Shares of luxury carmaker Ferrari fell sharply on Tuesday shortly after the company launched its first fully electric vehicle.
The Maranello, Italy-based sports car manufacturer unveiled the Luce, which translates as “light,” at a venue in Rome, describing the choice of name as one that “evokes clarity and direction.”
The highly anticipated model marks a departure from the aesthetic of typical Ferraris and comes even as other luxury car manufacturers, notably Porsche and Lamborghini, have scaled back on plans to launch their own EVs due to weak demand.
Shares of Ferrari in Milan fell about 8%, while U.S.-listed shares fell roughly 4%. The Milan-listed stock is down more than 32% over the last 12 months.
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna described the launch of the Luce model as a “very, very important day” for the company, one that symbolizes the opening of “a new chapter” in its history.
When asked whether the company could satisfy both new customers and its typical clientele, Vigna told CNBC’s Charlotte Reed, “Look, when you do a new technology, you need always to keep in mind a word that is called respect.”
“Respect of the technology, because when you have a new technology, you need to make sure that that technology is properly represented in the design, so the design must be different,” he added.
Vigna said the carmaker also respects the different needs and wishes of its customers, adding that existing clientele will be interested in the Luce and the company will welcome new buyers thanks to the fully electric model.
Ferrari's first-ever five-seater car, the Luce model can hit 60 mph in around 2.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of roughly 192 mph.
The Luce is priced at around 550,000 euros, (roughly $640,000), with customer deliveries scheduled to begin from the fourth quarter of the year.
Ferrari said it had chosen to develop and manufacture all components in house in Maranello, while the design was entrusted to LoveFrom, an agency founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Why are shares falling?
Analysts attributed the share price reaction to a mix of "design hate" and the classic market adage of "travel and arrive," noting that Ferrari's stock price had risen significantly ahead of Monday's launch.
"Ultimately many fans are disappointed that Ferrari is embracing the EV concept, believing it dilutes the supercar brand, which has modelled itself around classic design and raw, combustion-engine power," Michael Field, chief equity strategist at Morningstar, told CNBC by email.
"From an investment perspective, many investors had feared the development of an EV model, on the basis that the research and development costs are materially high, putting a lot of pressure on the brand to recoup these, and potentially diluting investment returns for the business," Field said.
Anthony Dick, an auto analyst at Oddo BHF, said the stock price response is "by far the sharpest reaction we've seen for a car design — the market has spoken."
Anthony Dick, an auto analyst at Oddo BHF, said the stock price response is “by far the sharpest reaction we’ve seen for a car design — the market has spoken.”
Reflecting on market concerns and risks to the business if Ferrari’s launch of the new model was to fail, Dick cited the impact on brand equity, noting Luce marks “the furthest deviation from the brand’s ethos we’ve ever seen,” and the potential hit on profitability if the model really does not sell.
Ferrari’s Vigna said the Luce model would provide Ferrari drivers with “the same sensation” as a typical model but the all-important sound of the car was one associated with an electric engine and “each engine has its own sound.”
“What is important is the emotion that is [being given] to the driver,” he added.