Ferrari’s New Engine Plan

Future Ferrari engines will feature electric assistance, while the 12-cylinder engine may not spawn any turbo versions in the immediate future.

The naturally aspirated 12-cylinder engines may survive in their non-turbo form, but all of them will be electrified to some extent. The company’s new KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) will use a new type of battery pack that uses individual cylindrical cells that are networked together. This allows for better cooling and the safety net is higher as well – the entire battery pack can be disconnected easily to prevent a short in case there’s an accident. This KERS unit’s drive system can be used in full electric mode for a limited number of kilometres.

The company is working on a hybridized version of Ferrari’s twin-turbo V8. The electric drive system may make use of three motors, one in the back and two in the front. The Honda NSX uses a similar system, where an electric motor sits in between the engine and dual-clutch automatic gearbox. A pair of less powerful electric motors may be used up front as well. There are no details yet about whether this system will feature on a limited edition car or on a production version.