The best electric car of the year comes out… that’s right, Maserati

Are electric cars boring? Maserati presents the electric GranCabrio, which is intended to combine performance with the Italian lifestyle.

In its second decade, mass electric mobility is back to where it was in 2008 Tesla Roadster started: convertible. With much fanfare, Maserati launched the GranCabrio Folgore, an alternative to the GranTurismo Folgore. This makes the brand a pioneer in a new segment, as open electric cars have so far been rare. However, the Chinese MG Cyberster, the second open-top electric car, is already on the starting blocks.

The nearly five-meter long GranCabrio, on the other hand, is as Italian as pizza and pasta. Development, design, production, everything comes from our own hands. Even the battery, which is assembled in Turin.

Anyone interested in the luxury four-seater, which costs at least 210,000 euros, can expect a lot of Italian engineering spirit. In fact, Maserati engineers put a lot of brainpower into their third Folgore, as the electric models are called, after the Grecale and GranTurismo. When production began in 2017, specifications were to keep technical differences between the GranCabrio and GranTurismo to a minimum and use the same aluminum-magnesium architecture.

Model Three E: Enthusiasts can expect plenty of Italian engineering spirit.photo: maserati

So there is only a small difference under the elegant belt line and the large bonnet, which flows seamlessly into the front fenders. For example, reinforcement on the bodywork required for open cars.

Luxurious interior and mini trunk

Inside, the open four-seater tests with luxury equipment to match the price, right down to the neck air conditioner, which blows warm air around the necks of all four seats on cold days. The Alcantara sports seats, whose filigree patterns are laser-engraved, are certainly a visual treat. According to Maserati, with technology that is unique in the world. Designer Klaus Busse has created a flat, highly insulated textile upper that is available in five colors. When folded back – which also works when driving up to 50 km / h – the trunk volume of 151 liters leaves room for more than two small bags.

Up to 830 hp and a range of 420 km

A look at the data sheet shows that the brand remains true to its racing tradition when it comes to the electric drive: However, the output of the three 300 kW electric motor system does not increase to three times as the battery cannot perform this. But in boost mode there are still 830 hp at the wheels and in normal mode 751 hp. A top speed of 290 km/h is possible and the GranCabrio breaks the 200 km/h mark in less than ten seconds. The 420 km range promised by WLTP is definitely not possible.

When you press the power pedal, the electric motors, which are not rigidly connected to the rear wheels, distribute their torque differently until it is needed. This torque rating acts as a differential lock and stabilizes the load in fast corners, but also when releasing the accelerator suddenly. Each motor is also controlled independently and works individually, so that the athlete can drive the car with the rear wheel or, if necessary, with the all-wheel drive.

For a low seating position: Unlike most electric cars, the battery cells do not sit flat in the floor and under the seats.photo: maserati

The heart of the electric car is the 800-volt technology. In good conditions, the charging power on the power booster increases to 300 kW. Then electricity is injected into the car for 100 kilometers in five minutes. Or to put it another way: In just 18 minutes, the DC charger fills the usable 83 kWh of the 92.5 kWh of the on-board battery from 20 to 80 percent. The GranCabrio also has a special on-board charging accessory. This means that Maserati can also tap 50 kW of electricity from old DC charging stations that only work with 400 volt technology.

A special feature of battery cells

Unlike most electric cars, the battery cells are not found flat on the floor and under the seats. Instead, the battery cells are stacked up front to form a large package, where the V6 engine is located in the combustion engine. The rest of the units extend like a square tube along the center tunnel towards the rear. The Italians call this cell pack the T-bone arrangement. Passengers also sit down and sportsmen in the E model. Above all, it should take into account the weight of the car on the longitudinal axis and prevent any moment of forward movement. This should certainly be good for the cornering maneuvers of the 2.3 tonne convertible.