Maserati jumps into luxury EV market with all-electric Grecale compact SUV

Italian luxury automaker Maserati unveiled the Grecale, a brand-new compact SUV that will come in a range of powertrains, including an all-electric version in 2023. It will be the tip of the spear in Maserati’s plan to become an EV-only brand by 2030.

Last week, Maserati announced plans to launch a range of EVs bearing the brand name Folgore, which is Italian for “lightning.” One of the first vehicles to feature that nameplate will be the Grecale, a crossover SUV slotting underneath the mid-size Levante.

Maserati is keeping most of the EV-relevant specs under wraps, including range, battery size, and charging time. The electric Grecale will come with a 400-volt architecture, which is similar to the one used by most EVs on the road today.

The Folgore model will sit on its own EV platform and won’t necessarily use any parent company Stellantis’ EV-specific platforms, Maserati executives said last week. The electric Grecale will use a modified version of the Giorgio platform that is also used by the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

The front grille will feature the Maserati trident logo, while the Folgore brand name will appear driver-side front wing. In the rear, the boomerang taillights are inspired by the Giugiaro 3200 GT and fit in with the trapezoidal lines.

Inside, the infotainment system is powered by Maserati’s intelligent multimedia system. A Sonus three-dimensional sound system includes 14 speakers, or 21 speakers at a higher trim level.

In addition to the electric version, Maserati will produce two mild-hybrid versions of the Grecale, the GT and Moderna, as well as an ultra-powerful Trofeo variant. The Trofeo’s gas-powered V6 engine is based on the Nettuno engine used by Maserati’s MC20 sportscar.

The GT variant will start at $63,500, while the Modena Limited Edition (which is only available via online reservation for a short time) starts at $77,400. Pricing for the Trofeo and EV versions was not made available.

Preceding the Grecale, though, will be electric versions of the GranTurismo sports coupe and GranCabriolet convertible. The rest of the Folgore range will be filled out in the coming months, including the MC20 Spyder, a sister vehicle to the automaker’s ultra-luxury sports car, the new Quattroporte four-door sport sedan, and an electric version of the automaker’s best-selling Levante SUV.

When it hits dealerships, the Maserati Grecale will compete with other luxury EVs, including the Porsche Taycan, BMW iX, Mercedes-Benz EQE, and Audi E-tron.