6-powered Grecale Trofeo. But we’re reminded of that old saw about what looks like a duck . . . the Folgore might not quack like its Trofeo cousin, but in every substantial way, the Grecale Folgore is the same exciting ride. And plenty of actual ducks, like the Muscovy and Cayuga, don’t really quack either.
Specifications
Specifications
2024 Maserati Grecale Folgore
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $100,000
POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 275 hp
Rear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 275 hp
Combined Power: 550 hp
Combined Torque: 605 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 96.0 kWh
Onboard Charger: 22.0 kW
Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 150 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.3 in
Length: 191.5 in
Width: 76.7 in
Height: 65.0 in
Curb Weight (C/D est): 5500 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.9 sec
100 mph: 10.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 12.5 sec
Top Speed: 137 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 83/90/85 MPGe
Range: 225–255 mi