With the Grecale Folgore, Maserati brings us its first volume EV. Jonathan Crouch looks at what's on offer.

Ten Second Review

Maserati's most important EV model right now is this one, the Grecale Folgore. This mid-sized performance SUV is extremely expensive, but also extremely fast and surprisingly covetable. If budget permits, it's a tempting alternative to the German opposition.

Background

When a brand like Maserati starts producing electric vehicles, you know the EV revolution is in full swing. The company is making electric 'Folgore'-badged versions of its GranTurismo and MC20 sports cars, but the model we look at here, the Grecale Folgore mid-sized SUV, is vastly more important to the Italian marque. There's not too much of an eco-remit here: 'Folgore' is Italian for 'lightning bolt' and this battery Grecale pulls no performance punches in its efforts to provide a very Latin alternative to its arch rival Porsche's Macan Electric. But there's a high price to pay for the privilege of enjoying it.

Driving Experience

Part of the reason you buy Maserati is for the sound it makes, so you'd think the Grecale Folgore would start off at a huge disadvantage to its combustion cousins. Actually, this is less of an issue than you might think because the (unswitchable) sound effects as you drive (from speakers beneath the boot floor) represent what most people think is the best EV sound in the industry. A soundtrack that accompanies frantic performance generated by 275bhp motors front and rear, which together generate 505bhp (27bhp more than a V6 Grecale Trofeo). Enough via the single-speed automatic to thrust this SUV to 62mph in just 4.1s en route to a most un-EV-like top speed of 137mph. But course drive like that and you'll get nowhere near the claimed 311 mile drive range figure. That's not especially class competitive. A Mercedes EQE SUV 500 manages 341 miles, a Porsche Macan Turbo Electric 367 miles. Weight has a lot to do with this Maserati's showing; this Folgore is nearly 2.5 tonnes, 450kg more than a V6 Grecale. Which is why the standard adaptive air suspension has had to be reconfigured and made a whole lot stiffer, something you can vary through the various drive modes. As usual in a Maserati, 'GT' is the best all-round one for the powertrain and 'Sport' for the suspension. Avoid the larger 21-inch wheel option if you value a supple ride.

Design and Build

The visual changes here are intentionally subtle. Aside from the badge, Maserati loyalists will recognise this Folgore model's identity by spotting the blanked-off concave grille, the copper-coloured brake calipers and of course the lack of tail pipes. No other changes were really necessary because this Grecale's Giorgio platform was always engineered to accommodate an EV drivetrain. Even one with an enormous 105kWh battery like this. Behind the wheel, it's not immediately obvious what the changes over the combustion model are. And the Latin vibe is refreshingly different to the clinicality of the German opposition. The driving position manages to be focused, yet commanding. Not all the switchgear quality emulates the standards set by Teutonic rivals, but there's certainly plenty of the required tech - a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen; a centre screen of the same size with a "Hey Maserati" voice control system; and there's also a lower centre 8.8-inch monitor, plus a head-up display. Sadly, the traditional Maserati centre dash clock, though still analogue in layout, is now digital. Two adults will be comfortable in the back; three would need to be on quite personable terms. And there's a decently sized boot - 535-litres, the same as the 2.0-litre model but 35-litres less than the top Trofeo version.

Market and Model

If so far you're sold on the idea of this electric Maserati, you might need to sit down and have couple of strong sweet tea once you come across its asking price - £110,000. To give you some perspective, that's around £15,000 more than the already pricey and more powerful rival Porsche Macan Turbo Electric. And Maserati seems to have no intention of introducing a less powerful entry-level model. At least you get lots of equipment for the asking price. This includes a 14-speaker Sonus Faber audio system, adaptive cruise control, heating for front and rear seats, plus an Android-powered entertainment system and front seat cooled ventilation and 14-way adjustment. And of course, you can really go to town on the options list if money's no object. If your budget really is unlimited, then you might want to consider the 'Rame Folgore' copper paint finish - at over £15,000! Leather upholstery is included, but as an option there's a new seat material called 'Econyl', fashioned from recycled nylon and fishing nets. Doesn't sound too appealing does it, but it actually looks quite nice. Safety-wise, Maserati is offering a wide range of Level 2 Advanced Driving Assistance Systems, which it claims is the highest level of driving automation support available on the market.

Cost of Ownership

As we told you in our 'Driving' section, The all-electric Grecale Folgore gets a 105kWh battery pack which offers a 311 mile driving range. Unlike the rival Porsche Macan Electric, which uses new-tech 800V electrical architecture that allows it to charge from the latest generation of ultra-fast rapid DC public chargers, this Maserati runs on a 400V electrical system. That more modern 800V system is also used by two other potential segment rivals, the Audi SQ6 e-tron and the Genesis GV70 Electric. Still, the Grecale Folgore can take DC rapid charging at up to 150kW and a 20-80% charge can be completed in 29 minutes. The asking price includes installation of a 7kW home charger and access to the Maserati Public Charge smartphone app, giving you access to around 96% of chargers across Europe. Whatever Grecale you decide upon, it'll come with a three year unlimited mileage warranty - better than Audi's three year / 60,000 mile package but comparable to what you'd get from rivals at Porsche, BMW and Mercedes. Service intervals are every year or every 12,500 miles, whichever comes first. And fixed-price servicing packages are available, as is fixed-priced servicing. Plus, because most Maserati dealers are joint franchises with Ferrari workshops, it'll feel like a bit of an event every time you take your car in for a scheduled visit.

Summary

It's a pity that this Maserati's price tag has spiralled so far beyond its rivals, particularly the kind of Porsche Macan Electric that many potential customers will also be looking at. If there was pricing parity between these two cars, we could make a case for preferring this more emotive battery-powered Grecale. Driving range isn't stellar, but if you don't care about decimating it, you'll enjoy the performance and GT handling of this Maserati hugely. There's a much more tactile and elegant cabin than anything else in the segment and remarkably few practical compromises with the battery installation. It just comes down to that price tag. And whether you're prepared to pay it.