The MC20’s unveiling in 2020 marked the beginning of a hot streak for Maserati. It was the first Maserati supercar since 2004’s Enzo-adjacent MC12, and it was followed quickly by the spectacular GranTurismo Trofeo and the impressive Grecale Trofeo. Just like that, the Stellantis-owned Italian carmaker replaced an aging lineup of products with a fresh fleet that was exciting.
The next phase of Maserati’s grand plan is to electrify these new models, ditching internal combustion entirely by 2028. The GranTurismo Folgore was Maserati’s first BEV. Now we have the Grecale Folgore, a more mass-market model that is crucial to the company’s electric transition.
For a company buoyed by the racing legacy of Fangio and one of the best rock lyrics of all time (thanks to Joe Walsh, who didn’t own a Maserati until after he claimed one went 185), Maserati has, in recent decades, fought relevance to a draw. Now, after a great run, the stakes are high.
On paper, a 550-horsepower dual-motor crossover with a 105-kilowatt-hour battery pack and pleasing lines reads like yet another consecutive win. Then we drove it. The Grecale Folgore is built on slow-charging 400-volt electric architecture, has handling dynamics hampered by 998 pounds of added weight, and delivers below-market range figures (up to 245 miles est.). After a few turns along the Italian countryside, the Grecale Folgore felt more like a misstep than a leap forward.
The Maserati Grecale Folgore will be the only trim level available as an EV. With an estimated starting price in the low $100,000 range—about the same as the Nettuno-V6-powered Grecale Trofeo—the Folgore is aimed solely at luxury EV buyers, says Maserati.
However, while the 550-hp Folgore may be the most powerful Grecale to date, 27-hp over the Trofeo, it was never intended to be the most athletic on a back road. That title stays with the V6 Trofeo; the Foglore is aimed at the eco-conscious, tech-savvy crowd that might also consider a Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV, Audi’s SQ8 e-tron or BMW’s iX, with Porsche’s upcoming electric Macan joining the list later this year.
The electrified Grecale splits its 550-hp output evenly between two 275-hp electric motors, one on each axle, feeding power to all four wheels. Combined, they deliver a maximum torque output of 605 foot-pounds, enough to propel the Folgore to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds and 124 mph in 16.1. For context, the Trofeo may be down 27 hp, but it’s 0.3 seconds quicker to 62 mph at 3.8 seconds, while the Folgore’s direct competitor, the upcoming 630-hp Porsche Macan Turbo Electric, is quicker still, completing the sprint in a swift 3.3 seconds.
The Folgore feels quick off the line, as anything developing 550 hp should, but not uniquely so. It’s brisk thanks to a solid initial burst courtesy of its instant torque delivery. However, the Folgore’s acceleration tapers quickly as its speedo climbs, feeling less rapid than the outgunned Trofeo. The main culprit is the Folgore’s 105 kilowatt-hour battery pack. In electrified form, the Grecale weighs 998 lb more than the 4,469-lb Trofeo, bringing its curb weight to 5,467 lb. That’s more than a V12-powered Rolls-Royce Ghost.
Aside from hampering its acceleration, the extra heft diminishes the excellent handling dynamics we’ve experienced in other Grecale models. Dive into a corner, and its front end isn’t particularly agile. It tends to understeer as its body leans considerably. While its rear-biased power distribution allows you to scoot its back end with a stab of the accelerator, helping it turn into a corner, its body remains surprisingly unsettled with near-constant bobbing.
On the plus side, a well-calibrated accelerator allows for smooth power delivery and easy modulation. The Trofeo’s column-mounted shift paddles remain, now tasked with adjusting the intensity of the Folgore’s regenerative braking system, allowing for one pedal driving.
