Michael Teo Van Runkle
PUGLIA, ITALY—At a current media drive program in Puglia, Italy, Maserati launched the manufacturing model of the all-electric Grecale Folgore. The svelte SUV will be part of the American lineup for model-year 2025 as the corporate’s second-ever EV, following the 2024 GranTurismo Folgore.
Similar to the GranTurismo, improvement of the Grecale chassis at all times included plans to impress the mannequin. But not like the GT, Grecale doesn’t obtain a dogbone-style battery and triple drive unit structure, as a substitute sticking with by-now-traditional skateboard underpinnings and twin 205-kilowatt motors that swap in for the spectacular twin-turbo “Nettuno” V6 engine used on the decrease Modena and Trofeo trims.
Total mixed output maxes out at 550 hp (410 kW) and 605 lb-ft (820 Nm) of torque, or about 30 hp (22 kW) greater than the previous top-spec internal-combustion Trofeo trim. Only a couple of years in the past, these energy figures for both a gasoline or battery-electric drivetrain would have positioned the Grecale on the prime of the SUV meals chain. Throw within the reactive nature of instantaneous torque, in addition to all-wheel-drive traction, and 605 lb-ft ought to sound fairly spectacular.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
But within the fashionable EV period, a lot of the Grecale Folgore’s stats lag behind the remainder of the market, at the very least on paper. The resolution to make use of 400 V structure implies that a comparatively sizeable 105 kWh battery, which homes 33 massive modules of six prismatic cells every, can solely attain a most charging fee of 150 kW when plugged right into a DC quick charger. Topping up the battery from 20 to 80 p.c will due to this fact take a sluggish 29 minutes beneath the very best of circumstances. The onboard AC charger is able to as much as 22 kW, though that requires European three-phase electrical energy to reap the benefits of.
No official EPA vary ranking has been launched but, however in European WLTP testing, the Grecale reached as excessive as 501 kilometers of vary (311 miles) however, in its least-efficient configuration, as little as 426 kilometers (264 miles). And take into account that EPA vary estimates sometimes are available at round 70 p.c of WLTP numbers.
That battery pack bolted onto a unibody chassis nonetheless weighs in at 1,490 lbs (676 kg), contributing mightily to a complete curb weight of practically 5,500 lbs (2,494 kg)—nearly precisely 1,000 lbs (454 kg) gained versus the ICE Trofeo and Modena trims. The further weight implies that regardless of producing extra grunt than a Grecale Trofeo, the Folgore can solely handle a 4.1-second dash to 62 mph (100 km/h).
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The twin motors produce not-insubstantial straight-line acceleration, undoubtedly, however whereas mashing the ‘”go” pedal in Sport mode all the best way to the ground, anticipated ranges of EV jerk (the gut-punch sensation that is additionally the scientific time period for fee of change of acceleration) by no means fairly materialize as a lot as anticipated. For context, the Trofeo runs the 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) dash in 3.8 seconds.