For years, whispers of an Apple Car stirred imaginations across the tech and automotive worlds. But while that particular vision never materialized, something perhaps even more intriguing has emerged: the Ferrari Luce. On February 9, 2026, in a dramatic event high above San Francisco in the TransAmerica Pyramid, Ferrari took the wraps off the interior and user interface of its first all-electric vehicle, officially named "Luce"—the Italian word for "light." What was shown wasn’t the full car, nor even its complete interior, but what was revealed signals a generational shift for the legendary automaker.
The Luce’s story is one of unlikely partnerships and cross-pollination between Silicon Valley and Modena. According to Engadget, the journey began back in 2019, when Jony Ive—Apple’s famed design chief behind the iMac, iPhone, and iPad—departed the tech giant to co-found LoveFrom with fellow designer Marc Newson. Ferrari wasted little time reaching out, and by 2021, a formal deal was inked. Over the next five years, LoveFrom and Ferrari would work hand-in-hand, blending the Italian marque’s racing heritage with the minimalist, obsessive ethos that defined Apple’s golden era.
At the reveal, Ferrari chairman John Elkann explained the thinking behind the car’s name. "Luce is ‘light’, and the significance of it is multiple: It gives you a sense of the future. It gives you a sense of lightness. It gives you a sense of speed. It gives you a sense of novelty. It gives you a sense of the many different things that have altogether been part of this incredible project that today becomes one step closer to reality." As Motor Trend noted, the name also reflects the less-is-more philosophy that Jony Ive and Marc Newson have championed throughout their careers.
But what exactly does this philosophy look like when translated into a Ferrari? For starters, the Luce’s interior is a masterclass in detail and restraint. The centerpiece is a 10.2-inch OLED display that pivots to the touch, but unlike many modern EVs, it’s not meant to steal the show. Ive, who has sometimes been criticized for pushing design minimalism to extremes, insists that tactile controls remain front and center. "[Today's cars] are missing some things that we love about our old Ferraris," he told Engadget. "It was very clear to us that we needed to figure out as many ways as possible to viscerally and physically connect to the interface."
That means real, physical switches and dials—solid, substantial, and satisfying to use—surround the steering wheel. The rails anchoring the seats to the floor are shaped and anodized, a detail most drivers would never notice but one that speaks volumes about the team’s obsession with craft. There are more than 40 pieces of Corning Gorilla Glass enveloping the driver, and anodized aluminum accents appear throughout, echoing the materials that made Apple devices objects of desire.
Perhaps the most whimsical touch is the key itself. In the words of a Fast Company journalist who attended the reveal, "I hold the key to the Ferrari in my hand. I press it, like a puzzle piece, into a notch by my right hip. Yellow fades from the key as the hue enters the shifter and the dashboard comes to life with a wave of yellow. I’m enchanted." This e-ink key, the size and shape of a Zippo lighter, is more than a gimmick. When inserted into its slot, the yellow glow from the key appears to transfer into the car, creating a little moment of magic every time the car is started.
While the event may have left some journalists bemused—after all, they had flown in from around the globe only to see a steering wheel, a seat, and a few dashboard fragments—the sense of anticipation is palpable. The Luce is, by all accounts, a pivotal car for Ferrari as it steps boldly into the electric age. The company has kept many of the technical details under wraps, but it’s known that the Luce will boast over 1,000 horsepower, a figure that promises to keep Ferrari’s performance credentials intact even as it swaps combustion for electrons.
The design process itself was, by all accounts, both exhilarating and challenging. "It's very hard, I've never worked in an area that's so regulated," Ive admitted to Engadget. "Some of it's great, because you understand why, and people's safety is certainly important, but some of it drives you nuts." The regulatory thicket of automotive design is a far cry from the relatively unencumbered world of consumer electronics, and yet, according to Ive, the constraints ultimately led to greater creativity.
Ferrari’s embrace of technology is nothing new. The company was the first automaker to adopt Apple’s original CarPlay system, though it has yet to confirm support for the newer CarPlay Ultra. That said, the Luce’s user interface, as glimpsed in the partial reveal, bears a striking resemblance to Apple’s latest in-car software, blurring the line between digital and physical in ways both subtle and profound. As Engadget observed, "In the few images shown so far, that display's controls look like Apple's CarPlay Ultra. It's actually hard to be sure what is a display and what is a physical gauge around the steering wheel, but it all has that Apple look."
For Jony Ive and Marc Newson, both self-confessed car enthusiasts, the project has been a labor of love. "Jony and I share a really, really deep interest in automotive things and vehicles," Newson told Engadget. "Actually, I'd go so far as to say that that is probably a hobby of both of ours." The partnership has produced not just a car, but, as Ive reflected, "At the end of a project, there are two products—there's what you've made, and there's what you've learned. I've always been fascinated by what you've learned, and, honestly, we've learned so much."
Despite the fanfare, much remains under wraps. Ferrari has not yet revealed the Luce’s exterior, nor has it announced pricing or availability. The full reveal is slated for May 2026, leaving fans and industry watchers alike eagerly awaiting the next chapter. Whether the Luce marks the beginning of a new era of electric Ferraris or simply a bold experiment remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: by merging Italian passion with Silicon Valley precision, Ferrari and LoveFrom have crafted something that’s much more than just a car—it’s a statement about the future of design, technology, and the very soul of driving.
The world will have to wait a few months longer to see the Luce in all its glory, but for now, the intersection of light, speed, and innovation has never looked—or felt—quite like this.