Like the Trofeo, the Maserati Grecale Folgore utilizes adjustable air springs and active shock absorbers. GT, Sport, Offroad, and Max Range modes alter their stiffness, ride height, and accelerator responsiveness. However, even in Sport, the firmest setting, the Folgore’s suspension struggled to balance out this crossover’s body, resulting in a bouncy ride uncharacteristic of the rest of the Grecale lineup. Offroad is surprisingly the best of the bunch while puttering around town and on high-speed highway blasts. It raises the Folgore’s ride height enough to isolate it better from road imperfections with improved plushness over the default GT setting.
Max Range mode is a new addition to the Grecale Folgore. As its name suggests, it attempts to make this crossover as efficient as possible by capping its top speed at 81 mph, while limiting accelerator responsiveness and its climate control system’s power draw. The Trident suggests only clicking over to this mode once the pack’s state of charge drops below 16 percent. Although Maserati has not published an official EPA range figure, its latest crossover achieved 311 miles in its most efficient configuration and 264 miles in its least on the European WLTP cycle. Given that WLTP figures are often around 20 percent higher than EPA estimates, expect the Folgore’s maximum range to hover closer to 245 miles once it reaches the U.S. market.
Unlike the aforementioned Macan Turbo Electric and Maserati’s own GranTurismo Folgore, which count on an 800-volt electric architecture, the Grecale Folgore utilizes a 400-volt system. As such, its peak DC charge rate is 150 kilowatts, meaning it takes 29 minutes to charge from 20 to 80 percent. For context, the aforementioned Porsche and Maserati GT can accept up to 270 kW, resulting in quicker charge times. Maserati offers an optional wall box for at-home charging, which delivers between 3 and 22 kW, the Folgore’s AC limit.
While the buzz surrounding the Maserati Grecale Folgore centers around its powertrain, this crossover’s strengths remain in the areas where the Trident has always excelled: style and design. Sharing more than just a near $100,000 pricepoint with its Trofeo sibling, the Folgore borrows many of its sporty styling cues. Its front fascia, for example, carries over the V6 model’s overall bumper design but differentiates itself with a new inverted grille. It’s a similar story with its rocker panels and back bumper, whose diffuser gains trim pieces in place of the Trofeo’s quad exhaust tips. Available with 20 or 21-inch aero wheels, the Folgore banks on the Grecale’s stellar looks while implementing only subtle tweaks. The result is an electric crossover that isn’t defined by an overly aero-focused shape, instead sticking to more traditional proportions.
The Folgore’s interior is, like the rest of the Grecale range, excellently appointed, spacious, and a well-isolated place to be. Its dashboard hosts three screens: a digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch central infotainment display, and an 8.8-inch screen nestled beneath it. Like most luxury EVs, the Folgore’s interior is practically devoid of physical buttons, except for its gear selectors sandwiched between its central displays. However, most of the adjustments to its climate and comfort settings remain always within easy reach in its bottom display, limiting the need to sort through various menus while driving.
Although Maserati offers plenty of leather variations for its 14-way adjustable front seats, the Folgore introduces the use of Econyl, a fabric made up of recycled nylon. The material feels like the most luxurious wetsuit imaginable and retains heating and cooling capabilities. More importantly, however, it adds an interesting texture to the interior aside from adorning the Folgore’s cabin with a distinct aesthetic.
The Maserati Grecale Folgore is expected to go on sale in the U.S. later this year, entering the popular but highly competitive electric luxury crossover segment. While the Trident’s latest has stellar styling and an elegant cabin primed to appeal to tech-savvy premium EV buyers, its aging electric architecture and unsettled ride will undoubtedly pose challenges for the brand’s core audience of enthusiasts.
Conversely, the tech-savvy, often stat-focused buyers the brand wants to court will compare the Folgore to current and upcoming rivals and find an electric crossover that isn’t segment-leading on paper, especially at a six-figure price point. For a brand that’s done almost everything right in recent years as it aims to gain market share and reposition itself at the top of the luxury world, its first foray into the electric crossover space feels more like a misstep than a leap forward.