Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna told Hindustan Times in New Delhi that the Italian supercar maker filed a patent in 2019 for a compressed‑air jet system similar to the one used in Tesla’s new Roadster demonstration. The patent, credited to engineer Fabrizio Favaretto, describes a set of high‑pressure air nozzles that press the car onto the road to improve grip, braking, cornering and acceleration.
Patent background and technology
According to Vinna, the patent was first filed in Italy on 27 December 2018 and subsequently in the United States on 23 December 2019 under the title “High‑Performance Car with Gas Pushers”. The U.S. application was published in July 2020 and later granted as patent number 11,072,381.
The design calls for a tank capable of storing air at 700 to 900 bar – several hundred times the pressure inside a standard tyre – and a series of nozzles that eject the air at supersonic speed. A jet located near the vehicle’s centre of gravity points upward, adding downforce for better traction. Additional side jets counteract lateral forces in a corner, a front jet assists braking and a rear jet provides extra thrust for acceleration. A further nozzle under the floor accelerates the airflow beneath the car, lowering pressure and pulling the chassis toward the road.
Energy recovery is built into the system: a compressor driven by the wheels refills the high‑pressure tank during braking, reclaiming energy that would otherwise be lost as heat. The patent estimates the entire arrangement adds roughly 40 to 45 kilograms to the vehicle’s weight.
Ferrari’s approach differs from Tesla’s use of similar thrusters. While Tesla employed the technology in a dramatic livestream at a SpaceX rocket test site in Texas – where the second‑generation Roadster lifted, flipped over parked cars and landed on its wheels – Ferrari’s intent is to keep the car firmly on the ground, using the jets only in moments that test a driver’s skill, such as sharp bends or emergency stops.
Market reaction and Indian debut
On Saturday, Ferrari unveiled the Luce, its first all‑electric model, at the Universo Ferrari exhibition in New Delhi. The five‑seat sedan was styled by LoveFrom, the design studio founded by former Apple chief Jony Ive and industrial designer Marc Newson. The Luce is powered by four electric motors delivering a combined 1,035 hp, paired with a 122 kWh battery that the company rates for a range of about 529 km.
The car’s reveal near Rome on 25 May drew a hostile response from some observers. Ferrari shares fell 8.4 % on the Milan exchange the following day, and former chairman Luca di Montezemolo warned that the company risked “the destruction of a myth”. Despite the criticism, Vinna defended the design, repeating a line he had written three days before the launch: “True innovation is never democratic.” He added that the Luce would be judged differently when seen in person rather than through two‑dimensional images or video.
Orders for the Luce have reportedly come from many countries, with Vinna noting particularly strong demand in China, where all 88 units in the first Chinese allocation sold out on launch day in June. In India, the Luce is on display at the Universo Ferrari pavilion in Yashobhoomi, the India International Convention and Expo Centre, from 17 October to 1 November, alongside the F80 hypercar making its Indian debut. Ferrari has not disclosed pricing or a sales timeline for the Indian market.
Vinna said Indian clients welcomed the recent free‑trade agreement between the European Union and India, describing it as “very good news for us”. He also highlighted the contribution of Indian engineers within Ferrari’s global operations and mentioned meetings with students from the Indian Institutes of Technology and other universities, praising their “energy” and “optimism”.
When asked whether the Luce signals a broader shift away from internal‑combustion engines, Vinna clarified that Ferrari is adding an electric model to its sports‑car portfolio rather than abandoning conventional powertrains. He declined to comment on rival manufacturers’ electric‑vehicle strategies, noting that “technology can move fast. Human beings move slower.”
Vinna also addressed the future of autonomous driving, stating that Ferrari believes driving pleasure will remain important: “If you want to have fun, if you want to live emotion, you have to drive by yourself.” He pointed out that Ferrari produces about 14,000 cars a year for a global population of roughly eight billion.
Regarding production, Vinna explained that the assembly line relies on human craftsmanship, with only a single robot – responsible for placing the windscreen – operating alongside skilled workers.
In a personal note, Vinna, who entered Ferrari from the semiconductor sector and grew up in a small Italian town, offered advice to a young Indian engineer: “Keep learning everywhere, from everyone, always.”
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